Anchor lights - risks of not showing correct lights

[cliff]

The regs do NOT require a mast head light as an anchor light as per Rule 30

Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

As for rule 22
(b) In vessels of 12 metres or more in length but less than 50 metres in length:

- a masthead light, 5 miles; except that where the length of the vessel is less than 20 metres, 3 miles;
- a sidelight, 2 miles;
- a sternlight, 2 miles;
- a towing light, 2 miles;
- a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles.

(c) In vessels of less than 12 metres in length:

- a masthead light, 2 miles;
- a sidelight, 1 mile;
- a sternlight, 2 miles;
- a towing light, 2 miles;
- a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles

Now it seems to me a white alround white as required for anchoring (rule 30) should have a visible range of 2 miles (rule 22) but does not have to be a mast head light ref rule 30 section a para 1.

If what you say is correct then please explain why the European yacht builders are allowed to sell new boats within the european market with tricolour only on the mast head? Many older yachts have only a tricolour on the mast head as that is all that is required.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[Tisme]

Which is why, on my boat the "Masthead light" (which is the steaming light) is not at the masthead but is mounted half way up the mast. The anchor light which is supposed to be in the foretriangle (I think) is at the masthead even though it is not a masthead light! Just to confuse it a little more my main anchor light is nowhere near the mast, it is in a locker in the heads. I think /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Has that clarified things?

 

[Ships_Cat]

I have actually seen a confused government marine inspector document a fault on a vessel as being that the masthead light was not visible all round. Whereas he actually meant that the all round light was not visible all round but still seemingly not knowing that even all round lights do not have to be visible all round and masthead lights are illegal if visible all round.

Confused too now? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

John

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Has that clarified things?

[/ QUOTE ]I don't know /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I was hoping that we might get some clarification by running this thread but I'm not sure about that.

We DO now seem to all be agreed that you are required to display an anchor light even in a designated anchorages (except in the US in specially designated anchorages) and that is useful. If everyone showed some sort of light in an anchorage, it would probably prevent collisions but might people be liable to a proportion of the costs of damage if a collision were to occur, if their lights fail to meet whatever specification the legal experts deem to be appropriate? In my case, using the designated masthead 'anchor' light as fitted by the manufacturer for a vessel being delivered into the EU would, I imagine, let me counter-claim against the manufacturer if there was any problem.

But what about a retro-fit job dangling from the rigging? Manufacturers of such products ought to get a proper legal opinion, IMO, or they might face the financial consequences. Purchasers would be wise to ask the manufacturer for evidence that their product actually DOES comply, particularly if the manufacturer does not have a well-known position in this market.

 

[VicS]

Rule 30 paragraph b legalises the all round white at the mast head (ie where it can best be seen) for vessels under 50m


If everyone bought a copy of the regs from the rya which are annotated for yachtsmen and read them carefully together with the notes there would be no confusion. It is all in perfectly plain English!!!!

 

[cliff]

Agreed but it is not mandatory that the anchor light be mounted at the top of the mast ie a mast head light.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
not mandatory that the anchor light be mounted at the top of the mast

[/ QUOTE ] true and there is nothing in the regs to suggest that it should be except that it must be where it can best be seen and must be visible all round. A light hanging in the fore triangle will be obsured by the mast from dead astern. If not competely, sufficiently to reduce the visible range. The only place free from all obstructions is on top of the main mast.

PS my hurricane lamp hangs in the fore triangle and is visible for a few hundred yards except when there is the slightest breeze when it blows out so is not visible at all!

 

[Tisme]

I have a tricolour light at my masthead. It came with all sorts of BS/ISO numbers on the box. It's made by a reputable manufacturer. When I look at it from half a mile away I am not at all convinced that the green colour is right and the change from green to red can best be described as "fuzzy". In other words I doubt that it complies with the Regs.

But, what can I do about it? I can't test it; too expensive.

I suspect that the real answer is just to hope it is OK and use some applied common sense when the situation demands. (Switch on deck lights, use a spot light on the sails or fire off a flare)
If it all goes wrong then I'll have to rely on my insurance.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think that you will have a problem because it was made by a reputable manufacturer. Who is going to 'have a go' at you under those circumstances? OTOH, if you put a non-standard gizmo on your boat, like a flashing zenon, LED array, or whatever, if it is not made by a reputable manufacturer for the purpose, then if any serious money is at stake the chances are that someone will try to squirm out of their liability to pay. Wouldn't we all, to be honest about it?

Hurricane lamps are probably a different thing altogether as they have been in regular use by over half the yachting fraternity as anchor lights for decades and nowhere has it been suggested (in yachting mags, text books, training courses, etc.) that this practice does not meet the regulations. I'm not a legal expert but I imagine that they are acceptable simply because their use has never been challenged. But I stand to be corrected by someone with legal knowledge.

 

[landaftaf]

[ QUOTE ]
someone with legal knowledge.


[/ QUOTE ] doesnt usually give free advice /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

hurricane lamps and small boats go together, put larger boats and bigger money together and do you want to invalidate your insurance by using non approved lamps, there are approved oil lamps available, these lamps are marked as such and give off enough light to satisfy the courts (as laid down in the colregs)

 

[Tisme]

[ QUOTE ]
if you put a non-standard gizmo on your boat, like a flashing zenon,

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a strobe, until I replaced it with the Tricolour!
Very useful at regatta's and when going into a Marina a night...... (on the radio, "I'm over here..... with the flashing light"; you know the situation). I never had to use it in anger but it would have been a useful means of attracting attention in a close quarters situation. If I can find space I'll put it up again next year.

I subscribe to the theory that the more gizmos at the top of the mast the better the boat. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[bilbobaggins]

Interesting. "Where it can best be seen...." - and the purpose is the prevention of collisions.

I'm a bit averse to gear stuck on the masthead, which frequently fails in practice ( lights/VHF antennae/wind instruments ) and which is darned inconvenient to simply wiggle/jiggle, inspect, and/or change the bulb. I've been in the practice of using as an anchor light - on appropriate small craft of < 20 metres - a high-intensity low-drain LED light on a 'wander lead', which plugs into a 12v socket below, by the chart table, and hangs underneath the boom on a hook. It's visible as per the regs, and the supply cable doesn't trail loose all along the deck to the forestay, ready to trip up a forgetful me when 'checking the anchor' in the middle of the night.

Also, I've been carrying a powerful MIL SPEC personal strobe light for years, and have used it on several occasions to get the attention of helmsmen in PDVs - once, to scare off a Spanish trawler which seemed intent on running us down ( he probably took us for some form of police ) and on another occasion to help a lifeboat find us in rather big seas. On each occasion the high-intensity strobe light reflecting off wet sails did the job PDQ!

When you consider that aircraft large, small and worldwide have 'high-intensity strobing anti-collision lights' and that these co-exist with red/port and green/starboard lights without confusion, to 'see and be seen', it is hard to understand the IMO's reluctance to incorporate this new technology in the interests of our safety.

I, for one, will use any powerful light at my disposal - including strobes - if it is apparent that a 'risk of collision' vessel is not responding as expected. That works for me!

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
When you consider that aircraft large, small and worldwide have 'high-intensity strobing anti-collision lights' and that these co-exist with red/port and green/starboard lights without confusion, to 'see and be seen', it is hard to understand the IMO's reluctance to incorporate this new technology in the interests of our safety

[/ QUOTE ] I can see the wisdom of high intensity strobe lights on aeroplanes they operate in a 3 dimensional world and they travel very much faster.

 

[Anonymous]

I have had my hand on Xenon stobes in the past and passed them over - mainly to save wasting money on things I don't really need /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

In all the years I have been sailing and messing about in boats, I can't think when I would ever have used one.

 

[fishermantwo]

As a fishing boat operator I can say I have had many close calls with yachts over the years while they were at anchor and at sea. Mast head lights are totally useless in harbour and at sea {even though my yacht has them}. In harbour while entering and leaving who looks that high? At sea a light shining on a sail is often the only thing I have seen and with maxi yachts crossing my bow at more than 15 knots its fairly alarming.
Strobe lights attract my attention, they are often used by fishermen to show their longline buoys.
Best anchor lights are those mounted just above the cabin top that light up the mast and boom and the cabin top, just where I'm looking when going to work each morning.

 

[duncan]

[ QUOTE ]
Agreed but it is not mandatory that the anchor light be mounted at the top of the mast ie a mast head light

[/ QUOTE ]
no

within the regs as already quoted above a mast head light is not (necessarily) mounted at the top of the mast.

a mast head light is specified to cover 225 degrees forwards, which with stern light covering 135 degrees gives 360 coverage - most yachts woulkd know this as their steaming light.

 

[Ships_Cat]

and must be visible all round

No it does not have to be visible all round (although obviously desirable if tis).

It only has to be visible over an arc of 354 degrees and may be visible over a lesser arc if it is impractical to place it high enuff to get the 354. See my earlier posts.

John

 

[Anonymous]

I can't understand why you have trouble seeing anchor lights on top of the mast when I find them the easiest and least ambiguous light used by lights at anchor. Strange, we must look at the world in different ways /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif How big is your fishing boat (and height of the eye above sea level)?

As for xenons, are you saying that you'd like to see yachts using them as standard? If not, then when would you like to see yachts using them?

Coming to those yachts you haven't seen; are you saying that they did not appear to be lit in accordance with the regs or that the official lights are not sufficient for you to see them? I don't generally have a problem seeing other yachts but then my eyesight is very good (with specs) and I always keep binoculars handy and the radar is ALWAYS on at night. I suppose as a professional fisherman you keep your radar running all the time, day and night and with ARPA?

 

[Ships_Cat]

We just use an anchor light at the masthead also and it always seems to be visible (even from inside our own boat due to it illuminating all the gear on the masthead). I have never had a problem seeing other boats having the light at the masthead either. But there again, I tend to look out for them /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
and must be visible all round

No it does not have to be visible all round (although obviously desirable if tis).

It only has to be visible over an arc of 354 degrees and may be visible over a lesser arc if it is impractical to place it high enuff to get the 354. See my earlier posts.

John

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure that even that is necessary. Paragraph 9(b) of Annex I says:

All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impracticable height above the hull.

The angular sectors are plural, implying that you could have many 6 degree gaps. If you are hanging a light in the fore-triangle, then you could have gaps caused by both mast and rolled foresail.

For guidance, you get a 6 degree gap if the distance from the light to the obstruction is about ten times the width of the obstruction. For instance, for a 6 inch (150 mm) diameter mast to make less than a 6 degree obstruction, the light should be at least 5 feet (1.5 m) from the mast.