Anchor Lights

[DavidBolger]

I have just come back from 2 fabulous weeks cruising in the BVIs. One thing I noticed was people's use of their anchor light. In the BVI's there are a lot of mooring buoys which you pick up for the night. I was always taught that when you were on a mooring buoy, you didn't need an anchor light. However, about 75% of boats on a mooring insisted on having their mooring lights. Is this necessary?

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[sailbadthesinner]

If the moorings were not on the chart or mentioned in the pilot
i would stick an anchor light on.

having said that i probably wouldn't pickone up if it wasn't mentioned or marked unless i was assured by someone i trusted it was ok.and even then.....

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer</font color=red>

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

It is usefull if you go ashore for a meal to be able to easily identify the boat in the dark when you return. This proves of little use when you find over 50% of skippers had the same idea.
If anchor lights are left on by most boats overnight on moorings I would wonder if they knew something I didn't.

Trevor

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[Sybarite]

It's really common sense. If visibility is bad at night time then you don't want somebody creeping into an anchorage and hitting your boat. If you are near the shore and there are many boats outside you with their lights on, it may not be necessary.


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[bedouin]

As it happens people don't tend to navigate round the BVIs after dark, it is almost totally devoid of navigation marks or lights and most charter companies insist that the boats are moored, or at anchor, at least 1 hour before sunset.

I suspect the main reason people use the anchor light it "because it's there" - rather like the people you see sailing with sidelights, steaming light, decklights and tricolour all blazing. Certainly according to Colregs there is no need to use an anchor light when anchored in a recognised anchorage, and anywhere with buoys must be one of those by definition

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[peterb]

Careful. Colregs doesn't say that. Rule 30(e) says:

"A vessel of less than 7 metres in length, when at anchor, not in or near a narrow channel, fairway or anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shape ....."

In other words, it only applies to boats less than 7 metres long, and they must not be in a recognised anchorage. Have a small boat and find yourself a slot away from anyone else, and then you need not show an anchor light.

It has always been the custom to treat mooring in a recognised areas (i.e. one marked on the chart) as not needing an anchor light. But recently harbour authorities in several areas where ships sail in channels through moorings (such as the river Orwell leading to Ipswich) have recommended that anchor lights be used when boats on moorings are occupied at night.

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[ianwright]

Always use a riding light, 'in the fore part of the ship' for choice, whenever you can. It might prevent a collision, and if it does not then you look good on the claim form.

IanW

<hr width=100% size=1>Vertue 203, Patience

 

[Johnjo]

Last summer I was hit twice at anchor in a recconnised anchorage,
This was in the daytime and showing all the relevant signals, By other boats trying
to anchor!
In one instance I was the only other boat there, If this can happen in broad daylight,
What chance would I have at night without a light ? It may not stop it happening, but it
makes me feel just that little bit safer!

mike

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[gunnarsilins]

Not using...

..a anchor light, regardless its an regognized anchorage, mooring or whatever sounds foolish to me!

I cannot see any benefit from NOT using it!
Battery drain? If it is a problem, which I hardly can imagine, go for a paraffin lamp then!

Further, in a recognized anchorage where some boats carry a light and some not, I would beleive that those not carrying a light are even more vulnerable to be run down in a pitch dark night.
Somebody approaches, sees several anchor lights and assumes that the dark areas in between them are free to navigate.

Personally, I always ride a light when at anchor or on a mooring.


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[steve_cronin]

That little thing at the top of the mast......

...hardly protects you from close quarters "incidents".

In over 30 years I have witnessed one or two "nocturnal crunches" but (touch wood) never been hit at anchor myself also that particular bulb has never blown on several yachts because I don't use it. I use a lamp in the fore-triangle which someone milling around looking for a spot in the dark is going to see easily. He won't be looking up at my masthead which at ten metres off will require him to look up at 72degrees. If he's wearing (say) a Musto hood, his view will be obscured by the peak. He will spot a masthead lamp as he runs in but after a few turns he will soon get disorientated and loose my position.

Ive always used a trusty small hurricane lamp. Sadly one is at the bottom of Studland Bay and another off Yarmouth IoW but my local hardware still sells 10" British Made lamps which don't leak like the Chineese ones do. In summer we use Citronella lamp oil as this also surrounds the boat in an insect repellant haze. The saved electricity also re-charges the mobile phones!!

Steve Cronin

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[Cornishman]

Re: That little thing at the top of the mast......

I quite agree Steve. Those All Round White lights at the top of the mast were originally designed for power driven vessels of less than 12m combining the steaming light with the stern light and when used as anchor lights are an abomination.

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[bedouin]

Re: Not using...

It's a bit difficult if your boat lives permanently on a swinging mooring. I don't know of anyone who leaves their anchor light on in those circumstances - it would stand out a mile if they did.

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[dickh]

Re: Not using...

On the River Orwell, if you are on board overnight on a mooring, the Harbour Authority recommend you have your anchor light on... this was following a Russian ship which careered down the Orwell taking several small craft with him...

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[duncan]

Re: and a light would have made a difference?...(n

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[tonydyer]

I regularly sail in the BVI and am familiar with most of the areas served with mooring buoys. As you know, the buoys are in good condition and positioned in well-recognised and published positions. I have never heard of a BVI mooring buoy located in one of the main areas dragging, despite the strong wind gusts that are often experienced in the more exposed mooring areas.

Most boat charterers tend to use anchor lights at night, but I prefer to show a white light in the cockpit area - this shows the boat's position clearly to passing dinghy helmsmen and also helps me to find my boat when returning late at night from the local beach entertainment.

In my experience, the main danger within the main mooring areas is driving your dinghy / RIB into another, which is often tethered to its mother boat by an extremely long line. Dinghy helmsmen are therefore recommended to carry a torch with a strong beam, and endeavour to remain relatively sober for the trip back after a heavy evening on the 'Painkillers'!

Contact me first if you or any other reader intends to sail the BVI again.

Tony

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[charles_reed]

Re: Not using...

I saw two (german) boats on long-term swinging moorings, near el Rompido who did just that - they had a photo-electric cell which turned on the anchor light at the advent of darkness.
A small light like that requires very little in the way of solar-panel capacity to recharge during daylight hours.
In their case it was a very wise move, they were just outside the channel used night and day by fishing vessels going to and from the sea.

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[charles_reed]

Re: That little thing at the top of the mast......

Of course nothing protects you from the incompetence of other mariners.

Having been bought up without electric lighting, my familiarity with oil lamps of all types is intimate. I do, in fact carry a Tilley light on the boat.

Whilst I can agree with you about the doubtful value of a masthead lamp, being far too high up for other recreational craft to percieve, I cannoy agree with the paraffin light which is far more likely to blow out than a bulb is to fail.
It has the added disadvantage of being a noisome thing to refill, demanding regular attention to wick-trimming and chimney cleaning, besides giving a guttering low-quality light.
I'm surprised that you didn't take the hint from the Creator about your paraffin hurricane lantern. ;-)

I use a 4 watt discharge tube, suspended over the foredeck and plugged into the main batteries - if I'm withing 400m of a channel I also use the masthead light as well.

The Tilley is ideal for cockpit and beach BBQ lighting when we have after-dark company.

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[charles_reed]

Wot about..

the pisspots returning in their rubber dinghies after a good night ashore?

At least pissed Frenchmen ar rowing instared of driving planing dighies...

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[tjfmmaes]

Re: BVI - Any recommendations

On a separate subject. I am leaving for the BVI next week ( and probably will be showing an anchor light, just to be on the safe side) and have had quite a few good tips and recommendations from this forum which I will put to good use. Does anyone have any recent updates/mustdo's/dontdo's on locations, itineraries etc?

Thanks

Thomas

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[Guest]

Is there any situation when moored or at anchor after dark when one must NOT show an anchor light? As I read it, it's all must show or may show, isn't it?

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