Colregs, Nav Lights, just checking

[Fascadale]

Boat length 8 metres

Mast coming out soon, thinking of changing some lights to LEDs

At present I sail with a traditional masthead tricolour and

I motor with (trad) P&S pulpit lights and a (trad) masthead all round white.

Were I in a busy anchorage I would use the all round white as an anchor light

There is a single stern light but the previous owner seems to have removed the steaming light.

I was thinking of changing the masthead set up for an LED tricolour and an LED all round white

Can the panel confirm that the array that I am proposing would meet the requirements of the colregs?

I'm thinking of changing to the LEDs because of the low power consumption: the present set is old and needs upgraded, and with the LEDs I hope to not have to change a bulb for a long time

Thanks

 

[SkipperMarv]

There are bulb replacements that are LED rather than replacing the whole unit.

 

[dt4134]

I've done the same on a boat that had no steaming light fitted. I used the anchor light as an all round white and masked the stern light so it wasn't visible.

Not sure that I'd do it voluntarily but I couldn't find anything in the Col Regs that said it was illegal.

My main discomfort with it was that the 'stern' light shown wasn't where small craft would expect to see it and was higher than I prefer when in areas with a lot of ships.

When I have the freedom of choice I switch from the tricolour to the bow and stern lights when sailing anywhere where I'm likely to encounter lots of shipping, especially where there's a risk of being confused with shore lights by someone on the bridge.

Sounds like you could still have a stern light on the pushpit, at least when sailing, if you could arrange a separate switch for it.

 

[Fascadale]

Yes, I could sail with just the P&S pulpit and with the stern light.

Not sure how happy I would be with that though: they are all traditional power consuming bulbs and I prefer the idea of lights aloft being seen from a greater distance

Cheers

 

[VicS]

This may be of some help in understanding what are the various legal, alternative combinations of lights:

The minimum visibility ranges for a vessel under 12m are

Masthead (steaming) ............. 2miles
sidelights (that includes a bicolour and the coloured sectors of a tricolour) .......1mile
stern light ......... 2miles
allround white light ...... 2 miles

 

[FAITIRA]

[ QUOTE ]
Boat length 8 metres

Mast coming out soon, thinking of changing some lights to LEDs

At present I sail with a traditional masthead tricolour and

I motor with (trad) P&S pulpit lights and a (trad) masthead all round white.

Were I in a busy anchorage I would use the all round white as an anchor light

There is a single stern light but the previous owner seems to have removed the steaming light.

I was thinking of changing the masthead set up for an LED tricolour and an LED all round white

Can the panel confirm that the array that I am proposing would meet the requirements of the colregs?

I'm thinking of changing to the LEDs because of the low power consumption: the present set is old and needs upgraded, and with the LEDs I hope to not have to change a bulb for a long time

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds ok/legal to me. Though saving power is surely not normally an issue motoring, and a "stern" light at that height may be misleading to a boat coming up astern.

 

[dt4134]

I guess it's a trade off between that and the faint light being mistaken for something much further away from the bridge of a large ship, or being lost amongst shore lights from their perspective.

In a lot of situations I tend to consider these the bigger risks, but it does depend upon the circumstances.

Away from shipping, I just go for the tricolour - on some boats it helps to illuminate the wind indicator/burgee slightly too which is another advantage.