Emergency Nav Lights.

[doug748]

Anyone used these?



My lights have been playing up, for some unspecified reason, so it might be wise to get a set - are they any good? What batteries do they take?

Thanks.

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[VicS]

Cannot comment on how good they are but they would not be anywhere near the top of my shopping list

They take CR 2032 batteries according to Seamark Nunn

 

[noelex]

I think the best option on a sailing boat is to fit both a tricolour and lower navigation lights. There are times when one system is better, but perhaps most importantly installing dual systems has the value of redundancy.

While the use of the tricolour is not legal under motor, it is better than no lights in an emergency. It is probably a better option than some of the battery emergency lighting without the hassle and distraction of trying to fit temporary lighting together with problems of limited battery life.

 

[Tintin]

They are good, and sit in my kit bag for when I did deliveries.

 

[Roberto]

..

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I think there might be a difference between trying and be colreg compliant-ish or trying to be seen by other vessels in emergency conditions.
The small battery powered red green white may be visible at a few tens/hundred meters, there are some with a lot more range but given their price one could as well use them as primary lights.
A powerful 10-25w equivalent all round white (a white light being possibly the most powerful signal ex-colregs for give-way) with sensible vessel speed and occasional use of vhf security messages would be my preferred bet.

Edit
I have both deck lights and tricolour, the above would be in real emergency. Mind you, in several places around the world a 360° white would be understood a lot better than regular WRG lights

 

[Neeves]

We are with Noelex, we had 2 lighting circuits one with a masthead tricolour and one with deck lights. The masthead lights are seen at a distance and deck lights seen close up, so they not only are back-ups to each other but serve slightly different purposes. If a bulb fails - the deck lights are very accessible.

Our circuits allowed use of a common motoring light half way up the mast and a common stern light - so our lights were fully compliant (and I don't see Noelex problem). We had a masthead anchor light but found a light hanging in the foretriangle much more useful as it provided a 'lit' deck for the bow and the lit deck and the lower light location was more easily seen by moving yachts

Jonathan

 

[noelex]

Our circuits allowed use of a common motoring light half way up the mast and a common stern light - so our lights were fully compliant (and I don't see Noelex problem).

In the event of a fault resulting the loss of the lower sidelights using the tricolour even when under motor may be the most sensible and practical option for reasonable sized yachts. However, it is important to realise if you are using the motor for propulsion using the tricolour is not compliant with the navigation rules. You are not displaying the correct legal navigational lights even if the steaming light is added.

One problem is that if using the motor for propulsion, the steaming light must be above the sidelights, which would not be the case if using a tricolour. Hence the combination of a tricolour and steaming light is not legally correct. Using the tricolour light under motor should be reserved as a temporary solution in the event of a fault in lower navigation lights that could not be easily resolved. It should not be regarded as a legally correct solution that can be used routinely.

For most reasonable sized yachts at night:

Tricolour = sailing
Lower navigation lights = sailing or under engine propulsion. In the latter case the steaming light should be turned on.

 

[MontyMariner]

My lights have been playing up, for some unspecified reason, so it might be wise to get a set

Invest the money in fixing your problem.

 

[Neeves]

In the event of a fault resulting the loss of the lower sidelights using the tricolour even when under motor may be the most sensible and practical option for reasonable sized yachts. However, it is important to realise if you are using the motor for propulsion using the tricolour is not compliant with the navigation rules. You are not displaying the correct legal navigational lights even if the steaming light is added.

One problem is that if using the motor for propulsion, the steaming light must be above the sidelights, which would not be the case if using a tricolour. Hence the combination of a tricolour and steaming light is not legally correct. Using the tricolour light under motor should be reserved as a temporary solution in the event of a fault in lower navigation lights that could not be easily resolved. It should not be regarded as a legally correct solution that can be used routinely.

For most reasonable sized yachts at night:

Tricolour = sailing
Lower navigation lights = sailing or under engine propulsion. In the latter case the steaming light should be turned on.

I think you will find that a tricolour and a mid mast motoring/engine light is not unusual - it may not be legally correct but is common place. I think you will find many sailing yachts have mast head tricolour, no deck lights and a mid mast white light (which is how X Yachts positioned our nav lights)..

I think you will also find that some commercial, large ship skippers are unaware of the legal niceties.

We were accused of not showing a white, motoring, engine light when making 10 knots under sail by a, approx, 200' bulk fuel carrier with which we were on a closing course. They had logged our speed on radar. We were using our tricolour as it can be seen at a distance. Sailing at an average speed of 10 knots - is not unique. Working to the rules can create some confusion and much disbelief.

Our attitude is 'see and be seen'.

Jonathan

 

[KompetentKrew]

Anyone used these?

View attachment 177437

My lights have been playing up, for some unspecified reason, so it might be wise to get a set - are they any good? What batteries do they take?

Thanks.

I can't see exactly from the pic, but if they're the ones I'm thinking of then the exact same thing used to be available in red and white for ~£5 a pair from the bicycle section of Decathlon:

• https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CRHZKJFZ
• ETC Mini Bright Silicon Twinpack LED Light Red/Black

• This seller on AliExpress shows a pic with a green light:
• This seller on AliExpress describes the green one as having a green light:

Video: Clover 1sets Free Sample Cheap 2 Led Colorful Bicycle Rear Lamp Safety Waterproof Rubber Silicone Bike Light - Buy Silicone Bicycle Light,Silicone Bike Light,Bike Light Silicone Product on Alibaba.com

Ok for an emergency, I'd guess. Can't be worse than those old style emergency nav lights (Plastimo?) that were really no more than a housing for an incandescent bulb and a type-C torch battery. Anyone else have to fix those with little balls of rolled up kitchen foil because the battery holder was so rubbish?

 

[wonkywinch]

Anyone used these?

View attachment 177437

My lights have been playing up, for some unspecified reason, so it might be wise to get a set - are they any good? What batteries do they take?

Thanks.

.

Yes, I've used them (or rather just the green one when the LED failed inside a two year old Jeanneau nav light).

They are cheap and nasty, more like a child's toy watch. The battery mount is not secure nor waterproof. I think it lasted about two hours by which time somebody hoisted a big shiny thing in the sky.

As Monty suggests, put the money towards fixing the problem.

 

[Stemar]

I'd be far more inclined to spend the time and money finding out what the issue is with the lights. A first guess would be poor contact where bulbs are fitted or wires connect. If the lights are the incandescent bulb type, consider chucking them and replacing with built-in LEDs. No need to pay silly money, there are plenty of cheapies that work fine on eBay.

Wasn't there a thread about some top of the range lights that refused to work after a few years? The cheap ones probably won't have that circuit in them because it adds to the cost, but they're cheap enough that you could carry spares anyway.

 

[doug748]

Mixed reviews then but better than nothing. Interesting that Force 4 say this:

"these navigation lights are for emergency use only, and do not conform to any relevant standard. They do not create the correct arc/sector that a navigation light should, but are extremely bright and will aid visibility in an emergency situation."


Would these be better? 17 quid force 4, D cell, LED. No adverse comment on the Force 4 site - not sure that means much:




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[B27]

A most important feature of good nav lights is that they only shine away from your boat and not towards your own helm or lookout.

In the extreme, you could be better of with no nav lights than crap toy nav lights, because you could see the other vessel and avoid.

 

[V1701]

I got some like the Force 4 ones but never used them in anger. Tested my lights the other day, stern light not working, all it needed was the bulb contacts cleaning with a bit of emery paper, yurs might be as easy a fix. I think the emergency lights are worth having just in case...

 

[ctva]

In an emergancy, an all round white will be good enough as everyone else will assume a sternlight / at anchor / small boat.

No one will complain and everyone will be safe.

 

[Stemar]

Dredging my memory, was it in We Didn't Mean to go to Sea that a torch and a red plastic plate were used in extremis?

If so, wow - I can't have been older than about 10 when I read it - over 60 years ago!