LED Steaming Light on Mast

LittleSister said:
Just to add that for vessels less than 12m an all-round white (which you may already have as an anchor light) can be used instead of separate 'steaming' light and stern light.
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Just for the less knowledgable newcomers to boating ....

Side lights STILL required .... the 360 deg white light only replaces the Steaming and Stern lights if under 12m

Carry on guys .........

(Under 7m - a single white light displayed as necessary can be used instead of all nav lights .....)
 
Shaz77 said:
I think that is 7 meters for an all round white light unless they have changed the rules.
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No ...

Under 12m - you can have combined 360 degree white light instead of separate Steaming and Stern - but still need to have side lights

Under 7m - you are expected to have nav lights if practicable - but if not - a white light displayed / used to avoid collision is allowed instead of nav lights.
 
I get the feeling that not a lot of people do many night passages. I notice when on one there are not a lot of boats on the move, mostly moored up and safe for the night. It's one thing knowing the rules, it's another thing being out there.
 
Refueler said:
No ...

Under 12m - you can have combined 360 degree white light instead of separate Steaming and Stern - but still need to have side lights

Under 7m - you are expected to have nav lights if practicable - but if not - a white light displayed / used to avoid collision is allowed instead of nav lights.
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Thank you..... That is exactly what I said.
 
Shaz77 said:
Under 12meters. Powerboats can conbine their masthead and stern light into one all round white light but should also show red/green side lights
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Refueler said:
Just for the less knowledgable newcomers to boating ....

Side lights STILL required .... the 360 deg white light only replaces the Steaming and Stern lights if under 12m

Carry on guys .........

(Under 7m - a single white light displayed as necessary can be used instead of all nav lights .....)
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Thank you.... That is exactly what I said.
 
Out at sea or coming down a channel at night you are never to sure where that other boat is with lights on until it appears out of the gloom, you are always prepared to take avoiding action and only relax when it is passed. No you don't wave cos you cannot see a soul. Those who do it know exactly what I am talking about.
 
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Shaz77 said:
Out at sea or coming down a channel at night you are never to sure where that other boat is with lights on until it appears out of the gloom, you are always prepared to take avoiding action and only relax when it is passed. No you don't wave cos you cannot see a soul. Those who do it know exactly what I am talking about.
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What has that got to do with the thread ? :unsure:
 
Shaz77 said:
I get the feeling that not a lot of people do many night passages. I notice when on one there are not a lot of boats on the move, mostly moored up and safe for the night. It's one thing knowing the rules, it's another thing being out there.
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I used to do a lot of night passages to get to places, but I was working then. Now retired I prefer to sail during daylight hours but have done early starts and late finishes.
It is amazing that you don't see many boats, day or night until you get to a harbour or anchorage.
 
Refueler said:
I do a lot of night passage .... its 15 - 18hrs from Home Port to Gotland ..... 18hrs ~ Gotland to Sweden ......
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We tend not to do a full night passage with the current boat, we can cruise at 20+ knots if we want, so we could get over 300 miles in daylight. We never go that far in one leg.

What we do sometimes is to leave for home later in the day, to maximise the time away or to have a more favourable tide, and to do the last part of the passage in the dark.

Personally (and i'm sure you're the same) i don't see the big deal about being out in the dark.
 
17yrs on ships bridge .... plus boats since age 5 .... I've just had 70th b'day .... yep - night passage is just darker !

I don't like bad weather during night ... then it can get a bit 'hairy' ...... last trip back from Gotland - pitch black ... 4m waves 45 deg on port bow ... bouts of heavy rain .... made it most uncomfortable.

But when weather is good ... moonlight etc - it can be serene !
 
PaulRainbow said:
Except it isn't, not in post #21.

Refueler corrected you in post #23

You then corrected yourself in post #24:ROFLMAO:
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PaulRainbow said:
We tend not to do a full night passage with the current boat, we can cruise at 20+ knots if we want, so we could get over 300 miles in daylight. We never go that far in one leg.

What we do sometimes is to leave for home later in the day, to maximise the time away or to have a more favourable tide, and to do the last part of the passage in the dark.

Personally (and i'm sure you're the same) i don't see the big deal about being out in the dark.
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Don't know why you would worry about the tide if you can do 20+knots. It can't be the fuel if doing 20+knots and with an average tide running at 1.5 knots it can't be your arrival time???? For those who never have, and I believe there are a fair few, it is easier to practice to navigate at night cos if your electric power goes down with a paper chart you can count the various flashes and yes ALL flash differently but there again this information is only for the novice boater. Not for the average old experienced seadog on here.
 
Shaz77 said:
Don't know why you would worry about the tide if you can do 20+knots. It can't be the fuel if doing 20+knots and with an average tide running at 1.5 knots it can't be your arrival time????
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Punching the tide, even a low average of 1.5kts, as opposed to going with it means a 3kt difference in speed for the same engine RPM. Work with it and it's 3kts of free speed.

We have a top speed of 26-28kts but our chosen fast cruise speed is 20knts or a slow cruise is 10knts. !0 kts, with the tide, is our max displacement speed, 7kts if we punch the tide, both speeds would be at the same engine RPM and we'll be burning about 25 ltrs an hour. A 60 mile trip @ 10 kts will use 150ltrs of fuel, same trip, punching the tide @7 kts will take 8.57 hours and use 214 ltrs of fuel. That's the thick end of £100, if we're running at 20 knots the fuel burn goes up a lot so yes, fuel does come into our passage planning.

Arrival time is also a factor, no good arriving at a destination just after the tidal window has closed.
 
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PaulRainbow said:
Punching the tide, even a low average of 1.5kts, as opposed to going with it means a 3kt difference in speed for the same engine RPM. Work with it and it's 3kts of free speed.

We have a top speed of 26-28kts but our chosen fast cruise speed is 20knts or a slow cruise is 10knts. !0 kts, with the tide, is our max displacement speed, 7kts if we punch the tide, both speeds would be at the same engine RPM and we'll be burning about 25 ltrs an hour. A 60 mile trip @ 10 kts will use 150ltrs of fuel, same trip, punching the tide @7 kts will take another 8.57 hours and use 214 ltrs of fuel. That's the thick end of £100, if we're running at 20 knots the fuel burn goes up a lot so yes, fuel does come into our passage planning.

Arrival time is also a factor, no good arriving at a destination just after the tidal window has closed.
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Even I could work that one out !! :D

The longer the trip - the more the pocket hurts if you hit tide wrong !
 
PaulRainbow said:
Punching the tide, even a low average of 1.5kts, as opposed to going with it means a 3kt difference in speed for the same engine RPM. Work with it and it's 3kts of free speed.

We have a top speed of 26-28kts but our chosen fast cruise speed is 20knts or a slow cruise is 10knts. !0 kts, with the tide, is our max displacement speed, 7kts if we punch the tide, both speeds would be at the same engine RPM and we'll be burning about 25 ltrs an hour. A 60 mile trip @ 10 kts will use 150ltrs of fuel, same trip, punching the tide @7 kts will take another 8.57 hours and use 214 ltrs of fuel. That's the thick end of £100, if we're running at 20 knots the fuel burn goes up a lot so yes, fuel does come into our passage planning.

Arrival time is also a factor, no good arriving at a destination just after the tidal window has closed.
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Oh.... I see.
 
Shaz77 said:
Oh.... I see.
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Even a sailboat with far less fuel rate per hour would want to have tide in favour ... its not so much fuel cost then - its time to travel ground distance ...

My 25ft motor sailer with Perkins 4-107 uses about 1.5lt /hr at 5kts in still water ...

So working with 5kts ..... lets say I'm going 50nm ..... in still water - that's 10hrs and 15ltrs.

Now lets have a 1kt tide or current ....

Tide or current with us ... means now we are 50/6 = 8.3hrs and 12.45lts

Tide or current against us ... means now 50/4 = 12.5hrs and 18.75lts

Doesn't sound a lot - but when a sailboat fuel tank size is taken into account ... the ratio change can be as serious as Pauls Motor Boat !!

Tidal / Current planning is not only about arrival times - but also the trip itself - how to achieve prudently.
 
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