Masthead light

[JakeMM]

I've purchased a 21' sailing boat and am getting ready to step the mast, but need to decide whether I should fit a masthead light.

I'm relatively new to sailing and don't currently have any plans to night sail at present, and so I'm leaning in the direction of not fitting one.

Apparently for sailing boats under 7m, you don't have to have any lights (just a torch) - I would use the bow and stern lights however. ( http://www.boatlamps.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d88.html )

I don't want bring the mast down once it goes up, and am unsure about climbing the mast on a boat of this length. Due to this, if I did have a masthead light, it would be an LED version.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? There's plenty of other bits on the boat in need of monies, so I'd prefer to avoid this if it isn't really that important.

 

[theoldsalt]

I think you will need nav. lights when motoring even if the sails are hoisted as you will then be classed as a motor vessel.

 

[johnalison]

LED lights would be an expensive option. I think it would be a mistake not to instal something, even if not technically needed. A tricolour, preferably with an all-round white, would not be hard to fit and if you have pulpit R&G you will be ready for the odd occasion if it might arise. If you are not doing a whole night passage, but just want to be ready for a couple of hours from an early start say, the drain will only be about five amp-hours.

 

[Seajet]

The snag with a tricolour + all round white is, for this size boat they look silly, out of proportion - also a tad pricey and I suppose a fraction more wiring.

If you have bow and stern nav lights, just fit an all round white at the masthead.

If you should be out at night after all, the all round white will show up well and be legal; as boats / maybe ships if they're looking hard get closer, they can see the lower nav lights if you turn them on.

At close quarters, say marinas, nobody looks up so the lower nav lights will be the ones they see.

If motorsailing, the white + just the bow light will give the correct pattern.

Probably most useful of all, the all round white can be used as an anchor light - yes the light should really be in the foretriangle of the rig, but in reality people are thankful if you show any light at all - it's not as if you're a frigate blocking a channel - and it's something for you to home in on when returning in the dinghy.

 

[nemodreams]

Check out the actual rule regs on the required height of a masthead light. It can be very low. Small power boats still require 'steaming light' when motoring - and they have no mast to attach it to !

You don't 'need' anything at the top of the mast. Its just convenient to put an anchor there - and a tri, to save juice if sailing a lot at night. For how often you need to show an anchor light - an led lantern would do ok hoisted aloft.

Even if you think you will never sail at night - believe me, you will end up sailing in the dark, if only for an hour or so. Worth having something servcable set up - even if it is just an all round white.

Easiest to maintain - and best on juice is a combined bow red/green - plus a stern. Simple units are cheap - then fit led bulbs if you want.

Most of my night sailing I am motoring !

 

[Reptile Smile]

Steaming light at headheight is well worth fitting but you don't really need the mast down for that.

The other thing that's worth hoisting as an anchor light are those solar powered garden lights. 2.99 currently in Asda. You can keep a couple in a locker for those odd occasions.

The other thing - while the mast's down - might be considering whether you have/want a vhf antenna. If you have one, all good. If you don't, you could install one with cable even if you don't fit the vhf yet. Just saves hassle later...

 

[Reptile Smile]

If motorsailing, the white + just the bow light will give the correct pattern.

The steaming light should be forward facing, though, shouldn't ut? Rather than all round?

 

[Seajet]

If you have an all round white at the masthead, and bow nav lights on ( stern light off ), you get the pattern for a steaming light; particularly on a boat which technically doesn't need more than a torch, though that would be folly.

Incidentally I haven't had any solar garden light bright or long lasting enough that I'd trust as an anchor light.

 

[RichardS]

Incidentally I haven't had any solar garden light bright or long lasting enough that I'd trust as an anchor light.

I tried solar Lidl lamps last year but all the metal parts (handles mainly) have corroded badly due to the salty environment. Clearly not stainless (or inox as they seem to call it in the Med)

Richard

 

[Reptile Smile]

If you have an all round white at the masthead, and bow nav lights on ( stern light off ), you get the pattern for a steaming light; particularly on a boat which technically doesn't need more than a torch, though that would be folly.

Incidentally I haven't had any solar garden light bright or long lasting enough that I'd trust as an anchor light.

Ah yes, had not been thinking of turning off the stern light. Of course.

I'm sure you're right about the garden path light but I do so little anchoring overnight, it fits just fine into my 'emergency when I need it' repertoire...

 

[Seajet]

Reptile Smile,

believe me, the first thing I thought when I saw solar garden lights in the shops was ' free to run anchor light ! ' but all the ones we've had in the garden didn't last the night and were very dim; bear in mind this may well prevent a big steel fishing boat or similar hitting one in a harbour...

I used an all round white as desribed above on my 22' boat for 35 years, then it got smashed just before mast raising by a chap in a dinghy when the mast was on deck, so I quickly fitted a tricolour I happened to have onboard.

So I now have an anchor light from Force 4 which plugs into the 12V socket and one hangs from a long cable in the foretriangle; it has a photocell so turns off at sunrise.

http://www.force4.co.uk/department/...orce-4-utility-anchor-light.html#.VSBBivAoGSo

I believe Salty John on these forums does the same thing but now with an LED bulb.

 

[Seajet]

I just remembered, another + for the all round white masthead light is that it shows the reflective patches on the Windex - my sense of humour failed re wind instruments a while ago.

Thanks to this thread I've just talked myself into ditching the tricolour and going back to white !

 

[VicS]

I've purchased a 21' sailing boat and am getting ready to step the mast, but need to decide whether I should fit a masthead light.

I'm relatively new to sailing and don't currently have any plans to night sail at present, and so I'm leaning in the direction of not fitting one.

Apparently for sailing boats under 7m, you don't have to have any lights (just a torch) - I would use the bow and stern lights however. ( http://www.boatlamps.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d88.html )

I don't want bring the mast down once it goes up, and am unsure about climbing the mast on a boat of this length. Due to this, if I did have a masthead light, it would be an LED version.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? There's plenty of other bits on the boat in need of monies, so I'd prefer to avoid this if it isn't really that important.

I have a tricolour ( for sailing) at the masthead

I have port and starboard side lights and a stern light at deck level and a (forward facing) masthead light (aka "steaming Light") part way up the mast.


I can use either the tricolour or the side + stern lights, whichever is more appropriate, when sailing . I use the side, stern and steaming lights under power

I have recently converted the tricolour to LED. At present the others are still filament bulbs.

I'd not want to be reliant on just a torch or even an allround white. Anyway the regs require "proper lights" if practicable ... and it is!


This diagram, which shows the usual legal combinations of lights for vessels under 12m, may be useful

 

[William_H]

With a 21ft boat same as mine I think you will find firstly that you can not safely climb the mast when on the water due to lack of stability of the boat. You then should orgainise to be able to drop the mast for maintenance of halyards etc. See other posts. If you do run wiring up a mast you are introducing a potential fault that will require maintenance at mast top and you will also introduce the possibility of damging the wiring if you do lower the mast.
So my recommendations are a VHF antenna on the stern rail port and starboard nav lights on cabin side and a stern light. Be careful Pand S lights are not covered by jib.
If you are concerned for a white light when motoring use a portable one hauled up by a halyard or taped to the mast at head height.
An all round LED light can be made from very cheap Chinese LED and either a battery 12v of AA cells or a wire down to ships electrics. Garden solar lights are not bright enough.
This little guy is my favourite for all round 12v light. http://www.tmart.com/2pcs-SENCART-B...LED-Light-DC-12-16V-White-Silver_p275172.html
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=53177&search123=53177&intAbsolutePage=1 these are great Pand S lights
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?item=53173&search123=53173&intAbsolutePage=1 reat stern light
good luck olewill

 

[Seajet]

I have a tricolour ( for sailing) at the masthead

I have port and starboard side lights and a stern light at deck level and a (forward facing) masthead light (aka "steaming Light") part way up the mast.


I can use either the tricolour or the side + stern lights, whichever is more appropriate, when sailing . I use the side, stern and steaming lights under power

I have recently converted the tricolour to LED. At present the others are still filament bulbs.

I'd not want to be reliant on just a torch or even an allround white. Anyway the regs require "proper lights" if practicable ... and it is!


This diagram, which shows the usual legal combinations of lights for vessels under 12m, may be useful

Yes but this is a boat under 7 metres.

The OP asked for a quick fix not a full lighting setup.

In my experience - with plenty of night sailing - being seen at all is first priority, and a white light is seen from significantly further away than coloured.

If anything comes close they can see the lower nav lights to get an idea which way one is going.

This also suits a boat with a less than ample supply of power, as in many / most boats of this size.

It may not be a pukka set of lights such as a minesweeper may have at her disposal, but in practice it works for a 21' boat planning on occasional nights - or in this case not actually planning on doing it at all - as I say the OP asked for a quick fit.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I'm a bit concerned about 'cheap Chinese LEDs' Will. I bought a cheapo led at a boat jumble last year but have not fitted it yet, I tested it from my spare battery and found it didn't work so now I've been looking at Boatlamps etc and they're a tenner. But presumably will work.

 

[VicS]

Yes but this is a boat under 7 metres.

The OP asked for a quick fix not a full lighting setup.

In my experience - with plenty of night sailing - being seen at all is first priority, and a white light is seen from significantly further away than coloured.

If anything comes close they can see the lower nav lights to get an idea which way one is going.

This also suits a boat with a less than ample supply of power, as in many / most boats of this size.

It may not be a pukka set of lights such as a minesweeper may have at her disposal, but in practice it works for a 21' boat planning on occasional nights - or in this case not actually planning on doing it at all - as I say the OP asked for a quick fit.

Ok
I said the diagram might be useful.. Theya re the lights appropraite for vessels under 7m to display where practicable and in my cas e, with a power supply and means of charging available, it was practicable

You presumably thinkits not useful so here is a diagram you might think more useful.

Please ask if you require any explanation

 

[Seajet]

Yes now add red and green nav lights when up close; also read the OP and my posts, apply common sense and add experience.

 

[GrahamM376]

On that size of boat and the chances that you won't be doing many overnights, I wouldn't fit anything at the masthead and avoid the wiring/deck plug problems. For anchoring, you can buy a legal light (garden lights aren't legal) such as this - http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog...gclid=CL-8x4jt3sQCFYHKtAodABYARA#.VSEAdfnF_5E

 

[Seajet]

See # 11

True the OP doesn't plan much if any night sailing, but my 22' has done a fair bit inc 3 day 2 night passages, all a matter of if & when one fancies going cross - Channel; even if crossing mainly in daylight it usually involves a bit in the dark, hopefully at departure, so size of boat needn't be a factor.