Masthead nav lights question

[Refueler]

Boatlamp link post 47:

'Do not place cool white LED lamps behind coloured lenses as they do not produce the correct colours for navigation purposes.'

I said cool etc which used ie cool or other depends on the colour / lens in use ...

As to shades of colour which would be the result of wrong ... have you seen some of the nav lights on boats ??? Some are just plain awful - with correct filaments etc.

Sadly I am standing in front of the lights which you cannot see ....

But this boat has the side lights turned on side 90 deg to lay nicely along the top-strake ... and judging by the lack of marks etc of being moved - look like factory fitted !!

Others I have seen various shades of red from pink through to purple .... literally yellow through to blue .... lights covered in green mould ... etc etc ...

But of course - let us not forget those who advocate we should fit STROBE lights !! A light that has no official standing for our boats at all ...

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Most definitely it is NOT easy. The problem is the passband frequency of the light filters and that of the LEDs.

It may not be easy to the absolute letter of the regs, but for a small yacht the main important thing is to be visible. The crew on watch on the other ships dont have spectrometers but wont mistake redish for greenish if close enough for it to be significant. Exact angles are irrelevant and if she heels never achievable - just like the old days with oil lamps hoisted in rigging. At 4 to 4.5kts we are a mere obstacle to the faster big ships and they swerve round us or run us down according to their skill set

 

[seeSimon]

Why do these nav light threads always seem to end up being discussions on technical issues that literally never arise ...

As with Roger ... when Superanne had her full compliance inspection for Latvian Register ... the fact I could switch on / off lights and they appeared to show white / green / red where required - was all that was needed.

The only time I see lights checked for correct angle / dip / colour - is annual Latvian Car inspection ... its that strict that many people have to disconnect their light bars / extra driving lamps / swap out their +headlamp bulbs for standard etc. Even my Range Rover with its left front fog lamp being a couple of degrees out - I pull the fuse on day of inspection.

Nav lights and the precise technical specs thereof are, imho, another pedants paradise.

Basic requirement 1. It needs to be on, ie. lit.
Basic requirement 2. The observer needs to see/observe it, a light.... and not be, for example, asleep, drunk, playing on their phone, doing chart corrections, answering "vital emails" ..or watching porn (yes really, I've seen it done!).
Basic requirement 3. Realise that it's a nav light, of some sort on a boat/ship that may or may not be moving, so as to garner some further clue as to its intended signal.

UK DoT used to publish (contained within their Instructions for the Guidance lf Surveyors, I recall?) Their very detailed requirements for nav lights and their mountings, or "chocks", all to be very accurately measured and set up.
It all seemed a bit academic when the ships draft might vary by 50ft or more...and you might be simultaneously experiencing similarly sized waves...

 

[seeSimon]

I said cool etc which used ie cool or other depends on the colour / lens in use ...

As to shades of colour which would be the result of wrong ... have you seen some of the nav lights on boats ??? Some are just plain awful - with correct filaments etc.

Sadly I am standing in front of the lights which you cannot see ....

But this boat has the side lights turned on side 90 deg to lay nicely along the top-strake ... and judging by the lack of marks etc of being moved - look like factory fitted !!

Others I have seen various shades of red from pink through to purple .... literally yellow through to blue .... lights covered in green mould ... etc etc ...

But of course - let us not forget those who advocate we should fit STROBE lights !! A light that has no official standing for our boats at all ...

Don't start me on STROBE lights....

Hereabouts yellow on various fishing vessels (not hovercraft!), and blue on the police, harbour master and RNLI boats...officially meaningless?

 

[seeSimon]

Cool boat lights?

Google thinks so!

 

[Refueler]

Don't start me on STROBE lights....

Hereabouts yellow on various fishing vessels (not hovercraft!), and blue on the police, harbour master and RNLI boats...officially meaningless?

Please stop with the extremes ....

There's a big difference between those designed ,lights and a yacht nav light with a 'shade' of yellow / blue !!

 

[Muddy32]

I use an LED "garden light" that comes on when dark and goes off when it is light and the whole is charged with a small solar panel on the top of the light. Placed in the winch hole on the coach roof. It also gives me sufficient light in the cockpit to manoeuvre round it.
I also have a LED light at the top of the mast but rarely have to use it.

 

[Refueler]

I use an LED "garden light" that comes on when dark and goes off when it is light and the whole is charged with a small solar panel on the top of the light. Placed in the winch hole on the coach roof. It also gives me sufficient light in the cockpit to manoeuvre round it.
I also have a LED light at the top of the mast but rarely have to use it.

I use a couple of similar garden lights in Winch handle sockets of winches either side of cockpit ... the tapered spikes are a good fit !

Occasionally I have hoisted one in the foretriangle when at anchor ... or used the tapered spike with light into the windlass lever hole to light the deck for late night returns !!

 

[noelex]

LED battery/solar operated "garden lights" or even better "path lights” are a great addition outlining the perimeter of the boat. We have several. We and also typically display some deck lights at anchor.

However, if you are in an anchorage that may be approached by other yachts at night, please make sure in addition to these auxiliary lights that you have a proper anchor light that meets the legal requirements.

If I am approaching the anchorage at night, I will appreciate the courtesy, as I suspect will others. Particularly when viewed against a background of shore lights in adverse conditions, the dim garden lights can easily blend into the background.