Nav Advice

[joeray]

I need to tap into the accumulated knowledge of PBO experts: I have a 26 foot yacht (just over 7 meters) which I am renovating. Questions:
1. I am doing a total rewire on the boat and have had a tricolour light fitted to the (new) masthead and also a steaming light. The rules re navigation lights seem a bit ambivalent. Do I need:
i). A separate anchor light on the masthead?
ii). Any other navigation lights fitted at deck level (especially if I am motoring at night) and, if so, what and where?
2. The boat will be used almost wholly for inshore sailing. Do I need a life raft? I have heard that this is not a strict requirement for inshore sailing. I don’t want to tempt fate by not having one but if it is not strictly necessary at this stage, I would rather wait.
Thanks in advance.

 

[stevebrassett]

You cannot have a tricolour and a steaming light on at the same time, so you will also need extra port, starboard and stern lights, probably at deck level. On my 23-footer, I have a bicolour on the pulpit, and a separate white light on the stern. In fact, I don't have a tricolour at all. Whether or not you fit an anchor light is up to you. You need to display an all-round white light at night when anchored, but this can be a separate light (I bought a paraffin one) that you bring out when required.

I don't have a liferaft, as I (so far) only sail inshore. I do, however, have an inflatable tender on board. Again, this is down to personal preference (and wallet).

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Can I take your post point by point.

[ QUOTE ]
i). A separate anchor light on the masthead?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, there is no rule that says the anchor light has to be at masthead, in fact when I am anchoring in busy or known anchorages I hang a paraffin light off the boom and don't bother with my masthead light. The rule stipulates

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

The masthead anchor light is just the norm, it is not a rule. But it might be worth fitting to increase your arsenal and give you the option one night where you feel being seen for a greater distance will increase the safety of your ship.

[ QUOTE ]
ii). Any other navigation lights fitted at deck level (especially if I am motoring at night) and, if so, what and where?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just over 7m stops you using the all round white for motoring, but in reality would you want to, it is easy enough to comply and will allow others to see you and work out where you are heading.

You cannot or should not motor on you tri - light, though many do. You should carry a full set of deck level navigation lights. i.e. port and starboard, stern and steaming probably by the crosstrees. This allows you to steam, all on no tri. Sail sides and stern no tri, sail - tri only. As you can see, it will give you a good back up.

In busy inshore areas many ships captains request that yachts use deck lights rather than tri lights, as the mast head combinations are lost into the street lights, worth keeping that in mind I think.

[ QUOTE ]
2. The boat will be used almost wholly for inshore sailing. Do I need a life raft?

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no law in the country for uncoded boats under 12m to carry any life saving equipment. We have to carry a card showing distress signals and that is about it, you can download and print it from the MCA website I think, or there is a copy in Reeds Almanac. There is some nonsense about passage plans which comes down to what we all do before setting out, checks on weather, tides, bolt holes if weather changes etc.

The life raft is your call. Do you tow the tender, do you think the risk warrants the extra weight and space. This really is for you to decide, but you are not obliged to carry one, if that was your worry.

 

[R32Stbrigid]

[ QUOTE ]
I need to tap into the accumulated knowledge of PBO experts: I have a 26 foot yacht (just over 7 meters) which I am renovating. Questions:
1. I am doing a total rewire on the boat and have had a tricolour light fitted to the (new) masthead and also a steaming light. The rules re navigation lights seem a bit ambivalent. Do I need:
i). A separate anchor light on the masthead?
ii). Any other navigation lights fitted at deck level (especially if I am motoring at night) and, if so, what and where?
2. The boat will be used almost wholly for inshore sailing. Do I need a life raft? I have heard that this is not a strict requirement for inshore sailing. I don’t want to tempt fate by not having one but if it is not strictly necessary at this stage, I would rather wait.
Thanks in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand your confusion - so many vessels get it wrong! Here goes-

1.1) A separate all round white for anchoring is required, but in my opinion it should not be at the masthead. It is much better at eye level of approaching vessels (A lantern hung in the foretriangle is common) . I have failed to see masthead anchor lights until the very last minute, athough they are legal.

1.2) Motoring at night REQUIRES port, starboard and stern lights, AND a forward facing white above these. Typically you will therefore need red/green/ aft white at deck level to comply.

So in summary, a masthead tricolour for sailing, deck level red / green / aft white and steaming above for motoring (or motorsailing) but never triclour and deck level lights or tricolour and steaming.

2) A liferaft is not a requirement, but is your decision to assess the risk of with / without.

hope this helps

 

[Guest]

Anchor light ...

For a yacht of this size it is only necessary to have a single all round white at anchor..........

Ships woofy :> (ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

This second anchor light placed lower and aft is for larger vessels only and NOT for a 26ft yacht.

As to Tri's - many don't bother with them ..... but basically tri only when sailing, white + sides when motor sailing / motoring. Sides + stern only when sailing if you don't want to use tri.

The tri is a good idea - but also subject to loss amongst many other lights ..... I prefer the separate ones ... IMHO

 

[jay]

Re: Anchor light ...

My 10m yacht has a novel setup - opinions welcomed.

A tri and anchor at masthead plus red & green on the bow at deck level but no stern or steaming lights. So when sailing i use the tri but when motoring i'm using the deck level red and green and the anchor light. Not sure if this is technically correct but shes been like that since she was comissioned in 1979.

 

[joeray]

Woof - a comprehensive and undaerstandable reply. Thanks and regards /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[joeray]

Thanks to all for the sound advice - its good to see that there are experts out there! Another question is onits way.

 

[DJE]

Re: Anchor light ...

Jay

According to my RYA collregs book your arrangement meets all the requirements for sailing vessels under 12m long. I have seen several yachts lit as you describe. I find the large vertical distance and small horizontal distance between the bow light and masthead steaming light just looks wrong somehow.

 

[john_morris_uk]

On a vessel of this size, I think you will find that you can combine the steaming light and the stern light. In other words, when motoring, you show a port and starboard (red and green) sectored lights low down. (Often mounted as one bicolour on the pulpit) and the all round white on the mast head. The all round white, as many others have pointed out becomes your anchor light when used by itself.

<font color="red"> RULE 23 - Power-driven vessels underway
A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit :-
a masthead light forward;
a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one; except that a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so;
sidelights;
a stern light.
An air-cushion vessel when operating in the non-displacement mode shall, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit an all-round flashing yellow light.
i. A power-driven vessel of less than 12 m in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights; </font>

Although I have printed out the whole rule, i is the relevant bit for my post

By the way there is very little ambivelence in the IRPCS! You just need to go through them thoroughly and logically and they do fall into place eventually.