Nav Lights

[wiggy]

My new to me Beneteau has anchor and tri colour lights at mast head as well as bi colour bow and white stern light, the bow and stern lights are on one switch. What lights should I show when motoring?

 

[VicS]

Depends on the length but if under 12 m

Port and stbd ( combined as a bicolour if you like)

Masthead "steaming" light and a stern light. these may be combined into an allround white if you wish

The diagram below should explain all. It shows all legal combinations ( except for the optional red and green around lights for sailing and the option to show just an all round white if under 7m and 7 knots)

I recommend that you read the "International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea" its all in there! http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/msn_1781-2.pdf

 

[Tom Price]

Making a saving

"Masthead 'steaming' light and a stern light. These may be combined into an allround white if you wish"

Saved two circuits by doing just that, so that the one anchor light has multiple functions. But had to explain to the electrician what a DPDT switch was!

 

[prv]

Vic is of course right in the more general case. In your specific case, motoring and with only the lights you mentioned available, turn on the bow&stern and the masthead white you call the anchor light.

If sailing, you must switch off the masthead white, and you then have a choice between the tricolour or the bow&stern but not both.

EDIT: just realised the masthead is all-round so will show two stern lights when motoring. I could be wrong but I actually don't think you can show legal motoring lights with this setup. I'd suggest disconnecting the stern light (or just taking the bulb out) and then you have bow/masthead for motoring and tricolour for sailing, no further options.

Pete

 

[Topcat47]

I can't remember the "letter of the law" precisely from the colregs, but the steaming light has to be above the nav lights when motoring, so it'll be deck lights + either allround white masthead, or fwd facing steaming light and stern light. You shouldn't use the all round white and stern light together. People will think you're going the wrong way.

 

[VicS]

I can't remember the "letter of the law" precisely from the colregs, but the steaming light has to be above the nav lights when motoring, so it'll be deck lights + either allround white masthead, or fwd facing steaming light and stern light. You shouldn't use the all round white and stern light together. People will think you're going the wrong way.

Yes, as indicated in my diagram the steaming light must be a minimum of 1 metre above the side lights/bicolour.

Also you will notice than none of my diagrams shows a stern light and an allround white in use together.

 

[Topcat47]

Yes, Vic; I'm gettin dozey in my old age..............

 

[earlybird]

Switch on the bow and the masthead white lights and put a cover over the stern light, then you're not totally dependent on tricolour for sailing.

 

[VicS]

Switch on the bow and the masthead white lights and put a cover over the stern light, then you're not totally dependent on tricolour for sailing.

A switch for it would be my preferred option.

If a DPDT switch was used for the anchor light it would be possible to wire it so that the stern light is automatically switched off if the anchor light was switched on.

 

[prv]

it'll be deck lights + either allround white masthead, or fwd facing steaming light and stern light. You shouldn't use the all round white and stern light together.

The problem is, the OP doesn't have a forward-facing masthead light, only the all-round. The only way to get a legal combination for motoring with the lights he has is to disable the stern light and use the all-round as both masthead and stern light combined.

Pete