Navigation lights unusual fitting.

[capnsensible]

I'm currently on a Beneteau 381 less than three years old.

It has the usual tricolour for sailing and for motoring uses the masthead anchor light to double up as both bow and stern arc light.

What's unusual though is that the port and starboard bow lights are fitted to the mast by the top spreaders. Bit of a surprise but the advantages are cool.

Your visibility to other vessels is much better. Plus no glare whilst on watch. Makes lookout easier. Bit odd seeing the reflection off furled headsail but its minimal.

Overall, like.

 

[RupertW]

I'm currently on a Beneteau 381 less than three years old.

It has the usual tricolour for sailing and for motoring uses the masthead anchor light to double up as both bow and stern arc light.

What's unusual though is that the port and starboard bow lights are fitted to the mast by the top spreaders. Bit of a surprise but the advantages are cool.

Your visibility to other vessels is much better. Plus no glare whilst on watch. Makes lookout easier. Bit odd seeing the reflection off furled headsail but its minimal.

Overall, like.

Intriguing - might also get away from the annual (or more often after roughish beats) contacts clean of the lights on a very wet salty pulpit. Bit of a disadvantage for being seen well at close quarters when entering harbours at night.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

lol, I've just realised how dumb my question was so have deleted it.

 

[sarabande]

Shirley, the dual porpoise mast head light becomes an all round white light, and as such capable of misinterpretation as it is not "as nearly as practicable" at the stern.

 

[GHA]

Won't fair chunk of the sector be hidden behind the jib when motor sailing? Suppose the same applies to the steaming light usually half way up the mast.

 

[Poignard]

My first objection would be to having important lights located where I could not reach them from deck level to change a bulb.

My second objection I haven't thought of yet . . .

 

[dom]

I'm currently on a Beneteau 381 less than three years old.

It has the usual tricolour....

Batts are so bad on these boats that I'd personally recommend paraffin.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Won't fair chunk of the sector be hidden behind the jib when motor sailing? Suppose the same applies to the steaming light usually half way up the mast.

That was the question I deleted.

 

[capnsensible]

That was the question I deleted.

Dont think is a problem. Difficult for dolphins to play around in the red and green arcs though.

I asked a big box ship if he had seen me the other night just as we neared the shipping lanes. He got us at easy 4 miles...of course on radar too...and politely altered for us.

 

[GHA]

That was the question I deleted.

Motor sailing close hauled won't good chunk of red or green be hidden behind the genoa?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Motor sailing close hauled won't good chunk of red or green be hidden behind the genoa?

Yes but the same would apply to a mast rigged steaming light which is why I deleted my question.

 

[GHA]

Yes but the same would apply to a mast rigged steaming light which is why I deleted my question.

Ah, OK. Not really a dumb question imho, still worth having a think about. Think I might be les bothered by the chance of a steaming light not being seen than a red or green..
Why don't steaming lights get put at the top of the mast anyway? Is it just easier lower?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Ah, OK. Not really a dumb question imho, still worth having a think about. Think I might be les bothered by the chance of a steaming light not being seen than a red or green..
Why don't steaming lights get put at the top of the mast anyway? Is it just easier lower?

Good question. I don't use mine as I lost my stern nav light to corrosion and incompetence on my part when trying to mouse a line through the pushpit. I use the masthead all round white.

 

[dom]

Good question. I don't use mine as I lost my stern nav light to corrosion and incompetence on my part when trying to mouse a line through the pushpit. I use the masthead all round white.

Not a bad solution once you have a tricolour

 

[john_morris_uk]

Shirley, the dual porpoise mast head light becomes an all round white light, and as such capable of misinterpretation as it is not "as nearly as practicable" at the stern.

Perfectly permissible under IRPCS for craft of that size. But you probably knew that.