Navigation lights

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Do you prefer to use a masthead Tricolour or deck level Port/Starboard and stern lights when sailing at night? The below is from the RYA website:

"As well as the steering and sailing rules, the COLREGs dictate what day shapes and navigation lights a vessel must display to indicate its status to other vessels and when and what sound and light signals it must make. Yachts should note that although a tri-colour is permitted under the COLREGs (under 20m in length) using deck level port, starboard and stern lights in certain circumstances helps the officer of the watch on a larger vessel to identify you against background lights and establish the distance you are away from them more easily. Although the absence of a steaming light indicates that you are a sailing vessel, the COLREGs also have a provision for yachts to show an all round red over and all round green light at the top of the mast in conjunction with deck level port, starboard and stern lights. This instantly identifies you as a sailing yacht and your deck level lights remove the ambiguity a tri-colour can cause. "

It seems that the OOW much prefers deck level. With LED's now negating the power consumption issue it seems that deck level LED's is the way to go?

And does anybody have all round red over green at the masthead?

Rob

 

[sailor211]

Yes, use them singlehanded crossing the Atlantic. Rare enouth to make an OOW, to at least pause and think.

Not that uncommonto see them in position, particularly on big sailing vessels not seen them at sea at night often.

Interestiungly, twice last year fellow yachtsman queried the lights and ove was convinced that they were not part of the IPRCS. Again hopefully at sea he would, be confused and steer clear not come for a close look!!

 

[rotrax]

Do you prefer to use a masthead Tricolour or deck level Port/Starboard and stern lights when sailing at night? The below is from the RYA website:

"As well as the steering and sailing rules, the COLREGs dictate what day shapes and navigation lights a vessel must display to indicate its status to other vessels and when and what sound and light signals it must make. Yachts should note that although a tri-colour is permitted under the COLREGs (under 20m in length) using deck level port, starboard and stern lights in certain circumstances helps the officer of the watch on a larger vessel to identify you against background lights and establish the distance you are away from them more easily. Although the absence of a steaming light indicates that you are a sailing vessel, the COLREGs also have a provision for yachts to show an all round red over and all round green light at the top of the mast in conjunction with deck level port, starboard and stern lights. This instantly identifies you as a sailing yacht and your deck level lights remove the ambiguity a tri-colour can cause. "

It seems that the OOW much prefers deck level. With LED's now negating the power consumption issue it seems that deck level LED's is the way to go?

And does anybody have all round red over green at the masthead?

Rob

Our boat has LED's in the deck level nav. lights. We only have a masthead anchor light and steaming light up the mast-seems to be standard practice with American boats. Anchor and steaming lights will be fitted with LED'S soon.

 

[marklucas]

This might help

Please excuse my appalling drawing, but consider this diagram - the yacht's masthead stern light (of the tricolour) is now over the ship's horizon and so might be deemed to be another coaster 5 miles away - when in fact it is about to be run over.

If the nav lights were being used, then there could be no mistake.

 

[Kukri]

Probably like most people, I use the all round tricolour when on passage but switch to separate side and stern lights when in the approaches to a port.

 

[Salty John]

Red over green up the mast with sidelights is a good idea but a small boat the difficulty is getting the 1m vertical clearance between the all-round red and the all-round green.

It would require a change to the colregs to permit these two lights to be accommodated in a single fitting of reasonable dimensions. Maybe this has happened without me knowing.

 

[Kukri]

Red over green up the mast with sidelights is a good idea but a small boat the difficulty is getting the 1m vertical clearance between the all-round red and the all-round green.

It would require a change to the colregs to permit these two lights to be accommodated in a single fitting of reasonable dimensions. Maybe this has happened without me knowing.

I think the metre clearance is essential to avoid confusion but it ought to be quite a simple matter to make a commercial masthead fitting using a metre of smallish diameter aluminium pole to separate the two lights.

I would ideally like to see this combined with a tricolour/all round white. All LEDs of course.

The tricolour is still a good solution to battery drain.

I am old enough to have sailed at night before the '72 Colregs. You hardly ever saw another boat during a night passage! As soon as the masthead 25w tricolour was permitted you started to see other boats at night!

 

[Robin]

Probably like most people, I use the all round tricolour when on passage but switch to separate side and stern lights when in the approaches to a port.

That was my practice. With a mobo now, power will not be a problem and no tricolour to use!

One comment about some of the LED lights I've seen on new boats is the minuscule size of them. They may well have the required range but they sure are tiny, I would prefer a bit more area of light rather than a small coloured pinprick. This reminds me of thirty or more years ago when some French boats had them in recesses in the bow like fish eyes and about as bright.

 

[Kukri]

That was my practice. With a mobo now, power will not be a problem and no tricolour to use!

One comment about some of the LED lights I've seen on new boats is the minuscule size of them. They may well have the required range but they sure are tiny, I would prefer a bit more area of light rather than a small coloured pinprick. This reminds me of thirty or more years ago when some French boats had them in recesses in the bow like fish eyes and about as bright.

Good point.

 

[A1Sailor]

Probably like most people, I use the all round tricolour when on passage but switch to separate side and stern lights when in the approaches to a port.

Me too.

 

[JimC]

During the Inquiry into the sinking of the Ouzo I believe it was mentioned that a navigation light at masthead level can look like a deck-level light at a greater distance when seen from up on the bridge of a ship.

 

[lustyd]

Please excuse my appalling drawing, but consider this diagram - the yacht's masthead stern light (of the tricolour) is now over the ship's horizon and so might be deemed to be another coaster 5 miles away - when in fact it is about to be run over.

If the nav lights were being used, then there could be no mistake.

I don't see how it would differ, both would be single white lights. You could just as easily have waves blocking a stern light which would mean the ship wouldn't see it at all. The stern light on the stern may also be below the level the OOW could see from the bridge if they were close enough for your exampe.

 

[marklucas]

I don't see how it would differ, both would be single white lights. You could just as easily have waves blocking a stern light which would mean the ship wouldn't see it at all. The stern light on the stern may also be below the level the OOW could see from the bridge if they were close enough for your exampe.

The key thing with the stern light is that it will always be below the horizon and will get lower (and closer) quickly. My diagram was to illustrate at the, almost, last minute.

I know which I would use in coastal waters and the lights pilots prefer to see.

So perhaps a red over green and nav lights provide the best solution.

 

[Kukri]

Yes if your batteries will stand the current drain.

Otherwise, yes when in sight of shipping.

 

[wizard]

Probably like most people, I use the all round tricolour when on passage but switch to separate side and stern lights when in the approaches to a port.

I do exactly the same.

 

[rickym]

You could use an all round white when offshore then every fooker should keep away?

 

[lw395]

Just don't have a stupid ensign on a stick obscuring the stern light.
That's my pet hate!

Second is any lights that leak light toward the helm or reflect off pulpits etc.
This a reason for me preferring a masthead tricolour, along with the fact that it illuminates the windex.

 

[prv]

Yes if your batteries will stand the current drain.

LEDs. Drain is less than 0.1 amp for the ones I use, compared to over 2 amps for a traditional tricolour.

I like the "red-over-green plus sidelights" idea. Traditionally only done on big boats or ships (Stavros has them) due to power requirements, but that issue has gone away now. Only problem on smaller boats is creating the required vertical separation between them.

Pete

 

[Kukri]

Yes, and I think that such a light with the one metre separation would not be too hard to manufacture.

 

[Robin]

Just don't have a stupid ensign on a stick obscuring the stern light.
That's my pet hate!

Second is any lights that leak light toward the helm or reflect off pulpits etc.
This a reason for me preferring a masthead tricolour, along with the fact that it illuminates the windex.

Yes to all!