Strobe light?

[No1_Moose]

Are you allowed to have a strobe light on a boat? It seems Ellen does, but to me a strobe would signal a distress beacon.

Or should I be concerned about more important things? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Becky]

Who cares, at least we could see the strobe on TV. But SHE'S DONE IT. BRILLIANT.

We have a French record, doesn't it feel good.

Anyone know what sort of powered ship/boat could match the speed and distance. I have heard that only a nuclear sub has both. Am I right?

 

[Cornishman]

According to Rule 36 "the use of intermittent or revolving lights such as strobe lights shall be avoided" as signals to attract attention. They can be mistaken for North Cardinal Buoys.

I think this time it is a Rule which can be overlooked on this momentous occasion.

 

[Ships_Cat]

You are allowed to have strobes (unless the country of registration or domicile of the boat specifically prohibits it - I don't know of any that do, offhand) but as Cornishman says, its use is to be avoided.

However, some vessels are required in most places to carry flashing lights (contrary to the ColRegs) - High Speed Craft being the obvious example -and these are usually strobes but not white.

We have a masthead strobe which we would only use in an emergency eg to help SAR find us, or perhaps in a being run down threat situation - consequently it has never been used.

John

 

[No1_Moose]

HeHe, yes I know, who cares. I'm just being awkward /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tcm]

very serious

absolutely correct, strobe NOT permitted hence disqualified. Great pity and i spose without no1moose it might not have been noticed BUT rules is rules.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Maybe she could innocently claim to be a High Speed Craft? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

But agree with TCM she should be disqualified, even if only to create anguish amongst her forum admirers (am a nasty cat).

John

 

[machurley22]

Re: very serious

Anybody notice what kind of ensign she's wearing?

Dave

 

[No1_Moose]

Re: very serious

Shock horror, she should not be wearing a ensign on three counts:
a) She is racing
b) It is after sunset
c) It is before sunrise

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Stingo]

Re: very serious

[ QUOTE ]
Shock horror, she should not be wearing a ensign on two counts:
a) She is racing
b) It is after sunset
c) It is before sunrise

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that 3 counts

 

[jonjo]

Re: very serious

Has she got a valid VAT certificate onboard?

 

[No1_Moose]

Re: very serious

yes

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe she could innocently claim to be a High Speed Craft?

[/ QUOTE ]

She'd be very innocent. Under the Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 1996, a high speed craft is defined as one capable of a speed (m/s) greater than 3.7 times the sixth root of the design displacement (in cubic metres). I believe that the displacement of B&Q is about 8 tonnes, which means that by definition she becomes an HSC if she can exceed about 10.5 knots. Since she has averaged well over this on her voyage, surely she is entitled to call herself a High Speed Craft?

 

[Ships_Cat]

HSC only applies to craft propelled by mechanical means and excludes pleasure vessels.

However, judging from all her moaning around the world B&Q might not be eligible to be called a "pleasure" vessel /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John

 

[No1_Moose]

I don't think a high speed craft can be a sailing vessel, but I could be wrong here.

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
HSC only applies to craft propelled by mechanical means and excludes pleasure vessels.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the regulations carefully. The definition reads -

"high speed craft" means a craft capable of a maximum speed in metres per second (m/s) equal to or exceeding: 3.7 D^0.1667 where D = volume of displacement corresponding to the design waterline (m^3), excluding craft the hull of which is supported clear above the water surface in non displacement mode by aerodynamic forces generated by ground effect;

The definition says nothing about 'power-driven' or 'pleasure craft'. Further on, though, it is said that the regulations do not apply to pleasure craft. That doesn't stop them from falling under the definition, IMHO; just that the regs don't apply to HSC used as pleasure craft.

 

[No1_Moose]

So what extra lights does a HSC have then? It can't be a flashing yellow because that's for hovercraft'.

BTW Where did you get those rules from? I can't find them on the net.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Take it from me - I have project managed the construction of new HSC to sail under British flags.

The following ex The Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 2004.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to a high speed craft which is:

(a) a pleasure craft,

(b) a warship, naval auxiliary or other craft owned or operated by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service,

(c) a craft not propelled by mechanical means,

(d) a wooden craft of primitive build,

(e) a fishing craft,

IMO HSC 2000 says similar. Many countries (but not UK or EU) also exclude smaller commercial vessels from HSC because, as your calculation shows, it then picks up all planing small vessels which is a bit silly.

IMO HSC 2000 also only applies to vessels making international voyages, but again the EU for reasons of its own applies it to even domestic commercial vessels.

Regards

John

 

[Ships_Cat]

The Merchant Shipping (HSC) Regulations 2004 (it is Statutory Instrument 2004 No 302) should be on http://www.hmso.gov.uk/.

There is (at least was) a copy of the MCA's HSC 2000 Instructions to Surveyors on the MCA web site. If you cannot find it and are particularly interested PM me and I will email it to you (is a bit messy as is a seperate file for each section - about 20 or 30 of them - and very long).

The flashing light on HSC vessels is normally the same as for hovercraft, yellow (or frequently orange).

Regards

John

 

[Sui Generis]

Sorry to interrupt but here in Cornwall we have HSD. It's a local brew and it makes you go very fast. . .

As for flashing yellow lights, I've been down where Ellen is now and several times sailed through a fleet of flashing yellow lights. On first impression they were a team of council trucks but (unless my French is worse that I thought) they were in fact a fleet of French fishermen. I suggest Ellen is correct to use a white strobe so as to not be considered as fishing?