Tricolor?

[AlexL]

More questions on speccing my new toy.

What were the origonal reasons behind the masthead tricolor? is it for extra visibility because of the height (which in my mind will be more than cancelled out by the lower power versus the nav lights) or is it to save batery power whilst sailing?

If the aim is to save power my thoughts are that I'd be better not having a masthead tricolor and spending the money on replacing the regular nav lights with some high intensity, low power LED lights. Any thoughts on this?

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[powerskipper]

they are meant to have a visibility ranger, around 2 miles[I think] on a good night.
The col regs appex 2 or b [at the end off book] Give info, the reason they are at mast head is so they can be seen when the sails are up. or so I am led to believe.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie

 

[TerryG]

Purely to save on battery power. Dreadful things. With the lack of distance between them one second you see red and then green and then red and so on, ugh!

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[l'escargot]

The masthead tricolour is visible whatever the sail configuration.

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[Talbot]

Tricolour is normally a 25w bulb. This is normally a 2mile spec. The nav stern and steaming light will depend on fitment some have a 10w,(good for boats <12m, but visibility is abt 1mile) others a 25w bulb.
In all cases the tricolour reduces the power consumption (by 4amps/hour in the larger boats, and abt 0.5 amp/hr in smaller boats, and also doubles the visibility range of the smaller boats light).
The tricolour is also normally above the height of the swell, so again improves visibility, and dramatically improves probability of being sighted by the blind dog on watch on that merchant ship.
Fitting of a really high spec led insert to your Tricolour such as the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.deepcreekdesign.com/tristarpage.html>Deepcreek Tristar</A> will not only reduce the power consumption dramatically again (approx 300 milliwatt versus 25w), but will also increase the range of visibility to abt 3miles

Cheaper leds will not provide such a dramatic power saving, but can be significantly cheaper.

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[davidwf]

Went through same thought process and opted to use low level nav lights. As you sail from Shotley a Tri Colour is completely useless anywhere near Harwich Harbour, it disapears amongst the shore lights and it is recommended that low level lights are used to give the ships a sporting chance of seeing you.

I followed a boat using a tricolour, into Harwich in May and had a terrible time trying to see him. So in port with masses of background lights you should use low level lights, out at sea I'm sure they are ok but I'm happy to pay the penalty of increased power consumption and not bother with one.

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[Evadne]

Wasn't there a series of letters in PBO or YM in the spring on this? More than one big ship driver seemed to indicate that a tricolour is not nice, it gives an exaggerated appearance of distance as well as the problems you mention about seeing it against shore lights. If a lookout sees a radar contact at <1 nm, he/she will be looking down, and may not see a masthead light.

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[john_morris_uk]

Perhaps the best plan is to be sensible about when you use which light. Although the mashead tri is sometimes invisible against shore lights, I suggest that the advantages in deep waters outway the disadvantages.

Furthermore, if you have both available, it means that you have a back-up in case of failure.

The Deep Creek LED light looked fantastic - until I saw the price. There is absolutely NO WAY I can justify $285 dollars for what is essentially a replacement bulb!!! I thought the cost of the specialist bulbs for Nav Lights was extortionate, but that takes the biscuit.

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[AlexL]

yeah, that was my thought process - I know about not using the tricolor near shore, so I figured spend the money on brighter deck level lights.

David - BTW have you moved out of shotley? I notice you're not bearthed oposite me any more

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[Evadne]

I'd generally agree, two sytems are better than one. But, out at sea, radar takes precedence over visuals. Many ships keep a good lookout, but when sailing we are interested in the one-man-and-his-collie watchkeeping system, which is radar only until you hit land, sometimes literally. If I have the tricolour on all night and make port in the morning, I'm not sure I'll be awake enough to decide which system to switch to and when. I think of nav lights as estuary and port use mainly, which is why I have a tricolour but rarely use it, the deck lights and the radar reflector are more important. I also wouldn't underestimate the importance of the bright torch on the mains'l, or in extremis the white flare.
$285 for a light bulb? I'll bet you could make your own from RS or Maplin's components for less!

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[tome]

Agree about deep sea advantages of tricolour. I watched a yacht from the bridge of a ship middle of North Sea in a big swell, and the tricolour was permanently visible. It was only after watching it for about 5 solid minutes that I saw the hull emerge from the swell - that's when I would have first spotted sidelights.

Close to shore, sidelights every time.

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[BrendanS]

Have a look at PBO October magazine. Both editorial and piece on high speed ferries. They went aboard, and the captain had some very pertinent comments.

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[Lizzie_B]

I believe as an alternative you can now display an all round red and green at the mast head to alert vessels to the fact you are a sailing vessel at sea and gain early visual contact; and have the deck nav lights to show direction. This overcomes the distance perception problems of the tricolour as watchkeeper immediately knows he is looking at vessel under sail, and then can wait for nav lights to appear to gauge course and distance. When under power the all round red and green go off and steaming light or all round white if small enough take it's place, as you would with tricolour under power. Not sure of size limits. I think it's either sailing vessels under 20metres or under 12 metres. Perhaps JJ could advise.

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[Talbot]

Whilst I totally agree that the cost of the deepcreek bulb is way over the top, if you look a bit more closely, into the specs of this device, the costs are due to the technology involved. They have chosen to pulse the power to the leds, thus reducing consumption well below a system that was using continuous voltage. Other companies are developing a suitable bulb for the tricolour without the pulse system, and I expect it will cost around $100. One I know of is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.orcagreen.com/ArgoNavisDetails.cfm>Orca Green</A>. For a short time there was a much cheaper one available in Europe, but I guess they under costed production, and the company no longer produces them.

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[dickh]

The EU one was HELLA - still made I think but for small boats and if I remember only certified for use in the US, not in the EU - but I will stand corrected if anyone else knows better. It was a complete lamp, not just the bulb.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Talbot]

No - was a small company making bulbs only. Hella and Perko make LED lights, but these are dedicated complete fittings - not led inserts to fit into existing fittings. I hear that aqua signal are doing the same thing - so you need to buy a complete new fitting! The alternative is an insert from another company, but that will not be a legal light! Strictly speaking the same is true if you buy a bulb for your fitting that is not a manufacturers approved item!

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[jimi]

In very large waves at night I've switched on my masthead anchor light (I do'nt have a tricolour only deck levels) to alert vessels to my presence as I'd imagine i'd have been lost on the radar in sea clutter in these conditions.

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[Robin]

If you put a switch in the stern light circuit (or just remove the bulb or cover the light) you would be legal too if you also switch off the steaming light.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[brianhumber]

Re: One Main and his Collie plus Radars

When in MN we had to alter once for tatty old general cargo job. Nobody could see anybody on her bridge except for a large Dog.
My employers sold a ship and when demonstrating the Radars the new deck officers said sorry never used these only the Captain knows how to work one. The chief engineer looked down at the HP and LP turbines and asked where the engines were, turned out he had only sailed on Reciprocating Steam ships. In order to keep the ship going company hired some volunteers to sail her around to the gulf, who restarted the engine room whenever the new chaps blacked her out.

All true tales

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[Evadne]

Re: One Main and his Collie plus Radars

Nothing's changed, at least not for the better, among such folk. Off the Scillies this summer we (not this ship) had to move out of the way for a German freighter who didn't answer increasingly frantic calls from the CG. It was dark, so I didn't see him (being on daywork) but apparently he nearly T-boned Tresco as well. On that trip I also saw a beautiful varnished ketch, just past the Lizard. You couldn't see her on radar at all until 1 mile off, and our German friend would have probably run her down in broad daylight, for the lack of a radar reflector.

Still no sign of the weather changing? We've made 40 miles in the last 28 hours, current course will take us to Bermuda, having just re-crossed Faroe bank, but not this side of christmas. Jokes along those lines beginning to wear a bit thin. At least we won't run out of gin. I never thought I'd look forward to seeing Immingham.

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