Tricolour on masthead for sailing - overkill?

[MattS]

My boat current has LED red/green nav lights on the pulpit, and no anchor light on the mast.

Whilst I have the mast down, I was going to fit an anchor light at the top of the mast, and so thought I may as well fit a Supernova LED Tricolour / Anchor Light, giving me a masthead anchor light, and a masthead option for nav lights.

Is this worth doing to have the option there, or is this overkill?

It's been suggested having the masthead option for nav lights is useful if you're around bigger traffic / in more open water. Is it worth just having it there for the future option (given I hope not to be lowering the mast again any time soon!)

Supernova Combi Tri and Anchor L.E.D mastlight - Nasa Marine Instruments

 

[RupertW]

I think well worth doing for a few reasons - I had the same dilemma 8 years ago and opted for the combined one.

1) Less power usage having one tricolour compared to port, starboard and stern light (although this matters less with LEDs
2) Redundancy - When a pulpit light inevitably goes sometimes it’s great not to have to scrabble forward into waves at night to clean/change connections
3) VIsibilty at night - we can see yachts much further off if they have a tricolour compared to port and starboard lights appearing and disappearing behind waves - so although it would make little difference to ships, it’s great for being seen by fishing boats and yachts.

The light that is useless, of course, is the anchor light part as masthead anchor lights always are.

 

[pvb]

Are you likely to be anchoring somewhere in proximity to bigger traffic? If not, an anchor light lower down works much better to alert leisure boats. Ideally, an anchor light hanging about 3m about the deck, so that it also gives some light spill on to the deck.

The masthead tricolour is a useful addition - it does gives better visibility to other vessels.

I'd be tempted to fit a tricolour at the masthead, and have a separate anchor light, perhaps plugged in to a deck socket.

Whatever you decide, I'd also be tempted to spend a bit more and get an AquaSignal Series 34 light, rather than a Nasa product.

Aqua Signal Series 34 LED-12/24V Tricolour (3856001000)
Aqua Signal Series 34 LED 12/24V Masthead Type Tricolour and Anchor Light

 

[johnalison]

A masthead light is possibly a bit more visible at sea, unless is is close to shore when it may be lost among shore lights. I don't think the difference is critical for the most part and that the redundancy argument is likely to be the strongest driver. I still have my filament bulbs and therefore a tricolour but would probably replace with LEDs if I could be bothered.

 

[MattS]

I think well worth doing for a few reasons - I had the same dilemma 8 years ago and opted for the combined one.

1) Less power usage having one tricolour compared to port, starboard and stern light (although this matters less with LEDs
2) Redundancy - When a pulpit light inevitably goes sometimes it’s great not to have to scrabble forward into waves at night to clean/change connections
3) VIsibilty at night - we can see yachts much further off if they have a tricolour compared to port and starboard lights appearing and disappearing behind waves - so although it would make little difference to ships, it’s great for being seen by fishing boats and yachts.

The light that is useless, of course, is the anchor light part as masthead anchor lights always are.

Thank you @RupertW - very useful. All very logical points, especially that of the lower nav lights disappearing behind waves etc.

Are you likely to be anchoring somewhere in proximity to bigger traffic? If not, an anchor light lower down works much better to alert leisure boats. Ideally, an anchor light hanging about 3m about the deck, so that it also gives some light spill on to the deck.

The masthead tricolour is a useful addition - it does gives better visibility to other vessels.

I'd be tempted to fit a tricolour at the masthead, and have a separate anchor light, perhaps plugged in to a deck socket.

Whatever you decide, I'd also be tempted to spend a bit more and get an AquaSignal Series 34 light, rather than a Nasa product.

Aqua Signal Series 34 LED-12/24V Tricolour (3856001000)
Aqua Signal Series 34 LED 12/24V Masthead Type Tricolour and Anchor Light

Thanks - what makes you recommend Aqua Signal more than the Nasa product out of interest @pvb?

You're not the first person to make that comment about masthead anchor lights, and I was recommended an LED rechargeable anchor light hanging above the bow as a simple solution that didn't involve drilling into the deck!

 

[pvb]

Thanks - what makes you recommend Aqua Signal more than the Nasa product out of interest @pvb?

You're not the first person to make that comment about masthead anchor lights, and I was recommended an LED rechargeable anchor light hanging above the bow as a simple solution that didn't involve drilling into the deck!

Quality! Although Nasa products without any moving parts seem to be better than Nasa products with moving parts.

A rechargeable LED anchor light could be a good solution. How often do you anchor overnight?

 

[MattS]

Quality! Although Nasa products without any moving parts seem to be better than Nasa products with moving parts.

A quick google has found some other similar opinions!

A rechargeable LED anchor light could be a good solution. How often do you anchor overnight?

For the foreseeable future, rarely!

 

[Kwik Decision]

I think the quality of the NASA supernova lights are very good, I fitted one to our old boat in 2012, and it was still working last year, when I spoke to the new owner. I've recently put one on our new boat.

The only tricky bit is wireing them up, as they only come with 8" of cable. Solder and glue lined heat shrink works well though. Oh, and if you go for a combined light, rather than just a tricolour, you need a double pole double throw switch to operate it.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I wonder if @Frank Holden could supply a link to his 'from the bridge' pictures of masthead tricolours hiding in plain sight?

Tricolour out at sea, deck level inshore is what I've done since I saw Frank's photos.

 

[TernVI]

I'd definitiely fit a tricolour,
a) to have a spare nav light set.
b) to have the option of using whatever lights are best seen in the circumstances
c) to have the option of not lighting up your own sails, which is no help to night vision.
d) to illuminate the windex.

 

[Topcat47]

I have a LED tri-white on my masthead and was nearly rammed while at anchor as the skipper/cox of the other vessel wasn't looking out for masthead height anchor lights. I've invested in a "hanging" anchor light as well with an LED Bulb.

 

[Rappey]

I like a hanging anchor light.. I hang it off my boom so it also provides a homing light when out in the dingy and lights up the cockpit enough to see as i board the boat.. Plus it bounces about all over the place so would be hard to confuse with a shore light.

 

[Thistle]

It all depends!

Before you fit anything have a careful look at the Col Regs and see what's appropriate for the size of boat you have.

 

[neil_s]

I would definitely go for a masthead tricolour because I find the pulpit mounted lights can reflect off the stainless steel and dazzle the helmsman while sailing at night. I find the glow at the top of the mast illuminates the wind vane too. As Topcat47 says above, boats moving around at night in small boat anchorages generally have their attention at sea level and can miss masthead anchor lights so I have an anchor light to hang in the fore rigging - it is LED electric although the oil lamp is still in the locker in case!

 

[oldmanofthehills]

The light that is useless, of course, is the anchor light part as masthead anchor lights always are.

The masthead anchor light is the only bit I would fit nowadays, or in my case prioritise the yard to mend. I have a tricolour also not working, but my separate port starboard and stern lights are all LED so tri is merely nice to have

It enables us to find our boat again when moored well off shore on dark and blustery nights.

It reduces risk of us being run down while at anchor as can be seen from greater distance than silly things hanging from shrouds.

It is superior to steaming light if using motor plus sail as doesnt reflect off sail and destroy your night vision as you watch out for crab pots and debris (one aught to suppress stern light as do but in practice no great confusion happens if there are two white light seen from astern)

 

[[70521]]

When offshore I use the trilight on the mast, as I come into harbour I switch to deck level navigation lights. I am now extremely concerned about the number of posters who report they can't see a mast top anchor light!

Do people not have a good look round when anchoring?

 

[prv]

I’d call a masthead tricolour helpful if present but not essential. It was only invented (in the 70s?) in order to save power on primitive yacht electrical systems by sharing one bulb for all three colours, and that need no longer exists with LEDs.

There is the redundancy argument - though again, sealed potted LEDs rarely go wrong compared to glass bulbs connected only by spring-pressure against bare copper in unsealed housings. If backup’s considered essential then a set of clip-on battery-powered lights would cover more potential failures than a light up the mast.

I haven’t spent much time on ships’ bridges but I’m not entirely convinced that a masthead tricolour is usefully more visible.

Pulpit lamps needn’t reflect light aft interfering with vision. Mine don’t, to the point that I often have to go forward to check that they‘re working.

I see very little value in a masthead anchor light.

Pete

 

[prv]

Do people not have a good look round when anchoring?

They look round. Not up.

Pete

 

[prv]

It reduces risk of us being run down while at anchor as can be seen from greater distance than silly things hanging from shrouds.

Because of the curvature of the earth?

Otherwise I’m not sure what difference height makes to the distance you can be seen from. Hull-down over the horizon seems a bit of a stretch for a collision risk.

Pete

 

[TernVI]

They look round. Not up.

Pete

Nor do they look down.
Your masthead is close to eye level on a ship's bridge when your pulpit lights are down under the bow somewhere.

For anchor lights, avoid the debate by having something up the backstay illuminating the cabin top etc. You can have two anchor lights if the lower one is aft.

Maybe red and green all round lights up the mast and pulpit lights is not so silly?
But more people get run down on forums than in the Channel I think!