What is cheapest way to have Not Under Command lights?

tudorsailor

tudorsailor

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When our yacht was chartered out in Spain, the local rules stated that we had to have 2 red lights on board to use to indicate NUC. My local man lent me some lights to be on board when we were inspected, but I did not have the as a permanent item.

Now the yacht is no longer coded. However I wonder if it might be a good idea to have a couple of red lights strung together to make NUC and hope I never have to use them.

Would a couple of LED red lights work? Any suggestions as to what to use?

Thanks

TudorSailor
 
tudorsailor said:
When our yacht was chartered out in Spain, the local rules stated that we had to have 2 red lights on board to use to indicate NUC. My local man lent me some lights to be on board when we were inspected, but I did not have the as a permanent item.

Now the yacht is no longer coded. However I wonder if it might be a good idea to have a couple of red lights strung together to make NUC and hope I never have to use them.

Would a couple of LED red lights work? Any suggestions as to what to use?

Thanks

TudorSailor
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There are no requirement to have them permanently rigged.
Two all round red navigation lights appropriate for the size of the boat.
Adapt them so they can be hoisted on halyard, connect power cables that can plug into a power outlet.

LED is more expensive but use less power and can use thinner cables.

My anchor light is made the same way,
 
tudorsailor said:
When our yacht was chartered out in Spain, the local rules stated that we had to have 2 red lights on board to use to indicate NUC. My local man lent me some lights to be on board when we were inspected, but I did not have the as a permanent item.

Now the yacht is no longer coded. However I wonder if it might be a good idea to have a couple of red lights strung together to make NUC and hope I never have to use them.

Would a couple of LED red lights work? Any suggestions as to what to use?

Thanks

TudorSailor
Click to expand...

Got day shapes?
 
Cheapest solution is surely a couple of aquasignal all round red lights on a piece of string - hoist when you need them. LEDs will be considerably more expensive and you are highly unlikely to need to use them enough for the additional consumption to matter (at least I hope you don't make a habit of needing to hoist NUC)
 
:NUC situation usually results from being in a situation of having no wind and no engine power. Having no engine power largely results from having no battery power. Having no battery power results in having no lights. It's a stupid regulation. Someone please copy this to the Spanish Minister opf Marine, with my compliments!
 
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Make each red light from two LED pushbike rear lights back to back.
Total budget under a fiver?
 
I made mine from cheap alround lights, red globes - cable strung from a flag halyard, cable though a deck vent to a power outlet. In a 9 month, mostly solo, trip Melbourne to Geraldton via Darwin I used them once. I suggest a compliant but inxpensive set. Andrew
 
Aquav Signal all round reds such as a pair of these Series 25s http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aqua-Signal-Series-Round-Navigation/dp/B0056XAVL4 (up to 12m) or Series 40s http://www.aquasignal.info/ecat/htdocs/?category_id=1&subcategory_id=1&product_id=47&item_id=253.

You have to arrange a hanging system for the series 25 but the 40s come with their own hanging arrangements but are more expensive - and have a greater range!!!!!!!

Do not rely on the electric cable to act as part of your hoisting / down-haul system. Use a separate rope.

Make sure that you seal all joints well particularly the split feed from one light to the other, using Liquid Electrical Tape and or self-amalgamating tape. You will be using this kit in sh***y conditions so make sure it is robust and water-tight.

Hove-to, running before a big sea or lying to a para-anchor are all conditions that will see you using the kit. Do not forget the day-signals - you could even combine them with the lights at the centre of the black balls.

I hope that this helps
 
Steaming to our fishing ground one time when I thought it strange other vessels were avoiding us, turned out a deckhand had left on our red over red. Oops. Yep he was repromanded about it.
 
Camelia said:
When would a sailing yacht not be under command? Serious question.
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From the rules.
Rule 3
General definitions

(f) The term “vessel not under command” means a vessel which through some exceptional
circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep
out of the way of another vessel.
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Some possible causes
Lost rudder
Lost steering
Lost mast

No engine power combined with no wind, caused by
-Diesel filter clogged
-Out of fuel
-All other engine failures
 
To answer the exact question - 12 volt fluorescent tube. Centre obscured. Ends wrapped with a red filter material.

Totally non-compliant but certainly cheap.
 
Simondjuk said:
To answer the exact question - 12 volt fluorescent tube. Centre obscured. Ends wrapped with a red filter material.

Totally non-compliant but certainly cheap.
Click to expand...

Seems like it would be harder to stow than two lights and a length of rope, plus vulnerable to breakage.

I quite like lw395's bike light idea, provided they're not the flashing kind :). Tiny, generally fairly waterproof, and self-contained in terms of power which, as Glenans says, may be useful depending on the reason you are NUC.

I won't be rushing to get any, though.

Pete
 
feuer-hand-vintage-red-23276-oil-lamp-with-red-glass-11-22-tall-0-700.jpg
 
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