peterb
Well-Known Member
Let's think seriously about the requirements for lights on small craft. In my view the lights have three main functions:
In general, once function 1 has done its stuff, and made us aware of another ship's presence, then functions 2 and 3 are handled quite well by the existing lights. But where there seems to be a failing is in function 1. The existing lighting requirements don't grab our attention, and in particular they don't grab the attention of big ships' lookouts to the presence of small boats.
What can we do about it? The obvious thing is to increase the brightness (and hence visibility) of our lights, but then we run into the problems of power consuption. But if we make the lights brighter, do they need to be on all the time? As Searush has said, our eyes are remarkably good at detecting changes, a trait just as useful in a hunter as it is in the prey. I don't think we need to go to the multiple flashes per second; how about one flash every 5 seconds? Not as a compulsory light, but as an optional all-round light for, say, any craft under 20m long, and to be used in addition to their existing lights? Remember, it has just one function - to draw attention to a small craft. Once you are aware that something is there, the normal nav lights continue with functions 2 and 3.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that we should all immediately fit such lights to our boats. I'm suggesting that work should be started in IMO to amend COLREGS to allow such lights. I'm aware that such changes have to be initiated from one of the national delegations to IMO, and that such changes take years. But isn't that a good reason for starting now?
1 Attention grabbing: there's something over there!
2 Differentiation: oh yes, that's a ...................
3 Direction: and it's heading that way.
In general, once function 1 has done its stuff, and made us aware of another ship's presence, then functions 2 and 3 are handled quite well by the existing lights. But where there seems to be a failing is in function 1. The existing lighting requirements don't grab our attention, and in particular they don't grab the attention of big ships' lookouts to the presence of small boats.
What can we do about it? The obvious thing is to increase the brightness (and hence visibility) of our lights, but then we run into the problems of power consuption. But if we make the lights brighter, do they need to be on all the time? As Searush has said, our eyes are remarkably good at detecting changes, a trait just as useful in a hunter as it is in the prey. I don't think we need to go to the multiple flashes per second; how about one flash every 5 seconds? Not as a compulsory light, but as an optional all-round light for, say, any craft under 20m long, and to be used in addition to their existing lights? Remember, it has just one function - to draw attention to a small craft. Once you are aware that something is there, the normal nav lights continue with functions 2 and 3.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that we should all immediately fit such lights to our boats. I'm suggesting that work should be started in IMO to amend COLREGS to allow such lights. I'm aware that such changes have to be initiated from one of the national delegations to IMO, and that such changes take years. But isn't that a good reason for starting now?
