December 2004 - montgomery_boats - mailman.xmission.com

Re: M_Boats: re: Nav lights at top of mast
by mike_matthews＠comcast.net 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

If I may, I'd like to interject one comment here. For the last four years I have done a lot of night sailing on San Francisco Bay. The marina where I keep my boat requires me to pass the port of Oakland on my return. The port is heavily patroled by both Coast Guard and blacked out RIBs (Navy?) at night since the 9/11 attacks. The only working running lights I have on my sailboat (26') is a masthead light. We have been unable to find the parts to replace our deck level lights. When I got back into sailing, about 5 years ago, I re-took the Coast Guard Basic Skills and Seamanship class and their Coastal Navigation classes. I posed this very same question to the instructors of those classes, many of whom do voluntary patrol duty as active reservists. The unanimous opinon was that as long as you have any working running lights they're happy. I guess it's all too common for boats to have no running lights at all at night! I don't know why I'm surprised, I see this all the time. Over the last four years I have only been stopped by a Coast Guard boat once at night. On that occasion I had just rewired my DC panel and had accidentally switched the wire for the anchor light and the masthead light. So I was running with the anchor light on. I immediately ran down into the cabin, switched the lights and the coasties waved to us and moved off. Of course, it would be optimal to have all the proper lights. However, I wouldn't stress too much if all you have is a masthead. Michael > Rick, > > There may be one, two or three lights. > > 1) Tricolor. > 2) Tricolor with anchor. > 3) Tricolor with anchor and strobe. > > The lights are stacked up with the tri on bottom. > > Only one light is on at a time. > > This catalog page has an exploded drawing. > > http://www.aquasignal.de/pdf/lob2004/S020_021.pdf > > Someone made a tri with anchor from two separate lights, for much less than the > Aqua Signal version. > > steve > > Steve R. > M-15 #119 > Lexington, KY > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

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Re: M_Boats: Nav light requirements
by Saltm17＠aol.com 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

The law allows boats under 16 ft to use a single all-around white light. M15 owners could be legal with a masthead light/anchor light. John

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a christmas present for your m-15
by Grove777＠aol.com 11 Dec '04

11 Dec '04

have a main for m 15 built to be fully battened do not have the battens but the slots are there the main is for sale grover

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Nav lights at top of mast
by Rick Langer 11 Dec '04

11 Dec '04

> 1. Re: Nav lights at top of mast (Keith Diehl) > 2. RE: Nav lights at top of mast (David Thomason) > 3. re: Nav lights at top of mast (Steve R.) > 4. Re: re: Nav lights at top of mast (mike_matthews(a)comcast.net) > 5. Re: Nav lights at top of mast (Saltm17(a)aol.com) > 6. Re: Nav light requirements (Saltm17(a)aol.com) > 7. Nav lights at top of mast (Rick Langer) > 8. Re: Nav lights at top of mast (Howard Audsley) > 9. Re: Nav lights at top of mast (Rik Sandberg) Thanks guys. As you can probably tell I'm trying to electrify my boat. Keith, the rules were a good place to start. I didn't realize they allow an all around white light to cover what usually is done with a stern light and masthead light. On the issue of the tri-color masthead light being to high, it seems that being so far above deck it probably sways considerably. And just the thought that a fisherman racing from one spot to another who thinks I'm farther away then I am is a nightmare. But, then again, not having the light on the sails or otherwise in your eyes is a benefit. Compromise. I like the idea of not wiring the mast, but part of the plan is to have a stationary VHF, so I guess I have to go up the mast with an antenna cable anyway. If I mounted the light on or in the hull or on the pulpit I could use a handheld VHF. Maybe something like red and green on the hull, steaming light on the pulpit and stern light on transom would work. Thanks again guys, I've changed my mind a few times already, so y'all must be having an affect on me. With this help I think I'll have a good solution. Rick Langer

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Masthead Nav lights
by Saltm17＠aol.com 11 Dec '04

11 Dec '04

Rik, Miss T has a masthead tricolor wich I use for sailing at night. She also has a red/green ;ight nounted on the bow pulpit (where the dropped jib won't obscure it) and a stern light mounted on the transom. These are used as a back up in case the masthead lights don't work. For motoring, the bow/stern lights are used along with a steaming light that is mounted part way up the mast. I like the redundancy, and I am legal in all situations. John

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RE: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast
by RandyG 11 Dec '04

11 Dec '04

Rick, Our M-15, 1988 hull # 407, came with navigational lights & the electrical package when new. I am pretty sure Jerry Montgomery & crew installed the system and not the dealer who sold the boat. Here is how she came: On the top of the mast is a tri-color red-green-white light. On the electrical panel this light is labeled "Navigational Lights". About 1/2 way up the mast on the forward part is mounted a smaller white only light. The housing for this light causes it to mount in such a way that it sticks out in front of the mast and give a wide degree of visibility. On the electrical panel this light is labeled "Bow Light". The system did not come with an anchor light. Randy Graves Post Falls, ID ________________________________ From: montgomery_boats-bounces+randyg=cite.nic.edu(a)mailman.xmission.com on behalf of Rick Langer Sent: Sat 12/11/2004 5:29 AM To: montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast Hi Connie, I like the idea of simplicity, but I'm still stuck on what the white light does. Is it just a stern light or is it an all around white light? If it's just a stern light, what do you do when motoring and if it's an all around, what do you do when sailing, not motoring? If you were going to put nav lights on your M15, what would you choose? Do you think the masthead light and wires add much weight to the mast? Thanks, Rick > Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:20:26 -0500 > From: chbenneck(a)juno.com > Subject: Re: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast > To: montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com > Message-ID: <20041210.112027.2392.1.chbenneck(a)juno.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Hi Rick, > > The tricolor light is simplicity itself. > > One exterior lamp housing with Fresnel lens divided into red, green and > white sectors. > > The single bulb is located in the middle (a special bulb with a vertical > filament so that the optics work properly). > > When the tricolor light is on, one bulb does it all, rather than having > three bulbs, one for each individual lamp. > > For a sailboat it has another advantage. The tricolor lamp is mounted > atop the mast, which give it maximum range and visibility when sailing at > night. > > Connie _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

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Re: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast
by chbenneck＠juno.com 11 Dec '04

11 Dec '04

Hi Rick, If you are under sail alone, then you need a red, green and stern white light as navigation lights. The single masthead lamp take care of the problem. But, ................... if you decide to use your motor, then you have to show different navigation lights. Then you need a red and green plus a white stern light, and above them - on the mast - a white light shining forward that tells others you are under power.................. At this point you can't use your masthead tricolor light. The steaming light facing forward has to show a white arc of 225 degrees - the same arc covered by the red and green navigation lights. The aft side of the tricolor masthead light is the white sector - your stern light. I has to cover an arc of 135 degrees (67.5 degrees either side of the center line of the boat) The red and green navigation lights cover an arc of 112.5 degrees, from center of boat to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side. So the tricolor light has red and green sectors, each 112.5 degrees, and the stern light sector of 135 degrees. The Regulations (1984) state: "Vessels under 7 meters (22 feet), and vessels under oars: Stern light visible 2 miles; side lights visible 1 mile; or in lieu of these she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or white lantern to show in time to prevent a collision." So a white all around light is all you need on an M15, which would cover being under power or under sail. Connie

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Re: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast
by Saltm17＠aol.com 10 Dec '04

10 Dec '04

I sail Miss T on a large freshwater lake that, during the summer anyway, has a fair number of night time fishing. There are a lot of boats passing to and fro at much less than 2 miles, often at a couple hundred yards or even less. The only complaint I have heard from any of the fisermen about the height of my nav lights is that they sometimes think my lights are much farther away. No one has ever complained they couldn't see them. John

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re: Nav lights at top of mast
by Steve R. 10 Dec '04

10 Dec '04

Rick, There may be one, two or three lights. 1) Tricolor. 2) Tricolor with anchor. 3) Tricolor with anchor and strobe. The lights are stacked up with the tri on bottom. Only one light is on at a time. This catalog page has an exploded drawing. http://www.aquasignal.de/pdf/lob2004/S020_021.pdf Someone made a tri with anchor from two separate lights, for much less than the Aqua Signal version. steve Steve R. M-15 #119 Lexington, KY

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RE: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast
by David Thomason 10 Dec '04

10 Dec '04

Good point, but I wonder what they do on the Mirabella with her 293' mast??? I work in a 15 story building that's just shy of 175', and just walking up the stairs will wipe me out; her mast would be another 12 stories higher! >>> WilliamE(a)peoriaaz.com 12/10/04 11:24AM >>> Some complain that the masthead lights are too far up to be seen easily by other boaters: a light 70 feet off of the water may well be seen for 2 nm, but may not be seen from 20 feet. -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces+williame=peoriaaz.com(a)mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces+williame=peoriaaz.com@mailman.xmission. com] On Behalf Of chbenneck(a)juno.com Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 9:20 AM To: montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: M_Boats: Nav lights at top of mast Hi Rick, The tricolor light is simplicity itself. One exterior lamp housing with Fresnel lens divided into red, green and white sectors. The single bulb is located in the middle (a special bulb with a vertical filament so that the optics work properly). When the tricolor light is on, one bulb does it all, rather than having three bulbs, one for each individual lamp. For a sailboat it has another advantage. The tricolor lamp is mounted atop the mast, which give it maximum range and visibility when sailing at night. Connie _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

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