--- John Fleming <jfleming1231@earthlink.net> wrote:
Doug Kelch wrote:
I am thinking of putting masthead running lights
on my
M15 so that I can be seen better at night among the swells on the way to the Dry Tortugas.
In looking at the catalogs there is nothing that jumps out at me. Any thoughts?
I currently have no lights or battery.
Doug "Seas the Day"
Lights can be a little complicated. I did some research for this when I rewired "Star Cross'd". These seem to be the official rules.
Masthead tricolors can only be used when sailing (no power).
An anchor light (all-around white) must be put at the top of the mast, as high up as possible. Preferably above the mast head.
When "steaming" (motoring), you cannot use a masthead tricolor light. You must have a red/green bicolor up front, preferably mounted on the bow pulpit. You must have a "masthead light", which is a 225-degree coverage white light facing forward, at least 2/3 up the mast. On the stern, you must have a stern light, a white light that covers 135 degrees.
So if you don't have a masthead tricolor, when under sail (no power), just turn off the 225-degree white masthead. Vessels under sail only require bicolors up front, and a stern light. ---
Those are the rules. Here's how you can implement them. You can get detachable battery (D-cell) operated bicolors and stern lights from West Marine. I think AquaColor makes them. They come with suction cups or mounting brackets, or you can fashion your own. You can get an anchor light that you run up the mast using a halyard, although the mast will block it from dead ahead or dead aft, depending on which halyard you used. The anchor light has a cable running down to the cockpit. Just use one of those sportsmen 12-volt disposable batteries.
As for the motoring masthead light, just use the anchor light, and tape over with duct tape or make your own detachable shield, so that the light covers 225 degrees. When you run that up the mast, it must be in the front of the mast, and it can't rock and sway as the boat does. So I suggest making a bracket that both holds the masthead light against the mast, and provides the shield.
Hope this helps. It has to be right, or the Coasties can give you a ticket. But more important, when sailing at night, stay awake, stay alert, always look around every 3 or 4 minutes, and remember the rule of tonnage. Don't assume the other boat sees you. When you're a third mate drowsing the night away on the bridge of some rust-bucket garbage scow freight vessel registered in Liberia, it's easy to not see the cockle-shell sailboat just ahead.
And for a little bit of friendly advice, you should think seriously about putting permanent lights on, run from an internal battery, if you're going to make open-ocean night passages. Detachable lights have a way of, well, detaching, or getting lost. They're really meant for when your regular lights don't work, and you temporarily need a backup.
I hope you have fun in the Tortugas. I'm jealous, I wish we had something like that here on the southern Left coast.
Cheers. John Fleming M-17: "Star Cross'd". John/Doug, First off Doug, you should keep your brightest handheld flashlight/spotlight in the cockpit w/ you at night when 'offshore' sailing. The reason being, is that it is THE most effective way to 'light yourself (boat) up' at night if you feel 'endangered' by any other shipping traffic. You do this by shing the light onto as much of your sails as possible, you'll figure the right angle after you practice it a few times. It's something you should be doing AS SOON as you see another vessel; so as to give their lookout, who as John pointed out, may or may not be dosing off, plenty of radio time to figure out your course. A handheld/or mike off your base set vhf should also be in your cockpit at night, as well as your water or other drink, and a bite to eat, so as to not have to leave the helm and go below. I think John meant to say 'Aqua Signal brand, and he is refering to inflateable dinghy type flashlight style lights. There is another brand that is 'supposed to be' brighter, but A'S's are reliable, though not long burning if left on more than a few hours a night. Hella Marine makes nice small stalk mounted anchor/masthead lights. Check 'em out at defender.com, ok, my friend Mr Stephen Lance owns Defender, (there's the disclaimer), and I, as well as the USCG, does alot of business w/ Defender. Any problems w/ an order Mr Lance Personally wants to know :) You should check into the lightest mast head lights, as the more weight/windage you put up there the more of a pain it becomes.....Take it away Connie/Todd LOL Come'on John, drag your 17 down to Puerto Penasco,Mexico, and go sailing from there to those nooks an' crannies, all the 'ole time M'boater's haunted. Go find my friend Tony Davis in Peoria, he'll go with you! He had the 17 that went to Hawaii! Years ago I must add, but he haunts Lake pleasant these days. Matter of fact HE's the guy who found, and trailered me my M17 B'day present this past yr!! :) As A Coastie I of course would NEVER issue a ticket to a fellow M'boater, STERN WARNING yes, ticket no. Heck, I've made lots of my fellow Coasties into sailors, by leaving my sailing mags on the mess deck! Hee, Hee, Sure fellas' take 'em home, let the Mrs see all those tropical beaches, hee,hee......Uh, these lonnnnng watchstandings must be a' gettin' to me! :) LOL Man it's colddddddd out here underway in the NorthEast! Be glad you're NOT out here, even in our 'Mustangs'(cold weather float gear) it's hard to be out of the cabin for more than a few minutes. Glad most of the season's boat sinkin's are through, a few lobsterman still out, not many. Now all we have are the ferries, and Patrol to contend with :) Can't tell any tales here.....but don't miss the next m'boat rendevous on the East Coast, Oh brother! Gotta go, my turn to Rack out! Eugene Your fellow m'boat Coastie!
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