Yeah the tri-color is masthead, for sailboats (and for power boats though "mast" can be a lot shorter :-). On little boats like ours ( < 23 ft.) you don't legally need any of that, an all around white light or a handheld light is sufficient. It's cool to have the fancy nav lights though... Here's a nice summary from Fisheries Supply: https://www.fisheriessupply.com/uscg-navigation-lights Scroll down a bit to the sailboats section. There is a link to the specifics of where the 'steaming' light should be. And again per the powerboat rules, for our size boat an all around white is OK when 'steaming' and can double as anchor light. I have the fixed nav lights for when sailing, but use portable lights raised adequately aloft for the white all around/anchor. A wire in the mast and light(s) on mast and the thru-cabin connectors and all that is a PITA for a trailer-sailor. More things to break/rig/get in the way. cheers, John On 1/16/22 11:55 AM, Jim Sadler wrote:
Thanks skipper
Is it OK to have the running lights that high ?
Seems like the way to especially since my mast is already wired for the seaming light. BTW can the steaming light be at the top of the mast?
Capt Jim Sadler
-----Original Message----- From: John Schinnerer via montgomery_boats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2022 11:33 AM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Cc: John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M15 stern light
You can have a tri-color light with white for the stern sector, and, those are normally mounted on the masthead. Avoids the problem Gaeton points out and gives you all nav lights in one. But then you have to have wire up the mast and thru cabin into boat, which are their own cans of worms.
cheers, John
On 1/16/22 11:23 AM, Gaeton wrote:
Every time you looked forward from the cockpit, the white light would ruin your night vision. Much safer to have it behind you, shining away from you. Gaeton Andretta Montgomery 15 “Frolic”
Sent from my iPad
On Jan 16, 2022, at 2:05 PM, Jim Sadler <jimsadler@jascopacific.com> wrote:
Any reason stern light can't be mounted low on the mast or on the cabin top? ( other than interpretation of rules). From a dist I doubt. If the position could be distinguished between mast cabin top or stern. Much easier to wire and Bristol
Capt Jim SV Pelican
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-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com