For what it's worth I agree with George. I cruised extensively with the clamp on lights and a hand held VHF. I only used the lights once or twice in 4 years of active cruising on the Chesapeake. The M15 is a delightfully simple boat and if you can - keep it that way. I went to a full size battery, masthead lights (tricolor + anchor), running light on bow pulpit with a clamp on stern light only because I was planning trips to Nantucket ( 30 mi offshore) and the Dry Tortugas - 70 mi from civilization. I did not install a "steaming" light but should have. I couldn't find a steaming light to fit on such a small mast. I do not regret adding full electronics to my M15 but truly believe that they are not necessary for 95% of the M15 users. If you truly want a battery and running lights the Masthead lights are overkill in my opinion. Stay with the bow pulpit or deck mounted running lights and a stern light. Carry a flash light for a steaming light if you think you will need it. Now that I have the good lighting system I have started sailing more at night. It does give you the opportunity to learn more. Thanks Doug Kelch "Seas the Day" M15 --- George Burmeyer <gburmeyer@mac.com> wrote:
IMHO, the M15 is such a small and simple boat that rigging running lights on it adds a layer of complexity that is not called for in most situations...especially when the boat is primarily day sailed as mine is.
Still, the wind is fickle and there's always a chance I'll be caught out after dark, so to be prepared I keep a really powerful 12 volt lantern on board to shine on the sail in lieu of running lights.
For motoring, I have battery powered clamp-on bow and stern lights. And for an all-around anchor light, I have a 12 volt utility light with a long cord that can be hoisted on a halyard. Extra bulbs and batteries are kept aboard for added insurance.
I don't have to rig this stuff until it is needed and I don't have problems with shorts, wire corrosion, another hole through the deck or bulb failure somewhere up the mast, which Murphy says is going to happen at the worst possible time.
--George Burmeyer M15 #385 (1986)
On 12/11/04 7:06 AM, "Rik Sandberg" <sanderico@earthlink.net> wrote:
My M-15 has red and green lights mounted on the hull in front and a white light (shines back only) mounted on the transom. If I were going to do it according to the book, I think I would also need a steaming light for motoring. This would be an all-round white light that is mounted higher than the red and green (bow) and rear facing white lights that are needed for use under sail power. The problem with a mast head light is it isn't really a legal light for use under motor power, since you cannot mount an all-round white light, with enough separation, higher than the mast head light. Keep in mind, it's possible I am not interpreting this right.
Fortunately on boats as small as M 15s and 17s, the rules are pretty loose.
Given my choice, I would mount my nav lights on the hull or pulpits. There, the connections can be kept out of sun and rain and you don't have to worry about connecting/disconnecting the lights every time you put the mast up or down. You can always keep a good flashlight handy to shine on your sails if you think some one is not seeing you as well as you would like. That light coming on suddenly will catch their eye better than almost anything.
Rik
Howard Audsley wrote:
It seems to me that the combination masthead tri-color/all-around light does the same thing as the original light setup on the M17's. Those are a bow mounted red/green; stern mounted white light, and masthead all-around/anchor light. These operate off two switches. It just puts them all in one place at the top of the mast.....and eliminates wiring runs to the bow and stern...and one bulb.
Another benefit of the masthead tri-color that might exist for night sailing is having the light up high...out of your line of vision. Lights shining on the sails may affect night vision, and the sails may block them from being seen at some angles.
I also agree with John. The guys buzzing around in power boats and fishing boats on our lake would not know what they were looking at with red and green lights up that high. Some might mistake it as a UFO and take a shot at it.
Howard
On 12/11/04 7:29 AM, "Rick Langer" <farreach@optonline.net> wrote:
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
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