Some years ago Phyllis and I found out the hard way, when another yacht hit us, that sometimes boaters don’t look up and see anchor lights at the top of masts.
After that accident, we fitted a supplemental all-around white light on top of the radar on our McCurdy and Rhodes 56, as is allowed under COLREGS. Definitely the best solution.
I was just thinking about doing the same on our new-to-us J/109 when I remembered that our new B&G radar can display a blue light.
I have to confess that when I first saw that in the installation manual I thought “well, that’s the silliest feature I have ever seen on marine electronics, and that’s saying something”.
But now I have tried it, I take it back. And having the radar on standby with the light on medium intensity only uses 0.2 A at 12 volts.
And since it’s blue, a colour that is not used for any lights prescribed by the COLREGS, I’m pretty sure it’s perfectly legal under Rule 30.
Nice one, John. And I am sure that is legal under Rule 30 (and if not, someone else here will tell us for sure!). Very good idea.
Hi John
I wonder whether it would be permissible to display a mast-top flash light at anchor – or strobe light as used on aircraft.
This would make for great visibility of the anchored yacht, even to a complacent oncoming boater.
Reading Colregs, part 30, it just specifies light color and range.
What is your take on this, please?
Best, Karl
Ki Karl,
Given that the Colregs specifically require an all around white my reading is that would not be legal since I think fixed, not flashing, is assumed.
The regs are read literally.
“ where it can best be seen: an all-round white light”.
So blue light would be a deviation. If you have a white light and a blue light that too would be ok, as the regulation specifies you may have your decks lighted while at anchor. If your craft is more than 100m in length
“ shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.”
A flashing light alone is not adequate. It fails the all around element of the regulation as an anchor light.
Now if you have a mast and are anchored in or near a Seaplane landing area a red flashing light on your mast head may help. Not sure but there may be an aviation rule about that.
John: I thought you only trusted Furuno radar? I need to replace my current unit. Can I trust the B&G, which cheaper than any good Furuno? Love to have your advice?
Hi Terence,
I still recommend only Furuno for serious use. I only ended up with the B&G because my use is now much lighter and the boat came with a full B&G system so all I needed was the scanner. I can also say that while the B&G radar works sort of ok the human interface is terrible and could easily cause accidents. It must have been a total half wit who had never been on a boat in fog who decided to bury the EBM and VRM controlles three menus deep!
Thanks. Sounds like I should go with Furuno. I use EBM (EBL on my machine) and VRM all the time in shipping channels. i.e. Juan de Fuca Strait.
This one bugs me, A LOT. No, flashing lights are not allowed. Under col reg’s. A white flashing strobe means you are a N Cardinal, Yellow flashing light means you are a hovercraft and a blue one police! Also the traditional (and best location) for the anchor light is in the fore-triangle. Can be either a battery one or a plug in hoisted on a halyard. The masthead is the worst place as it is almost guaranteed to get lost against the shore lights from anywhere other than a large ships bridge. In these days of super efficient and bright LED’s a battery powered one could be ideal but also if you have an LED flood for the deck that could be ideal and a great security measure to boot!
Hi Roland,
I agree that mast head anchor lights are less effective: https://www.morganscloud.com/2010/12/03/sailboat-ram-accident/
But I don’t think anyone suggested a flashing light.
And I agree that flood lighting the deck works well. We did that for years on our M&R 56, but on the J/109 the light shines right on our faces through the fore hatch, so not ideal.
On the M&R 56 we had a white light on top of the radar, which also worked well and is perfectly legal. As to whether said white light is forward or aft, I can’t really see any added benefit to forward. The main thing we want is a light at eye level, or close.
Speaking of Colregs and anchoring, do you think the Colregs require a person on watch at all times even while at anchor?
Ho PD,
Hum, I guess you could read rule 5 that way, but given the “appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions” I would not read it that way.
That said, if we had to anchor in a channel due to say a engine failure, then in my view the answer is yes, under the same qualification since that would be “appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions”
Bottom line, common sense must be applied to all rules.
An anchor light at the top of a mast is like another star in the night sky! I prefer to shine a bike helmet LED light from the deck, in front of the dodger, up towards the mast. This lights up almost the entire mast and spreaders. It is certainly visible from a distance and defines the boat as a sailing vessel. In addition, i often hang a waterproof blue 15 foot led strip wrapped around a 12 inch long PVC pipe segment, from the aft arch. The boat is then distinctly identifiable for miles, and easy to find at night in a crowded marina. Any laws broken?
Hi Robert,
My take is that if you have your anchor light at the top of the mast on, you can light yourself up in most any way you wish excepting any lights which might be taken for distress or navigation.
I largely just use and masthead anchor light and for decades have had a good quality reflecting tape on my anchor platform and on my vane steering gear, port and starboard. I also have this reflecting tape up high on both sides of the mast.
It is impressive how this tape takes most any ambient light and pops out at you.
Some boats I see are using flashing lights of various colors which I find annoying and distracting in a nice peaceful anchorage.
I am usually not in crowded anchorages, but think some deck level light is warranted when I do. I like your LED wrapped pvc tube idea for its distinctiveness and for its likely ease on the eyes if I need to come on deck and want to save my night vision
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Hi Robert,
I agree a mast head light can be missed: https://www.morganscloud.com/2010/12/03/sailboat-ram-accident/
We discovered a really useful but undocumented use for that damn blue light on the B&G Halo 20+ radars. On our way from Newfoundland to the Azores we used the watch-keeper mode (ON for 20 scans then OFF for a selectable “x” minutes). The blue light stays ON during standby, then flashes just before transmitting, then goes OFF during transmit. You can’t really miss it at night. As a safety feature the “X” minutes becomes progressively shorter to the default 3 minutes. The light flashes slowly for long watch periods and progressively speeds up as the radar comes on more frequently. B&G make great kit but their user manuals are … less good.
Frank
Hi Frank,
That’s interesting, and you are right B&G manuals make my teeth hurt!
Hi John,
A few years ago, my boss and his family were dining downstairs while I was enjoying the view in front of Stromboli, Sicily. Suddenly spotted red and green navigation lights heading straight towards us, only about three boat lengths away! I quickly grabbed my trusty flashlight, which I always keep charged next to the stairs, and started flashing it while yelling at a large catamaran that was towing another one! They passed us about 10 meters away, which was a very close call—imagine the double crash.. The skipper yelled back, “I just didn’t see ya!”
We have a standard 10W, 2NM anchor light at the top of our mast, about 30 meters high. The cat was coming from open sea, and I suspect they didn’t see our masthead light due to the crowded mooring field behind us with many anchor lights. It was also a starry night, which might have made it even harder to spot us.
After trying various “extra” anchor lights, I stumbled upon the perfect solution during an off-season visit to my local hardware store: the Ledlenser ML6.
+ white and red colors, dimmable, blinking, pulsing, etc. programmable with app
+ bright, maximum of 750 lumens
+ removable Li-ion battery: 3200 mAh, 3.6V, up to 200 hours (in practice, a few nights on medium settings)
+ IP54 water protection (= splashing water, so enough for rain)
+ fluorescent parts
+ mounting with an eye bolt in the 1/4″ thread, hosted on a halyard
+ optional wireless remote
+ power bank functionality via USB
– weak magnetic 2-pin contact for USB cable charging
I bought three of these and keep them charged on rotation. In an emergency, I can use them to signal not under command, restricted, aground or diving etc. I love these lights so much that I not only use them on camping adventures but even at home, just about anywhere. They’re truly awesome!
Regards
Anton
Hi Anton,
That does indeed look like a really cool solution. Thanks.