A dinghy situation

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by StuM

Doesn't meet the COLREGs requirement of an "all round white light" when motoring. That's only accepted when "under oars".

While this is true I do regularly scan all round as I travel along and maintain a good lookout off all points thus distributing my visibility.. and unlike many dinghies I see from the Caribe to the Med/Atlantic coast I concentrate on the business of getting from A to B.. instead of engaging in animated conversation with my passengers resulting in last minute swerves very often to avoid smaller things missed by the short attention span.. there's been times I've nearly been run down swimming of the stern by these morons.
Furthermore.. considering one rows with one's back to the direction of travel does it not strike you as a silly rule..??

[zeehag]

boaty, i row facing the direction i am going... better exercise.. i can row both ways--forward or backward, but i prefer rowing facing forward.
there are so very many who zoom their lil speed dinks with no lighting thru anchorages here-- no cares as to whether they are seen or not.
the pangas use lights, the gringo dinghies donot.
pangas are larger and visible, lil zoomdinks are not.
it would help greatly if folks would use some thing to show they exist and are in essentially open waters in a dink.
it is all goood to talk about lighting the dink, but the reality is--no one does because they are all so special. too special to light their boat for visibility.
just my open eyed observations, folks. please stay visible.

[CaptTom]

Most powered dinghies require side lights, stern light and steaming light. Those last two can be combined in one lantern (an all-around light.)

Just an all-around light won't cut it. Just the side lights (combined in one lantern) won't either.

I have a pair of the battery-operated lights linked in post #2. They come with suction cup and/or clamp attachments. One has combination side lights for the bow, the other has an all-around white light that can sit on the motor.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Most powered dinghies require side lights, stern light and steaming light. Those last two can be combined in one lantern (an all-around light.)

Just an all-around light won't cut it. Just the side lights (combined in one lantern) won't either.

I have a pair of the battery-operated lights linked in post #2. They come with suction cup and/or clamp attachments. One has combination side lights for the bow, the other has an all-around white light that can sit on the motor.

even a flashlite is better than nothing. out here outside if usa, there are few using even that much light. is very difficult to see these small zooming things in a dark moon night.
just make sure you have something to show that you are actually there--so no one runs you down by mistake.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by zeehag

out here outside if usa, there are few using even that much light.

Here in the US enforcement is spotty, too. Still, why give any gov't official a reason to hassle you? Especially if you're not in your home country. And should an accident occur at night, you can bet this issue will come up in court.

[a64pilot]

I have the Navisafe light and have never been stopped. It is a tri color and therefore does not meet the all around white requirement, however it does say in large letters on it USCG approved, and I would bet money that would be enough to keep the local watercop off your back.
Mine is mounted on a collapsible stick also made by Navisafe, I originally had it on the engine cover, but it is so bright that was obnoxious, and of course my body blocked some of it, the stick is much better

[Sandero]

I glue the suction cup from the portable all around white to the top of the OB and pop the light in place in the evening. I have, but don't use the port and starboard bow light. Don't expect or assume another boat('s skipper) will EVER you. YOU pay attention, especially at night and stay away from other vessels, mooring balls and so on. The potential collisions would be in (usually more crowded) harbors with a lot of shore lights... where boats tend to go any which way through the anchorage.... such as launches.

I would think a flashing blue or orange LED velcroed to the bow or the dink would be a good approach to being noticed!

https://www.amazon.com/LED-Blue-Stro.../dp/B00DHYW4WS

Blue Xenon Strobe Light YM-2-B-RM

SUNBURST Personal Warning Light

PAY ATTENTION

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Smokeys Kitchen

I have used this one before on both my dinghy and on a boat that had their running lights go out. You can use it as one or both running lights or as a tricolor. It has fairly bright led''s and has stored well so far (about a year of owning it)

NAVISAFE | Navilight Tricolor 2NM w/Navimount base

+1 here

[skipmac]

As several pointed out, a number of the solutions do not meet legal requirements. USCG and I believe international regulations for power boats (which includes dinghies) require red and green side lights and a 360 degree white.

And as others pointed out, a flash light or similar will get you by most places or a tricolor almost all places. However there are a few places I've heard (Key West comes to mind) that can get rather nit picky and the local water police will gladly issue you a citation for improper lights on the dink. A tricolor would probably get you by most of those and avoid the problem of a white all around lighting up the dink and screwing up your night vision.

I've been using a suction cup mounted LED battery operated red/green from Aqua Signal for the bow of my dink. Gets the lights far enough forward you don't get back light in your eyes. Still thinking about the white light. An all around, even on a stick on top of the outboard lights up the inside of the dink and kills your vision. Though technically not 100% legal I might tape or paint over the forward sector of the light so I can see.

[Captain Bill]

The best solution I have found so far is a light set sold at Walmart of all places for about $30. It is LED and runs on AAA batteries. It consists of a 360 degree stern light with a mounting pole and clamp and a bow light with a clamp. I even used the stern light as an emergency anchor light until I could get mine fixed. It ran for 4 nights on one set of batteries and still had power left. Before discovering these lights I spent a small fortune on crap from WM that would not last a season. I have replaced 1 set of these in 5 years of full time cruising, but even 2 sets was about the same cost as just a bow light at WM. The pole is technically not long enough to meet USCG regulations but I have yet to find a set of dry cell battery powered dinghy lights that do. I find it better to just hold the stern light on top of my head so I have some night vision left.

[Sandero]

Better safe than sitting in jail for breaking COLREGS... get serious. Any town cop that breaks your chops for not show the exact correct lights is a jerk.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Better safe than sitting in jail for breaking COLREGS... get serious. Any town cop that breaks your chops for not show the exact correct lights is a jerk.

Whether or not the "town cop" is a jerk or not is a moot point if you're shelling out for a ticket. Pretty unlikely one would get jailed for such an offense.

At the end of the day I don't see any good reason not to show good lights on your dink. Could save your butt and if there was any kind of accident the fact that you were showing legal lights could save your wallet as well.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

The best solution I have found so far is a light set sold at Walmart of all places for about $30. It is LED and runs on AAA batteries. It consists of a 360 degree stern light with a mounting pole and clamp and a bow light with a clamp. I even used the stern light as an emergency anchor light until I could get mine fixed. It ran for 4 nights on one set of batteries and still had power left. Before discovering these lights I spent a small fortune on crap from WM that would not last a season. I have replaced 1 set of these in 5 years of full time cruising, but even 2 sets was about the same cost as just a bow light at WM. The pole is technically not long enough to meet USCG regulations but I have yet to find a set of dry cell battery powered dinghy lights that do. I find it better to just hold the stern light on top of my head so I have some night vision left.

Bill, do you happen to have a link to the set you're talking about?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

Bill, do you happen to have a link to the set you're talking about?

I searched Walmart.com and it looks like he was referring to the Attwood nav light kit like this https://www.amazon.com/Attwood-14180...478286514&sr=1

Seems to be available from multiple sources at various prices.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I searched Walmart.com and it looks like he was referring to the Attwood nav light kit like this https://www.amazon.com/Attwood-14180...478286514&sr=1

Seems to be available from multiple sources at various prices.

Thanks, Skip. Looks like those should help. Found them on CE Showroom for $22.95 for the set. Just add AAA batteries and a boat. At that price, hard to go wrong.