A Plea For Decent Anchor Lights.

[estarzinger]

I will second or third the recommendation of the Bibi anchor lights. For me the neatest possible configuration is to have one on each of the lower (port and starboard) spreaders*. The have a model with a solar switch, so you can just leave the breaker on when in an anchorage and they will come on and off automatically, and then you switch the breaker off when going sailing. They take no amps, and are USCG approved brightness (much brighter than even the brightest garden light I have tried). And the Bibi's are sealed and well made.

* and this does in fact meet the colreg, as the two lights together form an 'all around white light where it can best be seen'. Rule 30 (b) "A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule"

Also, just while on the rules, the colregs specifically allow additional illumination beyond just the required anchor light "rule 30(c) A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks."

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by Don L

just leave them up and turn them off when underway at night so they don't look like nav lights, most come with a set of various mounts and mine just slide on/off a bracket

Don, I wish the cruise liners would heed your suggestion. Last year when heading up the coast (North) I could have sworn the sun was coming up at 2am on the starboard beam.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by rwidman
On a related subject, I have never seen a recreational boat showing an anchor ball when anchored in the day time and of course, I don't have one and don't display one.

I'm sure one or two people here will have one and claim to use it, but what are other people's experiences? You see anchor balls or not?
You don't have to do this. But it also means you're breaking the law and that you are not insured and always the party at default in case of a collision.

Merely breaking the law , does not invalidate your insurance, ( see car)

furthermore. flashing strobe lights are not illegal, as long as they cannot be confused for the stated legal lights. ( or are used in replacement of such lights).


My own practice is that on dark and crowded anchorages , you need a spotlight,

Dave

[zeehag]

flashing strobe lights are for EMERGENCY, not anchoring.

those lil garden lights can be quite bright for 12 hours if you change out the wimpy battery they come with and replace with a DECENT rechargeable one.

i know folks who have the shape, i even have one in one of my boats--i have seen only one boat using the shape while cruising.
i used to have a boat with a shape that was a beach ball with a black cloak...cute.

[Kettlewell]

those lil garden lights can be quite bright for 12 hours if you change out the wimpy battery they come with and replace with a DECENT rechargeable one.

That's an excellent point! I immediately swap out the cheapo battery the garden lights come with and put in a rechargeable that is often more than twice the capacity. My current set of garden lights runs all night on a decent battery after a sunny day in the summer.

[goboatingnow]

flashing strobe lights are for EMERGENCY, not anchoring.

stobe lights have no legal connotations at sea , other then blue is internationally understood ( though not legal at sea) , and yellow is a hovercraft or surfacing submarine, both of which are immensely scary when you remember what flashing yellow means,

White strobes have no accepted meaning , some boats use them as additional anti-collison lights at sea, on the basis that anti-collision flares are white

BUT, to my mind a white strobe doesnt mean an emergency and I would disagree with Nick on this one.

dave

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

I would probably stay away from such a boat and the people on them, as they would be pedantic rule followers and box tickers, not the kind I enjoy being around.
I would have a jack-in-the-box antenna ball

Really? Is this a serious comment or just humor? If serious, then just because you see a boat that is following the regulations you automatically pre-judge the people on board to be "pedantic rule followers and box tickers"?

I can assure you that, at least in my case (and I am sure many others), this is about as far from my personal mind set and philosophy as you could imagine. I have been breaking the rules and trying to shake up the establishment since the sixties and I will display day shapes on my boat when appropriate. Wonder what box that puts me in?

[David_Old_Jersey]

If I saw a stobe at sea I would keep well away! - would think a good chance could be either on a working fishing boat or gear.....neither of which I want to tangle with!

In an anchorage I would be curious, possibly enough to investigate. possibly........

[estarzinger]

The use of strobes is one place where the International and US regulations differ.

In the US they are allowed and recognized as a distress signal. US Rule 37 "The distress signals for inland waters are the same as those displayed on the facing page for international waters with the following additional signal described: A high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute."

So a strobe (as specified) is a recognized distress signal in the US.

However, it is NOT under the international Colregs - eg it is NOT one of the 16 specified and recognized distress signals.

Under the international colregs it is also forbidden to use a strobe to 'attract attention - rule 36 . . .
For the purpose of this Rule the use of high intensity intermittent or revolving lights, such as strobe lights, shall be avoided. ' - so forbidden as an anti collision light. It is not forbidden for anti-collision in the US so long as it can not be confused with other navigation lights/marks.

[goboatingnow]

Yes the rule states they should be "avoided". but its important to say that they are not "illegal" under international colregs, once they are not capable of being mistaken for other navigational lights.

were they "banned" the term 'shall not exhibit" would be used.

Dave

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Yes the rule states they should be "avoided". but its important to say that they are not "illegal" under international colregs, once they are not capable of being mistaken for other navigational lights.

were they "banned" the term 'shall not exhibit" would be used.

Dave

Hmmm . . . .the language is "shall be avoided", not 'should be avoided" and "shall" is in fact mandatory.

I was once told (by someone involved in the drafting committee) the word 'avoided' was used to allow for the case of a faulty intermittent light - better to have it on and blinking that have it mandatory to have it turned off.

However, the intent is clear - they don't want you using a strobe.

[s/v Jedi]

And yet all EPIRBS and a lot of lifevests have them... makes you wonder if an activated EPIRB is to be avoided or indicates somebody in distress. Also, all the people who were rescued during that dramatic Sydney Hobart race had a personal strobe on them. Luckily the rescue helicopter pilot didn't take that as a signal to avoid the area but realized that each strobe was somebody fighting for their lives and went in to rescue them!

I did meet strobes on the North Sea and English Channel, mounted on fast hoovercraft and catamaran ferries.

[estarzinger]

^^ Interesting question.

As I pointed out a strobe is an approved and recognized distress signal in the US inland waters. So, the question is for you international rules types - why are personal strobes used and epirbs have strobes on them when the international rule is seemingly quite clear (eg they are not an international distress signal, and shall be avoided as a means to attract attention)?

I don't have an answer. Seems like the safety equipment guys and the rules are out of sync (except for in US waters).

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

^^ Interesting question.

As I pointed out a strobe is an approved and recognized distress signal in the US. So, for you international rules types - why are personal strobes used and epirbs have strobes on them when the international rule is seemingly quite clear (eg they are not an international distress signal, and shall be avoided as a means to attract attention)?

I don't have an answer. Seems like the safety equipment guys and the rules are out of sync (except for in US waters).

Firstly EPIRBS are not covered by Colregs, nor is any personal lights. though EPIRB radio emanations are covered by the COLREGS.

Secondly your interpretation of Rule 46 is overly prescriptive, The use of strobe lights is to be 'avoided' , firstly solely in connection with rule 46, that is the desire to attract the attention of another vessel. Hence for example the use of a strobe light to signal the "presence" of a vessel would be entirely consistent with the COLREGS, whereas the use of a strobe to attract attention would be frowned upon.

( as an aside where the COLREGS is prescriptive, its uses language like 'confused with any of the above signals is prohibited.') ( my italics)

I suspect the use of strobes is to be avoided is because at a distance they can be confused with other navigation aids, including fishing signals, high speed craft and AtoNs. Yellow at a distance is easily mistaken for white.

So a US boat in International waters, should "avoid' its use as a distress signal. nor does it actually under those rules does it actually indicate distress.


dave

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Firstly EPIRBS are not covered by Colregs, nor is any personal lights. though EPIRB radio emanations are covered by the COLREGS.

?? An epirb is certainly a stated and recognized distress signal - "Position indicating radio beacon" is one of the 16 stated distress signals [annex IV (n)].

We know and agree that a personal strobe is not included in the Colregs . . . that's exactly the question. How can they be sold as distress signals when they are not recognized as such by the rule. And the answer is not that they are portable or small equipment or personal equipment, because for instance a handgun (fired at 1 minute intervals) is also one of the 16 recognized distress signals.

Secondly your interpretation of Rule 46 is overly prescriptive, The use of strobe lights is to be 'avoided' , firstly solely in connection with rule 46, that is the desire to attract the attention of another vessel. Hence for example the use of a strobe light to signal the "presence" of a vessel would be entirely consistent with the COLREGS, whereas the use of a strobe to attract attention would be frowned upon.

mmmm . . . there is no rule 46 - I presume you meant rule 36. And you seem to be trying to avoid the plain fact that rule 36 uses the word 'shall', which is must/mandatory. You must avoid using a strobe when trying to attract attention. Carrying a pocket/personal strobe certainly does not conform to 'shall be avoided'.

As to 'signaling a presence', the only possible place where a strobe would be allowed to signal presence is rule 24 (on a tow - "all possible measures shall be taken to light the vessel or object towed or at least to indicate the presence of such vessel or object."). No-where else in any of the rules is there any allowance for such a use of a strobe - certainly not as an anti-collision signal.

So, I am still puzzled why strobes are sold as distress signals (and included on epirbs) when they are not recognized as such by the rule, and 'shall be avoided'.

..........