Anchor Lights - Is it a Law ?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I have quickly consulted The Mariner's Handbook and 'aghast' is not there. Is it some yankee jargon or somethin'?

b.

try regular dictionary

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by John A

I really hate to stir the pot again.

But!

Entering an anchorage or Mooring field in the dark is really not prudent seamanship.
There are to many boats without any lights on.

Better to plot your arrival time for daylight hours or stand off until daylight.

you are making a joke...right?

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, Perchance, I must strongly disagree with this practice. These lights are NOT bright enough to be seen reliably against shore lights nor from the required 2 or 3 mile distances. Further, they very often do not last out the night hours, becoming ever dimmer as the night proceeds. They in no way meet SOLAS requirements.

We have entered all too many apparently unoccupied anchorages, only to find dark lumps with one or more anemic fireflies perched upon the stern rail or pulpit. Radar and a spotlight have kept us from collision, but this practice (garden lights) is an abomination IMO.

I don't object to their use in conjunction with a proper anchor light -- they may help define the actual size of an anchored yacht -- but as stand alone devices they are sadly lacking.

Cheers,

Jim

Also agree 100% I find it hard to support the anemic fireflies you so aptly describe. The power requirements of LED thesedays allows for adittional lights lower down as well as the masthead light.

Cheers

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I have quickly consulted The Mariner's Handbook and 'aghast' is not there. Is it some yankee jargon or somethin'?

b.

a·ghast   [uh-gast, uh-gahst] Show IPA
adjective
struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror: T

Aghast | Define Aghast at Dictionary.com

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by John A

I really hate to stir the pot again.

But!

Entering an anchorage or Mooring field in the dark is really not prudent seamanship.
There are to many boats without any lights on.

Better to plot your arrival time for daylight hours or stand off until daylight.

Yes, arriving in daylight is better... no foolin'! But ya know, sometimes it just doesn't work out that way.

And standing off until light is sometimes called for.

But, in many cases doing so is more hazardous than entry, and for those who are voyaging having the skills required for night arrivals is important. As mentioned above, radar and a spotlight do help reduce the hazard, but really, anchored boats -- especially fellow cruisers -- should by god have proper anchor lights. The act of putting up the garden lights implies that the owner/skipper knows that he should be lighting his boat, and he is in fact failing to do so.

And to answer another query: we have and regularly use a black ball day signal while anchored. We see a few others doing this, and note that they tend to be larger yachts with pro crews. We have never flown the cone for motorsailing and do not carry one. In all my years sailing I have never seen one displayed, and suspect that very few other skippers would notice one or understand what it meant. That said, when motorsailing I do follow the appropriate right of way rules for a motor vessel.

Cheers,

Jim

[barnakiel]

Well so I set my anchor lights aghast, then what?

Using aghast in respect of anchor lights is like buying a last minute trip to Buenos Aires to watch the pyramids.

Amazingly, some administrations will fine visiting sailors even though the area be full of local boats on moorings, unlit.

Like what, a local boat on a permanent mooring is not anchored?

b.

[delmarrey]

Moorings are there by permit, given by a Harbor Master in an area that should be out of a sea way. And most likely the mooring will be there a long time, unlike someone that comes along in the middle of the night and drops a hook, unbeknown to the locals who know the area.

[limejucer]

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

... But, in many cases doing so is more hazardous than entry, and for those who are voyaging having the skills required for night arrivals is important. As mentioned above, radar and a spotlight do help reduce the hazard, but really, anchored boats -- especially fellow cruisers -- should by god have proper anchor lights. The act of putting up the garden lights implies that the owner/skipper knows that he should be lighting his boat, and he is in fact failing to do so.

[s/v Jedi]

I have always been amazed at all the boats that can't use their anchor light because it uses too much energy... at least that is the reason they give for using one of those solar garden lights. How these folks manage to live aboard without power to even use electric lights is beyond my comprehension. They must go sleep when it gets dark or something? (like chickens :-)

cheers,
Nick.

[downunder]

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I have always been amazed at all the boats that can't use their anchor light because it uses too much energy... at least that is the reason they give for using one of those solar garden lights. How these folks manage to live aboard without power to even use electric lights is beyond my comprehension. They must go sleep when it gets dark or something? (like chickens :-)

cheers,
Nick.

I work @ a large marine retailer. A customer just came in the other day wanting to quadruple his battery banks, to something crazy like 6 8d's. He got all bent out of shape when I suggested he should upgrade to LED interior lights, complaining about the cost was as much as an extra 8d.

Yeah, maybe... ONCE. vs buying all that lead every 4 years or so. Some people are just 'odd'

I'm currently refitting and LED lighting is going to be the order of the day, and lots of it.

[Bash]

one of the few incandescent lights left on my boat is the masthead anchor light. When I flame that thing on, I want there to be no question about what I'm doing.

Still, folks might tend to use their anchor lights more if they've installed an LED light. If so, have at it. I have no reservations about entering an anchorage at night, and even though I'm using radar whenever I enter an anchorage, day or night, it's nice to see where everyone's hanging, even if you're only advertising the fact via LED.

[John A]

In every anchorage I was in from San Diago to Panama there were several boats that didn't display any lights during darkness, and I found the Islands in the Caribbean no different. Some boats had no one onboard but most simply didn't display lights.

Sometimes I would anchor in 40 ft of water and wait for daylight to move closer, Simpson Bay on St Maarten comes to mind. Sometimes I'd extend the distance sailed to arrive in the early morning. Most times I planned my departure to arrive at the next anchorage in the morning.

Many times I'd wake up in the middle of the night with someone shining a light on my well lite boat as some fool worked their way into the anchorage. Hearing their chain as they dropped the hook, I'd be forced to get into my dinghy to go instruct them as to the amount of scope I had out and suggest that it would be really nice if they anchored a dad further from me. Many times I had to fend a boat of off my boat and wake the people up to move their boat. More times than not they'd anchored on top of my anchore and were swinging ten feet off my bow.

I know that the law says this or that is legal, Colregs are used as a standred. But the real world is different. If you try to instruct some people from other countries on the Colregs, It's not uncommon to need to duck a empty wine bottle.

When you come cruising prudent seamanship goes a long way in protecting your boat. Cruise as if you had no insurance. Be prepared to take reasposibility for your own actions.

Common sense and courtesy are skills that you'll need to learn once you leave the cocoon of your home port.
regards

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by Bash

one of the few incandescent lights left on my boat is the masthead anchor light. When I flame that thing on, I want there to be no question about what I'm doing.

Still, folks might tend to use their anchor lights more if they've installed an LED light. If so, have at it. I have no reservations about entering an anchorage at night, and even though I'm using radar whenever I enter an anchorage, day or night, it's nice to see where everyone's hanging, even if you're only advertising the fact via LED.

On my last boat i installed an OGM L.E.D. tricolor/masthead light because i got a really good deal on it.

On my 'new' boat, it will be one of the first things I install, even if I have to pay full retail. They are crazy expensive, but worth every damned cent!!!

When I was at catalina island, in a very busy moorage full of all sorts of boats including some really nice ones, motor yachts burning gennies 24/7 etc. and that OGM was leaps and bounds brighter than EVERY other light out there, while using almost no power.