Red All-Round Lights at anchor

[Pete O Static]

LOL....


Yeah I know that the US can designate an anchorage on the chart and in said "anchorage" an anchor light is not required. To a certain degree that makes sense as well. Most people who leave their boats unattended in a mooring field are not displaying an anchor light. The onus is on the boat entering said area. That rule is for US waters only I believe. A day shape is not required either if your boat is below a certain length. Again, US only I think. I need to look at the differences book.



However in the Caribbean, at marinas where boats are actually tied up alongside a slip, I see that many have their anchor lights on simply because they threw the switch a few months ago and forgot about it. With the photo sensor, it is so automated people forget. Another testament that a masthead light may not be the best location for an actual anchor light.



Suffice to say, I don't see very many people actually following the Colregs as far as lighting is concerned. Even commercial ships at sea are so lit up with deck lights, you cannot figure out where they are going or what they are doing. Cruise ships being the worst. At least I can see them long before the AIS actually tells me anything however.



I read that the US Coast Guard is going to be cracking down on boats with underwater LED lights illuminating the water around them. Seems silly as these are the easiest to see when entering an anchorage at night.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by monte

I think its a euro/like to be different thing, like neon blue signage and go fast lights. I saw a flashing masthead light yesterday. I guess they don't know/care about lights or dayshapes and like to be original

Floating cat-house??

[Albro359]

Originally Posted by Pete O Static

I could not agree more. The all round white at the top of the mast has "evolved" as an anchor light due to convenience. Particularly with the automatic photo switch. ( ever noticed how many anchor lights are on in a marina?) I am pretty sure however that the rule is actually to have an all round white light in the "fore triangle" area, in place of where the day shape would be displayed during daylight hours.


I normally swap out my day shape with a lucy light. Also because my masthead light is incandescent and I need to swap it it out for an LED.

A light in the foretriangle area is NOT an all round light. The ONLY place a sailing yacht can have an all round light is at the top of the tallest mast .

I'm in the S Pacific and frequently we see these wankers with 100ft+ yachts with BLUE anchor lights !!.

My opinion is if you can see'em, then that's what matters. It may be a different story though if you ended up in court suing a superyacht owner who wasn't compliant with COLREGS...how would their red or blue lights stand up then?

[N1774]

Originally Posted by Albro359

The ONLY place a sailing yacht can have an all round light is at the top of the tallest mast .

You might want to re-read Rule 30.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Albro359

A light in the foretriangle area is NOT an all round light. The ONLY place a sailing yacht can have an all round light is at the top of the tallest mast .

Annex 1 9.B ??

(b) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, top masts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor light prescribed in Rule 30 which need not be placed at an impractical height above the hull.

[Albro359]

Originally Posted by N1774

You might want to re-read Rule 30.

YES...BUT how can a light in the "fore part" be "all round" when a yacht has masts?
Same applies with "(ii) at or near the stern", it cannot be "all round" if the boat as a yacht has masts.

[Albro359]

Originally Posted by conachair

Annex 1 9.B ??

(b) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, top masts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor light prescribed in Rule 30 which need not be placed at an impractical height above the hull.

What's impractical about the top of the mast ?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Albro359

What's impractical about the top of the mast ?

It's impractical in that it doesn't work, too high to do much good in the majority of anchorages we hang out in.

I suspect the argument over IRPCS happen much more often in net forums than in legal circles in the real world. Has anyone on a sailing vessel ever had a legal problem with an anchor light of correct specs lower down than the top of a mast? It's still an all round if the mast doesn't obscure more than 6 deg.

[conachair]

Annex 1 9.B ??

(b) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, top masts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor light prescribed in Rule 30 which need not be placed at an impractical height above the hull.

Looking at that again, not quite sure of the meaning - does that mean -
'for an anchor light in rule 30 it doesn't matter if it's obscured by more than 6deg, just put it as high as is practical.'

If so then either way a lower anchor light is covered, would need a fat mast not to be able to get under 6 deg obscured well forward so a light in the foretriangle should still be an all round on lots of boats.

[hellosailor]

I'm not sure that given their limited resources, the USCG would really care what color underwater lighting was. After all, no one is going to mistake that for nav lights.

As for using day shapes...Yeah, here in the Colonies the only folks who fly day shapes are gasoline barges, and some OCD folks who can easily be spotted because they are also wearing freshly ironed socks with their deck shoes.