Affordable masthead combination anchor light and tricolour recommendations.

[steffan]

According to marinebeam (another customer here), their 30-LED 42mm Cone End Festoon - Mini-Max (FS-42-30C) is suitable for colored lenses when spec'd in warm white.

I bought, but have not yet installed, one for my bicolor. I'm sure it's not as good as the dedicated colored ones, but for $17 I figured I would try it out, and test it against the existing incandescent.

[stull61]

Check out TRICOMBO NAVIGATION BAY15D - MARINELED. Anchor light turns off and on automatically. Picked mine up in Martinique and are getting another for my new boat.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by n5ama

I’ve seen the Hella tri color mast lights on eBay that use incandescent bulbs for less than $100 new.

Is it possible to retrofit one of these fixtures with a LED bulb ($50-70) and come away with Hella unit for under $200?

It seems to be a logical solution if the bulb swap works.

Of course if you use the right bulb - see my earlier post on LEDs. Do NOT use all-white LEDs, but LED bulbs made for purpose with red, green, and white LEDs can work great if made with a quality current regulator.

Greg

[jleeglenn]

As you do your research for a masthead tri-color, be sure to look into which brands do not cause AIS interference. The proximity of some LED sources to the VHF antenna have created this issue, namely that the AIS signal will go out when the LED is on.

You will find out the technical causes in your research if you care. Google the subject & you'll find lots of information to compare to specific product specs.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by jleeglenn

As you do your research for a masthead tri-color, be sure to look into which brands do not cause AIS interference. The proximity of some LED sources to the VHF antenna have created this issue, namely that the AIS signal will go out when the LED is on.



You will find out the technical causes in your research if you care. Google the subject & you'll find lots of information to compare to specific product specs.

A good point. [emoji106]

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

...

Did I mention that Aquasignal are rubbish?

I found a brand name on the bits of the old one....

It’s an Aqua Signal.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by GILow

I found a brand name on the bits of the old one....

It’s an Aqua Signal.

Colour me surprised....

I still have an Aquasignal tri at the mast head.... new in '94 so shouldn't complain although have had electrical 'contact' issues... maybe 8 years ago

Junked my circa 94 Aquasignal steaming/decklight combo 5 years ago... mainly due to the totally exposed deck light bit... not only would the deck light fail but then you could not get the bulb out.

Design of the bicolour totally flawed with cable coming in from under the unit so as much use as tits on a bull when going to windward....

And the lens would degrade on a regular basis.....

On a happier note... my sternlight is a circa 1986 Lucas ( aka Prince of Darkness).... no degradation of the lens and have never had to change the bulb...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

...



On a happier note... my sternlight is a circa 1986 Lucas ( aka Prince of Darkness).... no degradation of the lens and have never had to change the bulb...

Have you had to replace the wiring smoke for the stern light yet?

On another note, I’ve been thinking about the history of the aquasignal tricolour and I realise I am not sure of its age. The previous owner stated that he had fitted a $300 LED tricolour between when we first viewed the boat in mid 2011 and when we eventually bought it in late 2012. At the time I assumed he meant the whole fitting, but looking at it I did wonder if maybe he’d just replaced the globes with LED globes. I guess I’ll never know, but that means it is at least 8 years old (not great) or maybe as much as 20 years old (which is not too bad).

Anyway, Arnold’s sent an email today saying my Hella light has been dispatched. Not impressed, that’s nearly a week to dispatch it. I’ll cut them some slack around the whole COVID-19 situation, but I don’t really see how they’d be snowed under with orders.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by GILow

Anyway, Arnold’s sent an email today saying my Hella light has been dispatched. Not impressed, that’s nearly a week to dispatch it. I’ll cut them some slack around the whole COVID-19 situation, but I don’t really see how they’d be snowed under with orders.

My new one is in my bag by the front door ... along with all my other kit that was heading back to the boat three weeks ago...

I think... memory fades here... so many boat toys in that bag...I use jocks and socks instead of bubblewrap to keep them all in place... that I ordered it from an NZ company.

They aren't a high demand item... they don't keep them in stock... they have to get them from Hella Australia... and then send them to you...hence the delay...

Pray tell... did it delay your departure to foreign parts?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

My new one is in my bag by the front door ... along with all my other kit that was heading back to the boat three weeks ago...



I think... memory fades here... so many boat toys in that bag...I use jocks and socks instead of bubblewrap to keep them all in place... that I ordered it from an NZ company.



They aren't a high demand item... they don't keep them in stock... they have to get them from Hella Australia... and then send them to you...hence the delay...



Pray tell... did it delay your departure to foreign parts?

Fair point about the light fitting I guess, but I always just assume they have this stuff in stock unless their web site says otherwise. I won’t stoop to rummaging through your intimate apparel to solve my lighting needs, not that desperate yet.

Calling Tassie “foreign parts” is a bit of a stretch, though it is full of rapidly freezing Septic Tanks at the moment.

Yeah, I’m stuck in Adelaide, but there are worse places to be. Yesterday was the supposed departure date (the third attempt at one anyway), and I’m a bit sad about that, so I’m going on a cruise for a week or so to cheer myself up later this week. See you on the Comedy Net, all going well, along with the frozen Septics.

I suppose you’ll not be seeing your boat for a few months yet?

[Sysunday]

For my new yacht I decided to have my nav lights made by myself. I wanted optional tricolor OR "red over green" (=sailing machine).
All winter studying, prototypes and again resulted in 7pcs of nav lights. Most 3D printed parts, Cree leds and borosilicate glass:
This is the masthead light: tricolor, anchor and 360degrees red:


Fixtures:


Front:

[GILow]

Impressive. And carbon fibre too, by the look of it?

[Sysunday]

That's only looks: dip-painted the lights that will not in the masttop

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Sysunday

That's only looks: dip-painted the lights that will not in the masttop

I think you got autocorrected into obscurity with that one.

[GILow]

On happier news, my Hella arrived on Friday. Now all I have to do is climb the mast... again.