Anchor Strobe Lights & Underwater Lights

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Mark Thurlow

. . .

But as you say “avoided” is the watchword - not illegal. ..

Sorry, it says "shall be avoided". Legally speaking, that means "do not use them". Jim is correct.

[Steve Z]

"While it is unlikely anyone would respond in non-US waters, in the US a better solution than I suggested above of knocking on the hull at 3 am (which was a bit tongue in cheek), would be to simply to call the USCG or local marine police unit and report a vessel in distress."

I have not figured out how to use the "reply with quote" feature so I apologize if this is confusing things.

I disagree! A call to law enforcement in this situation is a misuse of resources.

I do, however, agree that this is an irritating practice. Weather permitting, I like to sleep in the cockpit staring up at the stars. A strobe is definitely an irritation. Most of us on boats are trying, in some part, to escape all the noise and neon.This situation should be handled with a calm boater to boater conversation.

[Miles Palmer]

I attached a white flashing light to my dock so I could see it when coming home in the dark. Bad idea. A commercial fishing boat thought that it was a distress signal and was rushing to my rescue. Illegal, distracting, annoying and miss leading.

[dirk_modica]

Rather than a strobe I prefer to use an anchor light positioned with a halyard at abt 2 m height over the foredeck of my sailing boat; much easier to see from any dinghy or small craft approaching than the anchor light up at 18 meters.

best regards
Dirk Modica
S/y Tramuntana
Centurion 38
Genoa, Italy

[sv Stella Maris]

I could gives a rat’s foot what the heck light your vessel emits (annoying I do agree though). Just let me be able to spot the darn thing at midnight in the middle of a downpour and blow just before you drag into me !!!

[Capdave360]

So I'm the OP who started this.

If I can summarize, the replies in defence seem to be:

Strobelights - "I just want to be seen, more lights are better, rules and other people's discomfort don't really count, if other people break rules so can I"

Underwater lights - not so much here - came down to one saying "look at all the pretty fish" one saying "it's common in FL", and one rebuttal saying "attracting the pretty fish distorts the local food chain"

I think the defenders of either aren't really thinking about leaving a clean wake.

[Svan]

As soon as I see a strobe anchor light I make sure to shout as loud as I can, "your anchor light f*cking sucks"

[Capdave360]

And we've just come back to the boat after dinner in Bequia, and our new neighbor anchored two boat lengths away has a red strobe going.......oh well, guess we won't sit on deck tonight.

[CaptWho]

Originally Posted by Michael Cobbe

so I switched the strobe on and it changed course immediately. What surprised me was as a steel boat we would have been seen clearly on radar.

Taking a good flashlight and aiming it at the foresail does a pretty good job at that too.

[thecapt2029]

how many have been sailing at night, and low! a Carnival Cruise ship looms in your path! every light every color flashing, at every intensity, while you try and find nav. lights. kinda wakes you up at 2 am.
also , I think, at least in Caribbean, vessels put on a strobe light so they can find their boat, after a few hours enjoying rum punches!

[Group9]

A strobe light is considered a distress signal. I was on a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flying in the Bahamas one night in the Bahamas and a white strobe was spotted off in the distance. The owner of the sailboat, tied up at a remote Cay, was awakened by a million power spotlight, which did not go away, until he came up on channel 16, and assured the crew that he was okay.

Don't be that guy.

[Moontide]

The worst underwater lights are the very bright ones located on the sides of the boat just underwater (seems to be more a powerboat thing). When the boat rolls the lights come out of the water and become a bright spotlight. Little hard on the eyes while sitting outside enjoying the weather and view.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Group9

A strobe light is considered a distress signal. I was on a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flying in the Bahamas one night in the Bahamas and a white strobe was spotted off in the distance. The owner of the sailboat, tied up at a remote Cay, was awakened by a million power spotlight, which did not go away, until he came up on channel 16, and assured the crew that he was okay.

Don't be that guy.

Show me this regulation

Show me any white signal approved for distress

[Group9]

Originally Posted by slug

Show me this regulation

Show me any white signal approved for distress

161.013 ELECTRIC S-O-S DISTRESS LIGHT
APPROVAL CATEGORY: 161.013

APPROVAL GUIDANCE & INFORMATION: This is an alternative to flares for recreational boats. It is required to automatically flash S-O-S. Light intensity and duration requirements apply. Electric S-O-S distress lights are self-certified by the manufacturer. The Coast Guard does not issue approvals or keep an authenticated list of manufacturers. Approval standards for these lights are found in Title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 161.013.

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/CG-ENG-4/VDS/

There you go.

And, the one we chased, wasn't even flashing SOS (and, predated this regulation). With all the safety location devices that are being manufactured today with flashing white lights, you really think they are not going to be responded to by anyone when spotted on the water? Or you think a crew flying over the ocean at night, that sees a strobe, isn't going to go check it out?

That would be scary.

Oh, and by the way. An upside down U.S. flag isn't on the list either, but fly that on your boat, and see what happens. Not everything is codified, you know.

[slug]

https://ecolregs.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=1 21&Itemid=502&lang=en

COLREGS distress signaling

If coast guard pilot is chasing white strobes , he is wasting tax payers money and should be sent to re education camp