Show me your masthead arrangement: lights, antennas, windex, ...

[Jammer]

Wondering how others deal with the dilemma of a bunch of things that all want to be at the top with a clear view of the horizon.


Particularly interested in those dealing with bridge clearance on the ICW or elsewhere who have chosen their setup to minimize the additional air draft required.

[Don C L]

Not sure how much dilemma there is there. I am not the best to answer though because I'm not in the ICW and the only thing I have up there that needs a view of the horizon is the VHF antenna. What else needs a view of the horizon?

[MartinR]

I have nothing there except the wind transducer.

[zeehag]

my mastheads on my formosa 41 ---
mizzehnhead--one vhf antenna, planned. blocks and tackles for sail function. wind direction and speed

main head
antenna vhf
blocks and tackles for function of boat

my mainbackstay port side is my ssbantenna. works fine with at 130 and ssb icom 700 or so

i use no masthead lighting.
my nav lights are at 10-12 ft above sea level and out over gunwhales of bulwarks , a little over 12 apart, on light boards. i use oversized nav lights with led brilliance and fresnel lenses. yup VISIBLE.
once my projected davits and gallows and stuff additions ar ecompleted, i will have a stern light 8-10 ft off water and ultra brilliant. love oversizing and l e d with fresnel. perfect for visibility from a distance.

[Jim Cate]

love oversizing and l e d with fresnel. perfect for visibility from a distance.

True, until you are heeled much. Then the focused beam produced by the Fresnel lens is not parallel with the sea and thus will be less visible at a distance than an isotropic light source.

But big and bright lights are in general a very good thing!

Jim

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

True, until you are heeled much. Then the focused beam produced by the Fresnel lens is not parallel with the sea and thus will be less visible at a distance than an isotropic light source.

But big and bright lights are in general a very good thing!

Jim

my boat doesnot heel in big winds. 60 kts wind brought me over 5 degrees. aint worried my lights wont be seen as i donot sail in canes or ts.
for these heavy deep keeled boats it is perfect and very visible. sails are colored by the nav lights to more than 3/4 height of sail.