Have the USCG Lights Signals changed that much?

[TacomaSailor]

I live on Harbor Island in San Diego Bay and sit on a bench watching the sunset most evenings. I then watch dozens of boats milling about San Diego Bay with an astounding array of strange light signals. NONE of them display lights that I recognize. I saw the following boats Thanksgiving evening but it was a typical night.

I use the following terms as defined in USCG Navigation Rules Part C Rule 21 (Inland):

- masthead placed amidships on centerline (white visible from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abft of abeam)
- sidelights
- stern light
- towing light
- all around white

Here are two more definitions of descriptions I use:

Tricolor (integrated red, green, white) at mast head, which serves function of masthead and stern light
Steaming Light is a white light on front of mast below masthead with same visibility definition as masthead

Sailboat under power with no sails
- all around white at masthead (anchored?)
- white on front of mast (under way as power boat)
- normal navigation lights

Sailboat motoring with no sails
- tricolor (underway as a sailboat)
- sidelights (uncertain meaning when paired with tricolor)
- stern light
- NO steaming light

Fast 45’ powerboat
- white light on front of cabin
- all around white light on mast 9’ above pilothouse (anchor light?)
- sidelights visible from almost dead astern
- stern light in transom
- white all around light hanging from arch above stern

Sailboat (about 30’) under power
- stern light
- flashing white toward the front

Sailboat with sails up and no visible prop wake
- side lights
- sternlight
- steaming light on front of mast

50’ Trawler
- all around white on top of mast 5’ above pilot house
- side lights
- stern light
- two all around yellow lights hanging above transom (towing?)

45’ Sailboat
- stern light
- No side lights
- No masthead or steaming light

44' Very Fast power boat
- all around white on mast 6' above cabin
- side lights
- stern light

Am I just overly critical and light signals are no longer important or used by recreational boaters?

[ctl411]

I see a lot of this around also. Few years back we were coming in from watching the 4th fireworks show. The channel is packed coastguard crew next to me asked " aren't you supposed to have a light on like that boat?". He was pointing to a sailboat motoring behind us. I tell them no, that's a anchor light that a lot of sailboaters use to see the wind indicator. I inform them the correct light is the forward facing "steaming" light. So know wonder you see lots of non conforming lights.

[Jim Cate]

I reckon it is a combination of ignorance and lack of enforcement to stimulate education to all the ignorant sailors. I'm not keen on lots of water cops, but there is simply no reason for these yobbos to improve their knowledge and their compliance with COLREGS as it now stands.

Jim

[zeehag]

masthead lights are not mandatory.
navigation lights are mandatory as ar steaming lights, but masthead lights are a yottie special. seems in 1990 or thereabouts the yotties decided to be allegedly seen . masthead lights became popular, which is different from mandatory.
my experience in sd bay is that the harbies donot have a good grasp of what is mandatory and what is not. they WILL ticket you for lights in a dink. i have yet to know anyone ticketed for improper lighting of a larger boat.
vsc are annually mandated for anyone on a mooring in sd bay. not so with marina tenancy.
anyone in sd bay wishing a vsc may take boat to vsc dock at laurel street and have one done.

[Suijin]

I think it's a function of how much effort the local authorities invest in policing the proper display of light signals. If they stopped and fined everyone who was displaying improper signals you can assume that behavior would change over time.

Boats "milling around" San Diego harbor sounds like casual weekend boaters who have no clue what to display and turn on everything they've got figuring more is better.

[antisKeptic]

I've been down here about 4 months now and have come to the conclusion that San Diego bay on a nice weekend is a perfect example of the need for licensing boaters ... not that I'm for it ... just sayin'

[rickdamico]

I'm on Harbor Island also. And I see the same thing, very confusing. Many sailboats run the anchor light while they are powering, so they really don't need it to illuminate the windex!

US Coast Guard Station, San Diego Sector is based right there, along with tons of other government and military operations, you think people would be a little more vigilant.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

I live on Harbor Island in San Diego Bay and sit on a bench watching the sunset most evenings. I then watch dozens of boats milling about San Diego Bay with an astounding array of strange light signals. NONE of them display lights that I recognize. I saw the following boats Thanksgiving evening but it was a typical night.

I use the following terms as defined in USCG Navigation Rules Part C Rule 21 (Inland):

- masthead placed amidships on centerline (white visible from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abft of abeam)
- sidelights
- stern light
- towing light
- all around white

Here are two more definitions of descriptions I use:

Tricolor (integrated red, green, white) at mast head, which serves function of masthead and stern light
Steaming Light is a white light on front of mast below masthead with same visibility definition as masthead

Sailboat under power with no sails
- all around white at masthead (anchored?)
- white on front of mast (under way as power boat)
- normal navigation lights

Sailboat motoring with no sails
- tricolor (underway as a sailboat)
- sidelights (uncertain meaning when paired with tricolor)
- stern light
- NO steaming light

Fast 45’ powerboat
- white light on front of cabin
- all around white light on mast 9’ above pilothouse (anchor light?)
- sidelights visible from almost dead astern
- stern light in transom
- white all around light hanging from arch above stern

Sailboat (about 30’) under power
- stern light
- flashing white toward the front

Sailboat with sails up and no visible prop wake
- side lights
- sternlight
- steaming light on front of mast

50’ Trawler
- all around white on top of mast 5’ above pilot house
- side lights
- stern light
- two all around yellow lights hanging above transom (towing?)

45’ Sailboat
- stern light
- No side lights
- No masthead or steaming light

44' Very Fast power boat
- all around white on mast 6' above cabin
- side lights
- stern light

Am I just overly critical and light signals are no longer important or used by recreational boaters?

If you can spot it sitting on a bench it sounds like enforcement is lacking or underfunded.

[Maka]

The non compliance is not limited to San Diego.
Wonder if the insurance companies care? Or if improper lighting a good excuse not to pay a claim ?

[S/V Alchemy]

I haven't spent a lot of time in U.S. waters, but the contrast between what is noted here and even on the comparatively slack Canadian side of Lake Ontario is pretty stark. Canada has a very rudimentary pleasure boat licensing setup called the PCOC...it's a joke, but evidently it does raise the bar from zero to one in terms of boater education.

By even further contrast, while on an RYA course in Brittany's Bay of Quiberon, every fishing boat showed day shapes I was expected to interpret correctly and every boat above rowed dory showed the correct lights. We also hoisted an anchor ball when at anchor, something I've seen exactly twice on a sailboat in 20 years sailing on a Great Lake.

If you don't know how to display lights and yes, shapes, or how to read them when they are both correctly or incorrectly displayed, you are in my opinion operating in an informational vacuum and are in a certain sense not under command. I have no choice but to give you a wide berth because I cannot discern your intentions or whether you are sailing or motoring.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I have no choice but to give you a wide berth because I cannot discern your intentions or whether you are sailing or motoring.

Bingo!!!

[Olddave]

Originally Posted by rickdamico

I'm on Harbor Island also. And I see the same thing, very confusing. Many sailboats run the anchor light while they are powering, so they really don't need it to illuminate the windex!

US Coast Guard Station, San Diego Sector is based right there, along with tons of other government and military operations, you think people would be a little more vigilant.

Hi Rick
A power driven vessel under 12m can display Side Lights and an all-round white light. Colregs Rule 23 D1. It is a popular option for a sailboat under power (if less than 12m) because the anchor light fitted at the masthead is actually an all-round white light by definition.
Dave

[four winds]

As I understand it a power vessel has different requirements than a sailing vessel. To say, a sailboat under engine power alone is not a power vessel.

So a sailboat under power continues to use a stern light and adds the steaming light to complete 360 coverage.

A sailboat with running lights, stern light, and 360 at the masthead would be showing white over white from astern. Giving false information.

I suppose the stern light could be switched separately but never seen that. Nor do I know if this would be in compliance if used.


BTW, the no choice wide berth rule was the first thing that came to mind when first reading this topic.


Edit to add,.. just noticed the citation of 23D1, will check it out.

[Olddave]

Originally Posted by four winds

As I understand it a power vessel has different requirements than a sailing vessel. To say, a sailboat under engine power alone is not a power vessel.

So a sailboat under power continues to use a stern light and adds the steaming light to complete 360 coverage.

A sailboat with running lights, stern light, and 360 at the masthead would be showing white over white from astern. Giving false information.

I suppose the stern light could be switched separately but never seen that. Nor do I know if this would be in compliance if used.


BTW, the no choice wide berth rule was the first thing that came to mind when first reading this topic.


Edit to add,.. just noticed the citation of 23D1, will check it out.

Hi Fourwinds,
Under Colregs, a sailing vessel underway using its engine, is a power driven vessel. As you say, the sailing vessel must have its stern light switched off to be compliant. Showing an all-round white light and side lights shows it to be a power driven vessel under 12 meters.
Colregs is a good forum topic because it helps us all to keep the correct terms and rules fresh in our minds. Many years of beer drinking is causing me to review all this stuff more often!!
Dave

[four winds]

Hey Olddave, I agree a good topic. One of my favorites. Full time on the water for over six years (only) and I work hard to be considered a competent seaman.

A couple of points.

Rule 23 is stated as applying to power driven vessels.

Rule 25 is stated as applying to sailing vessels and vessels under oars.

However neither state specifically what both you and I have posted. That a sailboat is a power boat when under motor only, and has the option of using 23 d1. Or that a sailboat under motor only must add the steaming light to complete the 360 coverage needed. No mention of steaming light at all. Just the cone inverted and optional under 12 meters.

Using a CG/Homeland Security pdf, too large to attach.

Confusing.

Though I do agree a sailboat motoring is in effect a power boat. Not sure it follows that 23 lighting applies instead of 25. And would need to specify the stern light be switched off.

But it would have been rather simple to state in 25 that a sailboat under power only can use 23 d1 with the stern light off.