Alternative placement of anchor light (other than at the masthead)

[Jammer]

I am contemplating alternatives for reducing masthead clutter and keeping air draft to an absolute minimum.


One possibility to consider is placement of the anchor light somewhere other than the mast head. Applicable colregs require it to be "where it can best be seen."


Possibilities include:


1) a pair of 180 degree lights on either side of the mast, far enough down to be free of the clutter (12 inches would be enough). The colregs specifically state that a pair of all-around lights may be used where a mast or other structural member prevents a light from being seen all the way around the horizon otherwise


2) Placement on the backstay sufficiently far down that the mast does not obstruct the anchor light for an angle greater than six degrees. In practice this means about 10 feet down from the masthead.


3) Placement on a stern pole or above a stern arch


It wasn't that long ago that people hoisted 6v battery powered lanterns. My boat came with one. And it wasn't that long before that when lighting an anchor light involved using a match.

[NYSail]

How much stuff do you have up there? And will removing this make you go faster??? Seems like a lot of work for nothing...... or at I mising something??

Greg

[Bruce K]

I dislike masthead anchor lights, in some anchorages esp with shore lights like Sydney Harbour they merge into the background, and are very difficult to see, some also seem like stars. I thing on your stern arch would be much better.

[Sojourner]

A couple of thoughts: a) check exactly what requirements insurances need.... I can vaguely remember (or at least think there probably is) some outline for a "correct" anchor light which must be lit blah blah if you get hit at anchor and want a payout....they are insurance companies after all, and they are wriggly little SOBs

and b) we have nav lights on the stern and pulpit, but also an auxiliary masthead tricolor/anchor light/strobe light combo. Wasn't very visible near the boat because someone installed it too low, so we put it up on a 12 inch stalk and now it's like the sun from any angle even near the boat (where you need it at night). In short, make it higher, not lower, cause you won't be able to do an all-around white any other way....

[Don C L]

I'm not a big fan of masthead anchor lights either. Everybody, well, most, seem to have 'em though. I guess if you are trying to spot an anchorage on a rough (but clear) night from 5 or 6 or 9 miles out, it is nice though to see those lights waving back and forth on their mastheads, if there are no other lights on shore to compete with them.
And I still use my kerosene anchor light... it's the last kerosene thing I got!
If you are thinking of air draft, maybe a tabernacle will be in your future? I mean if you are worried about an extra 6 or 7 inches, where are you trying to fit? Your VHF antenna will be above the lights anyway, no?

[Paul L]

A masthead anchor light with a tricolor is the simplest and most practical. Then add a cockpit or arch all around white light down low when you are concerned about panga drivers looking straight ahead.

[Sojourner]

I should have added that I leave a nice bright cockpit light on all night as well, for extra safety, so I can see us more easily returning at night, as well as the thought that anyone dinghying up to mess around in the cockpit while i'm sleeping or gone ashore will be lit up for others to see.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jammer

It wasn't that long ago that people hoisted 6v battery powered lanterns. My boat came with one. And it wasn't that long before that when lighting an anchor light involved using a match.

This is basically what I do now.

I use an LED Lantern and tie it to the end of my boom.

When not sailing, my boom is quite high for head room in the cockpit

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by NYSail

How much stuff do you have up there? And will removing this make you go faster??? Seems like a lot of work for nothing...... or at I mising something??

Greg

Bridge clearance. I'm on the Mississippi.


There are three 60'0" bridges between here and the Gulf. The 60' is at normal pool and it is not unusual for river levels to be above pool, usually by less than a foot. I'm looking at a future move to a boat in the ~40' range and some have published bridge clearances of just over 59 feet. Every inch counts.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Don C L

If you are thinking of air draft, maybe a tabernacle will be in your future? I mean if you are worried about an extra 6 or 7 inches, where are you trying to fit? Your VHF antenna will be above the lights anyway, no?

Future boat. "Bridget" can fit anywhere and does have a tabernacle.


The VHF can be solved any of several ways. I'm presently thinking of a quarter-wave antenna with a spring, mounted on an L-bracket just below the top of the mast. There are a number of options, but probably something like this:


https://www.theantennafarm.com/catal...bmwv1365s-7287


They require a ground plane to work well. Four wire whip radials is enough, and there are commercially available products that provide that, as well as homemade alternatives.



Other alternatives are placement on the spreaders, bimini, pushpit, etc.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Bridge clearance. I'm on the Mississippi.


There are three 60'0" bridges between here and the Gulf. The 60' is at normal pool and it is not unusual for river levels to be above pool, usually by less than a foot. I'm looking at a future move to a boat in the ~40' range and some have published bridge clearances of just over 59 feet. Every inch counts.

But I hope you don't plan on taking that route all the way to the Gulf on a lightly powered sailboat. There's tons of tug boat and barge traffic and few places to stop plus lots of debris

[noelex 77]

I agree a masthead anchor light is not always the best.

However, it is tough to mount a lower light that has 360° visibility. On my old yacht we used two low down anchor lights. This is permitted according to my interpretation of the regulations, but it is a view that could be legally challenged.

Collisions can involve not just damage, but injury, or worse, if a high speed small vessel collides with your yacht. The consequences of not displaying a legal light can be serious, especially if this occurs in a foreign country and you are dealing with a criminal charge in unfamiliar legal system.

The solution on our new yacht has been to fit a marine legal and certified anchor light at the masthead. This is always used. In addition, we have numerous deck light options. Spreader lights, lights under the solar arch, deck lights, battery powered lights, and finally the interior lights that are visible via the pilothouse windows. These alternative light options are more effective at closer range, but do not constitute a legal anchor light. However, the collision regulations permit, and even encourage the use of as many deck lights as you like. There is no legal requirement or certification for these lights (other than they should not be confused with a navigation light).

So I think there is a case for fitting a masthead anchor light, (although I can understand the very specific requirement of reducing the masthead height as much as possible makes this not ideal for the OP). For most vessels fitting a masthead anchor light provides a unambiguously legal solution, and leaves you free to display whatever other lights you feel are helpful.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by thomm225

But I hope you don't plan on taking that route to the Gulf.

Well, it depends, and there's more to the story. I presently have a slip on Lake Pepin, just outside the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I have family and friends in the area and anticipate that I will return here from time to time even if my travels take me farther afield.


Lake Pepin is on the Mississippi, and to go up or down the Mississippi requires passing under some bridges. The critical ones are the Hastings drawbridge, 60' above normal pool when open, at rm 813.7, and the Prairie du Chein bridge at rm 634.8, also 60' above normal pool. Lake Pepin is in between. To reach the St. Croix River, which has fantastic sailing, requires getting under the Hastings bridge. To reach the Tennessee River, the Ohio River, Cumberland River, Pickwick Lake, etc., requires getting under Prairie du Chein.


Now, on getting to and from the Gulf, I have several choices.


1) I can take the Mississippi all the way. As you allude to, the lower portion of the river doesn't make for a very rewarding journey, but it is feasible and reasonable to consider if approached as though it were a passage.


2) I can unstep the mast on Pickwick Lake, build cradles, and take the Tenn-Tom to Mobile, where I would then put the mast back up. While this is a much more rewarding and enjoyable route than the lower Mississippi, the cost, hassle, and risk of damage to a large keel-stepped mast are factors to consider. Like option #1, this requires ability to clear a 60' bridge, unless I take the mast down locally and carry it the whole way.


3) I can unstep the mast locally, motor to Chicago via the Illinois Waterway, and lock through to Lake Michigan where I can have the mast put back up, then proceed out of the Great Lakes via the Welland Canal and down the ICW to the Gulf. (This route makes more sense in the other direction)


The going rate for stepping and unstepping in Chicago is $16 a boat foot. I haven't looked for rates in Mobile but assume they are similar. For a ~40' boat that's $1300 to make the journey plus the cost of materials for cradles. Also a couple days fiddling in the yard, waiting for your turn on the schedule, and so on, at each end. I would like to have option #1 available as an alternative.

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Bridge clearance. I'm on the Mississippi.


There are three 60'0" bridges between here and the Gulf. The 60' is at normal pool and it is not unusual for river levels to be above pool, usually by less than a foot. I'm looking at a future move to a boat in the ~40' range and some have published bridge clearances of just over 59 feet. Every inch counts.

Understand!

[a64pilot]

I have the mast head anchor/tricolor and another anchor light mounted on my Solar panels on the davits.
They are less than an amp combined I believe, so why not have several?
I kept the mast head one mostly just because it’s already there, but don’t believe it’s as functional as one down lower, and lighting the cockpit works too.
I’ll also turn on the “Deck light”, the light that is part of the steaming light, but shines down to light the front of the boat if I’m in high traffic areas, like right now I’m in Staniel Cay and there is a lot of high speed traffic at night and I was lit up last night.

One guy in the anchorage even has led string lights going up I assume his rigging partially, looks like a Christmas tree, but you definitely see him.