Nav light obligations? is Mast head tri-colour (and a steaming light) enough?

[OS2Dude]

From what I've read, most people on ships at sea do not like the tricolor masthead light. They prefer to see deck level navigation lights and a Red Over Green on the mast to signify the boat is a sailing vessel.

Note: You can Not run the tricolor under power, so you still need the deck level lights. You can Not run the deck level lights at the same time the tricolor is lit.

The anchor light is at the masthead (top of mast) and the steaming light usually goes about 3/4 up the mast. Contrary to the apparent opinion of many where I sail, the anchor light is not a 'Hey I'm a Sailboat!' light. It means you are at anchor and not underway.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by OS2Dude

From what I've read, most people on ships at sea do not like the tricolor masthead light. They prefer to see deck level navigation lights and a Red Over Green on the mast to signify the boat is a sailing vessel.

Note: You can Not run the tricolor under power, so you still need the deck level lights. You can Not run the deck level lights at the same time the tricolor is lit.

The anchor light is at the masthead (top of mast) and the steaming light usually goes about 3/4 up the mast. Contrary to the apparent opinion of many where I sail, the anchor light is not a 'Hey I'm a Sailboat!' light. It means you are at anchor and not underway.

Yeah the tricolor is a pretty dubious option these days. If we were designing a new system today would the tricolor even be allowed. The primary reason for it was power demands on small boats especially those under sail for extended periods of time so alternator isn't running. This was prior to solar panels and LED lights. You wanted navigation light power requirements as low as possible so one could sail days or even weeks without needing to run the engine.

The only downside to Red over Green is needing two lights. They need to be seperated by at least 1 meter (2m on larger boats). So while anchor light and red can go together the green will be a seperate light likely two lights on either side of the mast. Throw in a separate streaming light and you have 5 lights (anchor, red, two greens, and streaming) in four places on the mast. So the cheap easy tricolor lives on.

I am not saying this to be elitist. I have always used a tricolor. Almost every small boat comes with it and once you have it there isn't much interest in spending money and time you don't hav to in order to changing it. That doesn't make it a good system though.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

No. A Tricolor is only allowed when under sail alone. As soon as you start the motor you can't use it and must switch to separate side and stern lights plus the steaming light.

This may be the RULE but consider that deck level nav lights are pretty much invisible in rough sea states. If your boat is a low profile vessel the lights may be underwater most of the time. We use our tri-color mast light at sea, deck nav lights if we need to operate in a harbour after dark (bad planning). Steaming light motoring or motor sailing. Note that the steaming light is mostly invisible with carbon sails up. The mast lights are invisible to other harbor boats because we all have Bimini tops and dodgers. The lighting rules vs reality and function has been discussed in depth about three times per year. Add to the discussion that typical lighting blends into shore lights so boats at anchor are hard to identify.

We have lived on anchor in the Caribbean for eight years. Many boats now display diverse deck level lights, various colors except red or green. Home Depot is your friend in this. Flaming tiki lights, blue, purple strip lights, hanging patio lighting - all LED solar can be had for very low cost. We also have SOLAS retroreflective tape added to certain places on the boat and dinghy. This is amazingly effective and helps you find the yacht after dark in a big harbor.

Remember that the COLREGS are all about being seen and avoiding contact. Once you’ve satisfied the letter of the rule, do whatever is necessary to be safe.

One other thing. In the third world it’s far better to light up your boat any way possible rather than to sort out who’s at fault. You will get zero assistance from the local system. Island fishing boats often have multicolored LED running and flashing lights while at anchor. You absolutely will see them.

[Bluechart]

When I’m Inland, I use deck level navigation lights.
When at sea, Tricolor (as deck level lights would be obscured by ocean swell)

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

This may be the RULE but consider that deck level nav lights are pretty much invisible in rough sea states. If your boat is a low profile vessel the lights may be underwater most of the time.

That's where making sure lights are well placed is important. Nothing says the side and stern lights have to be at deck level, for example. It would be legal to have side lights mounted to the lower spreaders, or even at the top corners of the dodger to get them up higher, and likewise a stern light moved up onto the back of a bimini or arch instead of on the stern rail or transom.

On top of that, if you're in really rough seas, chances are you're sailing, not motoring, so then the tricolor or lower lights + red over green is perfectly legal (and visible) unless you're too large to use a tricolor (but the red over green is still legal).

[thlamers]

I have spent some time reading the regs and it seems the steaming light is only used for a sailing vessel when under power but with one or more sails aloft.


If under sail alone, under 12 M, it is a tricolor or P&S plus stern. If motor sailing then the steaming is mandated. If powering without sails aloft then it is P&S plus stern same as a same size powerboat.


The steaming light is the night equivalent of the inverted black cone shown when under power but with sails aloft.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by thlamers

I have spent some time reading the regs and it seems the steaming light is only used for a sailing vessel when under power but with one or more sails aloft.


If under sail alone, under 12 M, it is a tricolor or P&S plus stern. If motor sailing then the steaming is mandated. If powering without sails aloft then it is P&S plus stern same as a same size powerboat.


The steaming light is the night equivalent of the inverted black cone shown when under power but with sails aloft.

That is incorrect. The steaming / masthead light is used ANY time a sailboat is motoring, with or without sails up. Same way a powerboat displays side lights, stern light, and a masthead / steaming light.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by thlamers

I have spent some time reading the regs and it seems the steaming light is only used for a sailing vessel when under power but with one or more sails aloft.


If under sail alone, under 12 M, it is a tricolor or P&S plus stern. If motor sailing then the steaming is mandated. If powering without sails aloft then it is P&S plus stern same as a same size powerboat.


The steaming light is the night equivalent of the inverted black cone shown when under power but with sails aloft.

That is dangerously not correct. All powerboats have a steaming light displayed all the time when under power. That is where the name comes from. The vessel is steaming as in the boilers are lit producing steam to power the vessel. No steam involved anymore but still called a steaming light when the vessel is steaming (aka under motor power).

A powerboat while under power by definition will always display a steaming light. A sailboat when powered ONLY by the wind does not. A sailboat becomes a powerboat when operating under motor power. Sails aloft or not has no impact on the proper use of a steaming light. If you are being powered by the motor you are a powerboat and should display lights as such. Now maybe what you read that was taken out of context is that if you sails are aloft but you are also operating under motor power (motor sailing) then you should display the steaming light because you are under motor power but that isn't the only time.



(note this image doesn't show the option of red over green but that only applies to sailboat under sail power).

[Cat-a-tonic]

My cat was built with masthead and steaming lights which I assumed was ok for motoring untill shouted at by various passing craft. Much research followed. Now have deck level lights plus steaming light switched automatically from tricolour when engine is started.