Another use for LED lights

[Bob Poff]

Last night we were on a dinner cruise boat to see fireworks.
I noticed something that I thought was cool.

They put out an anchor buoy made from a plastic one gallon milk jug (nothing cool yet).

After it got dark I noticed the jug was lit from inside with some sort of battery powered LED light. Sorry, I didn't get a good look at what they used.

Now, to my poor little mind, that's a cool and simple idea.

The crew said the started doing the light after some yo-yo ran past them in the dark between their anchor and bow.

 

[justsomeguy]

They'll probably just build better yo-yos.

 

[justsomeguy]

Well, not better.

 

[kenn]

After it got dark I noticed the jug was lit from inside with some sort of battery powered LED light.

neat idea. That would be a good application for a cheap solar lawn-light, as long as you could seal one nicely to the jug, and ballast the jug so that the solar panel stays "up".

 

[Ross]

They make big wide mouth snack food jugs.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Bob,
It may have been a light stick, that you just snap and it emits light for long periods of time. Was it green or pink?

They may a throw-away item like we use for nite time spearfiching.

CR

 

[Bob Poff]

Kenn, that's a good idea.

CR: My memory is the light was that sort of blueish/white that cheap LED flashlights make.

Yeah, I should've taken notes. But I admit that I was paying more attention to my wife than matters of the (someone else's) boat.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Good idea for marking your mooring bouy when you expect to come back late.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Bob,
They Also Have Battery Small Powered Leds And If They Retrieved Them This Could Be It. I Have Found Over The Years, That The Disposable Ones Come In Handy Also.

Sorry Bout The Caps & The Way I Spelled Fisching In My Earlier Post Pal..

Cr

 

[rgranger]

This is a great idea! I carry two of these fish buoys on board and use them for anchor markers... I'm wondering if I could attache a glow stick to these? Seems like cheap insurance.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

RG,

Zip ties, a couple of glow sticks, and your good to go pal.............

CR

 

[48dodge]

I used one of these while watching fireworks the other night. Pretty bright, supposed to last 125 hours on 3 batteries. I'll probably hang it out when doing the occasional overnight. It has a sliding cover on the back so you can get somewhat directional light or open it for 360 degrees.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-MicroPacker-Compact-Battery-Lantern/dp/B000EH0NLK

Picked mine up in the camping section of walmart for around $10-12 if I remember correctly.

 

[shipwreck66]

I found solar powered rope lights at Harbor Freight and my wife thought they were good to use to add illumination to the boat at night when many are obviously watching other things, not where they are going. For the anchor line she attaches a weighted ring and slides one down till it gets near water, looks pretty cool and seems to discourage the yo-yos

 

[Anonymous 121765]

48 has the right idea. I also have an LED lantern I use in the cockpit but if you need an light for you mooring ball at nite make sure whatever you use is disposable, or watertight, not waterproof.

CR

 

[Maine Sail]

Has anyone checked on the legalities of lighting a buoy that's not a nav aid? I don't think lighting mooring balls or anchor buoys is even legal without the proper permitting? How about simply marking the ball on your GPS.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Mainsail,

Mooring buoys are in designated anchorages. A light is fine. And, it could make sure you don't accidently wrap around your prop at nite.

CR

 

[Maine Sail]

Mainsail,

Mooring buoys are in designated anchorages. A light is fine. And, it could make sure you don't accidently wrap around your prop at nite.

CR

Only in some places are they in designated anchorages. Here in Maine we have lots of moorings outside of designated anchorages. Before we go ahead and say it's fine it would be good to have some clarification. I will email the USCG this morning and ask for clarification.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Main,

Not to worry, any light at nite is a navigational aid. It's not in a channel to heed navigation. If it is a small light and close to the surface, any knowlegable mariner will be able to distinguish.

Besides if there are other boats in the area, some may have anchor lights and their boat profile should show. All you would need is a spotlight to see what's there pal.

The Coast Guard Aux. should have phamplets for lights and rules of the road for quick reference when under way, they're free..........

CR

 

[Maine Sail]

Main,

Not to worry, any light at nite is a navigational aid. It's not in a channel to heed navigation. If it is a small light and close to the surface, any knowlegable mariner will be able to distinguish.

Besides if there are other boats in the area, some may have anchor lights and their boat profile should show. All you would need is a spotlight to see what's there pal.

The Coast Guard Aux. should have phamplets for lights and rules of the road for quick reference when under way, they're free..........

CR

I suspect you may be right but it never hurts to check when making an lighted aid to navigation about the legalities of it.

 

[Maine Sail]

I just heard from the USCG Waterways Management Division and Ron is right, white lights are allowed on mooring balls.

BUT

This is from the USCG Department of Waterways Management:

In order to place or add a light, and be 100% legal in doing so, you need to go through the proper channels and fill out the proper forms first. The USCG Department of Waterways Management will then conduct an investigation or site survey, usually done by the ACOE, to see if this added light will interfere with other aids to navigation before issuing the OK or "statement of no objection". Usually they are OK'd but in some instances they are not. The form I was told that needs to be filled out is the Private Aids to Navigation Application.

So are white lights legal on mooring balls? Yes, but you should follow the proper procedures before installing one. If you have questions about this the USCG Department of Waterways Management is who overseas this sort of thing, and they are quite helpful..