mast head light???

[jimq26]

MaineSail - you might explain your set-up a bit more.

Sand is not that familiar with navigation lighting, and might think that your stern light (as shown in your picture) is your anchor light.

 

[jimq26]

MaineSail - you might explain your set-up a bit more.

Sand is not that familiar with navigation lighting, and might think that your stern light (as shown in your picture) is your anchor light.

 

[tcbro]

I agree....

...that masthead anchor lights are hard to see when motoring through an anchorage but it is hard to comply with the 360* visibility part of the regulations with a lower light when you have a mast coming up from your deck. My anchor light is at the masthead but we sometimes hang a second light a few feet above the deck in the foretriangle. This auxillary light has it's own battery power.To answer Sandsailors original question; you will need 1 hot wire for each light on your mast, anchor, steaming + deck or spreader lights (if so equipped) and 1 common neutral. If you sail at night I recommend a combination steaming/deck light mounted 1/3 to 1/2 way up your mast and an LED masthead anchor light. That should give you the greatest flexibility as you can always hang an anchor light closer to the deck, either as a primary (to save the house bank) or a secondary (insurance).Toms/v Orion's Child

 

[tcbro]

I agree....

...that masthead anchor lights are hard to see when motoring through an anchorage but it is hard to comply with the 360* visibility part of the regulations with a lower light when you have a mast coming up from your deck. My anchor light is at the masthead but we sometimes hang a second light a few feet above the deck in the foretriangle. This auxillary light has it's own battery power.To answer Sandsailors original question; you will need 1 hot wire for each light on your mast, anchor, steaming + deck or spreader lights (if so equipped) and 1 common neutral. If you sail at night I recommend a combination steaming/deck light mounted 1/3 to 1/2 way up your mast and an LED masthead anchor light. That should give you the greatest flexibility as you can always hang an anchor light closer to the deck, either as a primary (to save the house bank) or a secondary (insurance).Toms/v Orion's Child

 

[Ross]

I use a kerosene lantern for an anchor light. I hang it from

the back stay. I have a boom gallows so there is no topping lift to get in the way. The lantern casts considerable light on the furled sail and on the mast . It is about 15 feet aft of the mast and the shadow that you would expect from the mast moves constantly. Standing on the for deck you can't keep the shadow on your face without moving around.

 

[Ross]

I use a kerosene lantern for an anchor light. I hang it from

the back stay. I have a boom gallows so there is no topping lift to get in the way. The lantern casts considerable light on the furled sail and on the mast . It is about 15 feet aft of the mast and the shadow that you would expect from the mast moves constantly. Standing on the for deck you can't keep the shadow on your face without moving around.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

I agree with tcbro

4 plex wire 1 hot strand for each light, anchor, steaming, spreader, and a common ground. But, don't do like I did and forget to cushion the wire inside the mast. Mine tends to chime when at anchor. It's not too bad, but, I should have thought harder about it when I rewired my mast last fall.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

I agree with tcbro

4 plex wire 1 hot strand for each light, anchor, steaming, spreader, and a common ground. But, don't do like I did and forget to cushion the wire inside the mast. Mine tends to chime when at anchor. It's not too bad, but, I should have thought harder about it when I rewired my mast last fall.

 

[PHitchcox]

LED Nav Light

While you're at it, might want to consider the new, low-energy nav lights, such as available at Sailor's Solutions. My anchor light definitely draws down the battery overnight (another good reason for a separate light like Ross uses).Depending on the how the wiring is set up, one of these LED lights can actually serve as both anchor light and steaming light. You can use either two or three wires. With two wires and the current going one way, you get the tricolor light; the other way, you get all white. Paul

 

[PHitchcox]

LED Nav Light

While you're at it, might want to consider the new, low-energy nav lights, such as available at Sailor's Solutions. My anchor light definitely draws down the battery overnight (another good reason for a separate light like Ross uses).Depending on the how the wiring is set up, one of these LED lights can actually serve as both anchor light and steaming light. You can use either two or three wires. With two wires and the current going one way, you get the tricolor light; the other way, you get all white. Paul

 

[Rob19574]

While on the topic...

My anchor light on my Catalina 30 is mounted at my mast head as I understand that is the requirement. I thought I would bring up the point here though while we are on the topic - doesn't it seam somewhat dangerous to have an anchor light mounted so high above the water? For large vessels approaching from a distance its great but you could seriously lose your perspective of where the boat actually is if your a smaller, faster moving boat. A small powerboat moving toward an anchored sailboat at night just a few thousand feet away (lets say under a mile) could seriously miss the anchor light that is going to come into his view several feet above his actual line of sight through his windshield.Anyone agree with me on this? I keep a boom-mounted light going as well at night for this reason but I wanted to check with the board here and see if anyone can reason with the USCG requirement for a mast-head mounted anchor light.Thanks - Rob

 

[Rob19574]

While on the topic...

My anchor light on my Catalina 30 is mounted at my mast head as I understand that is the requirement. I thought I would bring up the point here though while we are on the topic - doesn't it seam somewhat dangerous to have an anchor light mounted so high above the water? For large vessels approaching from a distance its great but you could seriously lose your perspective of where the boat actually is if your a smaller, faster moving boat. A small powerboat moving toward an anchored sailboat at night just a few thousand feet away (lets say under a mile) could seriously miss the anchor light that is going to come into his view several feet above his actual line of sight through his windshield.Anyone agree with me on this? I keep a boom-mounted light going as well at night for this reason but I wanted to check with the board here and see if anyone can reason with the USCG requirement for a mast-head mounted anchor light.Thanks - Rob

 

[Ross]

If we assume a mast height of 50 feet . Then a light

on the mast head viewed from 500 feet away will appear 6 degrees above the water. From 250 feet away the angle becomes almost 12 degrees. One hour before a star sets it will be less than 15 degrees above the horizon. So stars close to rising or setting can look very much like mast head anchor lights.

 

[Ross]

If we assume a mast height of 50 feet . Then a light

on the mast head viewed from 500 feet away will appear 6 degrees above the water. From 250 feet away the angle becomes almost 12 degrees. One hour before a star sets it will be less than 15 degrees above the horizon. So stars close to rising or setting can look very much like mast head anchor lights.

 

[Maine Sail]

Sorry..

Quote:"MaineSail - you might explain your set-up a bit more. Sand is not that familiar with navigation lighting, and might think that your stern light (as shown in your picture) is your anchor light."Actually there are two lights in that photo on my radar pole. One of them is my stern light and I mounted it there, above the dinghy, so it could be seen when the RIB is on the davits. The second light, my LED anchor light, is actually hanging upside down next to the radome. It's mounted upside down so it's beam is not greatly reduced by the radome itself in a 360 view. As for 360 degree compliance I have circled my boat many times and it's 100% visible because that light is illuminating my entire cockpit, stainless rails blimini etc.. I also have, when possible, annual CG inspections and the CG thinks the light is fine and said I am in compliance with it. I also asked about the distance visibility and they said unless you are anchored in a very open ocean type of anchorage with heavy ship traffic not to worry and the distance rating is only for the "specifications" of the lighting device itself. Of course I seem to get different answers to different questions each time I have an inspection. That being said, we have anchored many times with cockpit based anchor lights and never once has the USCG stopped to tell us we were not in compliance and this includes anchoring in Boothbay Harbor within a 1/8 of a mile of USCG station Boothbay. While I do use an LED anchor light on my radar pole I would not however use an LED at the mast head. I've yet to witness one or try one, & I have a drawer full of LED bulbs I've experimented with at the mast head, that does not look like a bright distant star. The blue light given off by an LED bulb can, in my opinion, dangerously reduce the distance scale of your vessel and depth perception when mounted at the top of a spar. I've approached my own boat's with LED's at the mast head and clearly thought it was considerably further away than it actually was. I don't seem to get this problem with incandescents at the mast head as much as I do with LED's unless it's the Davis Mega Light which I've also tried and stopped using due to "depth perception" issues. Hope that helps clarify?In summary I use: One Anchor light with incandescent bulb at the mast head (my back up)andOne LED anchor light on my radar pole (my primary)

 

[Maine Sail]

Sorry..

Quote:"MaineSail - you might explain your set-up a bit more. Sand is not that familiar with navigation lighting, and might think that your stern light (as shown in your picture) is your anchor light."Actually there are two lights in that photo on my radar pole. One of them is my stern light and I mounted it there, above the dinghy, so it could be seen when the RIB is on the davits. The second light, my LED anchor light, is actually hanging upside down next to the radome. It's mounted upside down so it's beam is not greatly reduced by the radome itself in a 360 view. As for 360 degree compliance I have circled my boat many times and it's 100% visible because that light is illuminating my entire cockpit, stainless rails blimini etc.. I also have, when possible, annual CG inspections and the CG thinks the light is fine and said I am in compliance with it. I also asked about the distance visibility and they said unless you are anchored in a very open ocean type of anchorage with heavy ship traffic not to worry and the distance rating is only for the "specifications" of the lighting device itself. Of course I seem to get different answers to different questions each time I have an inspection. That being said, we have anchored many times with cockpit based anchor lights and never once has the USCG stopped to tell us we were not in compliance and this includes anchoring in Boothbay Harbor within a 1/8 of a mile of USCG station Boothbay. While I do use an LED anchor light on my radar pole I would not however use an LED at the mast head. I've yet to witness one or try one, & I have a drawer full of LED bulbs I've experimented with at the mast head, that does not look like a bright distant star. The blue light given off by an LED bulb can, in my opinion, dangerously reduce the distance scale of your vessel and depth perception when mounted at the top of a spar. I've approached my own boat's with LED's at the mast head and clearly thought it was considerably further away than it actually was. I don't seem to get this problem with incandescents at the mast head as much as I do with LED's unless it's the Davis Mega Light which I've also tried and stopped using due to "depth perception" issues. Hope that helps clarify?In summary I use: One Anchor light with incandescent bulb at the mast head (my back up)andOne LED anchor light on my radar pole (my primary)

 

[RichH]

Agree with Rob

When the water is other than 'calm' a masthead light doesnt have the 'reflective shine' on the water that it does in calm water. Ive also noticed that the LED type of masthead lights do not give that 'reflective shine' on the water to the degree as does an incandescent .... probably because their light 'projection' is too narrow beamed or that beam is too narrowly focused. With an incandescent light the reflective shine on the water will be reflected ON the water from close to you all the way to that boat; my perception of LED lights is that the reflective shine on the water is MUCH less. I hang a Davis low amp portable anchor light over the boom, or run it only part way up a spreader flag line in addition to my masthead light when Im in a busy anchorage.

 

[RichH]

Agree with Rob

When the water is other than 'calm' a masthead light doesnt have the 'reflective shine' on the water that it does in calm water. Ive also noticed that the LED type of masthead lights do not give that 'reflective shine' on the water to the degree as does an incandescent .... probably because their light 'projection' is too narrow beamed or that beam is too narrowly focused. With an incandescent light the reflective shine on the water will be reflected ON the water from close to you all the way to that boat; my perception of LED lights is that the reflective shine on the water is MUCH less. I hang a Davis low amp portable anchor light over the boom, or run it only part way up a spreader flag line in addition to my masthead light when Im in a busy anchorage.

 

[jimq26]

Thanks MaineSail - your set up looks great!

I could see your upside down anchor light, but didn't think those with limited experience would know where to look.

 

[jimq26]

Thanks MaineSail - your set up looks great!

I could see your upside down anchor light, but didn't think those with limited experience would know where to look.