Mast lighting "wiring" for easiest mast lowering

Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
I just downsized to a 20' boat to explore and need to figure out what I am going to do for a anchor light. My last boat was not a trailerable boat, so I never worried about bringing the mast down. What is the easiest but still safe and effective way of having an anchor light that meets coast guard requirements? Do I need to drill a hole in the deck with an electrical plug? I am also wondering if I need to run wires thru the mast or could just run them down the outside? It's a catboat with no forestay.

A second question would be how you all light your overhang mast at night while trailering? I am wondering if a red flashing light like a bicyclist or runner would use could work?

Thanks in advance
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
? This is what it says:

Anchored Vessels
At night: All vessels at anchor must display anchor lights If your
vessel is less than 164 feet (50 meters) in length, then its anchor light
is an all-round white light visible where it can best be seen from all
directions (See Figure 8 )
Just saw the exception to this. But man, don't think I will be sitting out in the dark. I think I will hang a lantern. Thanks for the info!
 
Oct 6, 2008
857
Hunter, Island Packet, Catalina, San Juan 26,38,22,23 Kettle Falls, Washington
Go to Wal Mart and buy an outdoor solar powered yard light. Use a fishing rod holder mounted either on the bow rail or stern rail, stuff the light in and forget about it. You can see those lights for a long way.
With your draft about the only boat that could run into you at anchor would be a poo boater in his dingy.
Ray
 
Jan 11, 2007
294
Columbia 28 Sarasota
Ray

No! Not approved and you're asking fora visit by the authorities if this is your anchor light. An anchor light is 20 bucks why would you cut this corner???
 
Aug 15, 2012
301
Precision 21 Newburyport MA
Do you want to be legal or do you want someone not to run into you. You can go to the trouble to have an official anchor light per the regulations. The problem is the guy speeding in a Bayliner isn't going to be looking up for light on top of a mast. For visibility sake you might want to have something that would be at his eye level, whether it be a lamp on a pole or even drape some solar Christmas lights on the lifelines.
 
Jan 14, 2014
225
Newport Newport 28 Fair Haven, NY
Found a small LED latern at Walmart last week, actually. Had dual brightness settings, runs on 3 AA's. Not sure if the "low" setting will handle a 2 nm range, but I know the bright would. Not sure how long it'll last on a few rechargable AAs, but I figure in a pinch, with fresh batteries, it'd last a night at least if something goes screwy with my masthead anchor light.
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
Found a small LED latern at Walmart last week, actually. Had dual brightness settings, runs on 3 AA's. Not sure if the "low" setting will handle a 2 nm range, but I know the bright would. Not sure how long it'll last on a few rechargable AAs, but I figure in a pinch, with fresh batteries, it'd last a night at least if something goes screwy with my masthead anchor light.
Nice! Is it water resistant?
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
As a sailor sailing for over 55 years and also as a dealer, there is a lot to be said on waterways, rivers, lakes and ponds as to bass boats, bayliner and so forth as to not looking up the masts of sailboats for lights. Regardless, I always have displayed a cheap white light basically at eye level when night sailing and it has saved me a time or two from being killed by bass boats flying at a fast speed at night. It is human to look forward only and not upward.

It even attracted the local game wardens and they never issued a ticket to me as they saw me in the night. This occurred one night at 2:30 am during a snowy night at Smith Mt. Lake and I shared my coffee with them inside the cabin as we were the only fools out there on the lake. Made friennds with them.
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
As a sailor sailing for over 55 years and also as a dealer, there is a lot to be said on waterways, rivers, lakes and ponds as to bass boats, bayliner and so forth as to not looking up the masts of sailboats for lights. Regardless, I always have displayed a cheap white light basically at eye level when night sailing and it has saved me a time or two from being killed by bass boats flying at a fast speed at night. It is human to look forward only and not upward. It even attracted the local game wardens and they never issued a ticket to me as they saw me in the night. This occurred one night at 2:30 am during a snowy night at Smith Mt. Lake and I shared my coffee with them inside the cabin as we were the only fools out there on the lake. Made friennds with them.
Good advice and great story!
Thanks Dave
 
Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
You could do like ours. We used a deck plug (sealed at deck) and a wire through the mast to the anchor light. The wire has the plug that fits into the deck plug connector. If you can, stuff your mast with those pool noodles so you don't have the wire clanging and your mast will float if it ever went in the water.

Prior to this, I just ran an LED lantern up the main halyard