Masthead Lights: Tri-Color, Red-over-Green, Strobe

[Peter Albright]

Do you have a tri-color? When do you use the tri-color in stead of the sidelights and stearn light?Do you have a strobe? Have you used it? When do you think you'll use it?Have you ever seen anyone using red-over-green lights? Does anyone know of a manufacturer of a combined red-over-green masthead light?

 

[NEIL WALTERS]

MAST HEAD TRICOLOR LIGHT

Peter I have a tricolor light on my O'Day 26. It was on the boat when I bought it. I really don't use it that often. It has a white strob that is only to be used in an emergency, an anchor light and the red and green with a white light facing aft. These can be used as normal when sailing at night. It is all controled by an added switch box that controls the light or combination of the lights. It has indicator lights on the panel that are supposed to indicate which lights are on. The switch for it is a push button that takes six pushes to cycle thru all the combination of lights. My only problem is, it is not too reliable and I have to visably check the mast to be sure. The box was made in England, I have taken it apart to try to figure how it works, it is full of resisters. I swear there is only one cable going up the mast to the light. Some day I'll drop the mast and try to rewire the tricolor with switches to control the lights. My boat is in the Dunedin Marina near you.I've seen tricolor lights at West Marine. My feelings are you only need an anchor light at the top of the mast. An easy way to get one is a Davis light run up the mast with a halyard. Again strobes are for emergencies. If any one knows this switch box I'd like to hear from them.

 

[Rodney Kidd]

Tricolor Only

Just a word of caution - it is illegal to use a tricolor under power or in combination with your regular stern, bow and masthead or steaming light. The tricolor should be used under sail only and used alone.Rodney KiddC-38 #297, Flying Bear

 

[Michael McCann]

Masthead Tricolor

Rodney is absolutely correct!

 

[Capt. Marc]

Red over Green - Sailing machine

There are not any manufacturers of combined red/green lights.From the Rules of the Road there is supposed to be a space between these lights (I believe 1 meter). The only ships I've ever see use red/green are the Tall ships and larger sailing yachts.Because of the distance from the side lights to the stern lights, the Tall ships (eg. CGC Eagle) use the red/green lights to distinguish them from a powered driven ship with a burned out masthead light.In conclusion, it's impractical for a yacht to use the red/green lights (rigging the lights, power demand etc).Marc

 

[steve f.]

off shore

We have a tri light on top of our H33. We use it off shore only (when sailing, not steaming). We've found that the spray from the bow wave reflects the bow light and creates a glow in front of the boat. The stern light does a similar thing when we look backwards. There is a white glow behind the boat and on our MOB device's that hang off the stern reflect the white light back at the cockpit. This might not seem like much but it actually hinders our night vision. Besides, it more peaceful out there with just the wind, waves and star/moon light. With the tri light we really don't even notice it and we are visible from a greater distance. But like everything else, there are more than one type of light systems to use because we all like different things and have different ideas of what we want on our boat.