Navigation light requirements

[Will Gilmore]

Part of the purpose for the specifications is so other vessels can know how you are heading, not just see you. They need to be able to tell if you are heading towards or away, which angle, etc. A white light and one colored light, the vessel is heading away at an angle, two colored lights and no white light, the vessel is heading right at you, and so on. Whatever configuration you choose, that has to be a standard that is met.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Doug4bass]

http://cgaux.org/boatinged/

 

[tipsyravensailing]

are you being cheeky Doug?

there's my nauticed as a snapshot. the relevant bit is under module 5. it ain't a 100% but it ain't go buy a book and read and come back.

there's the photo, the very same photo, that sparked the conversation. The sailboat undersail has the tricolor. the boat i bought had none. It also shows both sets of lights on at the same time. This graphic is the same as the one in the michigan boaters safety course books, which i can take a snap of later if it helps you think i read before i post. I'm not some green horn pwc jetskier raising hell waiting to get caught by the patrol.

 

[Stu Jackson]

It also shows both sets of lights on at the same time.

The picture says EITHER. Not BOTH.
Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't be the first time.

 

[tipsyravensailing]

The picture says EITHER. Not BOTH.
Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't be the first time.

lul

*facepalm*

You're absolutely right. I could say i'm overwhelmed with incoming information but the truth is i simply missed the word there

 

[tipsyravensailing]

though it does allow for ambiguity with the rear facing whites

 

[dlochner]

Unless I'm missing something, wouldn't be the first time.

Hey Stu, that's my line!

The picture says EITHER. Not BOTH.

Yes the picture does say "either." Here's a link to the CG's Navigation rules. See Rule 25. Note that the inland and international rules may be different.

While we're talking nav lights, here's a trivia question (and one that bit me): What lights must a power vessel show if the maximum speed is under 7 knots?

Edit: OK, so I forgot to add the link. Here it is: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navRules/navrules.pdf

 

[dlochner]

though it does allow for ambiguity with the rear facing whites

Well to add to the confusion..... Is this legal?

 

[Parsons]

Sorry, tipsy, I read back over the thread and can see why we all thought you were a newby. We respond to such a variety of people that it's not safe to assume what we know about someone's prior knowledge. Good luck doing your mast lighting, and perhaps I'll get to see it one day, if I make the 400 nm trip around the lower peninsula.

 

[BlowMeAway]

Well to add to the confusion..... Is this legal?

View attachment 147890

So has this thread been hijacked enough? I have to comment not legal regardless. Under sail power and 360 degree red and green on mast head...are you a boat, a beacon, towing. Bad idea, except maybe plausible at anchor or moored on Dec 24-25th.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I wasn't aware that a sailboat should not use the tricolor (instead of bow and stern lights) when under power. Dave, what is the function of the red over green at the top of the mast? I'd guess that it is common for sailboats to have the tricolor, but who would actually have the all-around red and green?

 

[tipsyravensailing]

well. i am a newbie parsons- i'm just not a RTFM newbie haha.

 

[dlochner]

I wasn't aware that a sailboat should not use the tricolor (instead of bow and stern lights) when under power. Dave, what is the function of the red over green at the top of the mast? I'd guess that it is common for sailboats to have the tricolor, but who would actually have the all-around red and green?

The red over green light caught me by surprise too. I don't know anyone who has that, usually it is just the tricolor or the deck nav lights.

With that said, last summer we were sailing up the Jersey coast at night. There was a light on the horizon that kept getting closer and I had a hard time figuring out what it was. When it finally passed us, it was a sailboat with a tricolor. If the boat had the red over green and standard deck lights, I would have figured it out sooner. On the other hand my experience sailing at night in potentially crowded waters is pretty slim.

One of the things I like about thread drift is that it takes you places you wouldn't expect. Every time we drift into Nav lights and ColRegs I learn something new. That's what I love about this sport, there is *always* something new to learn!

 

[tipsyravensailing]

from an app I got for my.phone. fishing vessel with all around red over white.

 

[dziedzicmj]

Is this legal?

It is. According to the rule #25 paragraph c):
"(c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower Green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by paragraph (b) of this Rule."
(in this context, a) means normal nav lights, b) means tricolor)

 

[dlochner]

View attachment 147910 from an app I got for my.phone. fishing vessel with all around red over white.

In this case I believe the all around red indicates the boat has restricted maneuverability.

Red over Red, the captain is dead. This is a boat that is not under command.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

So I was just reading a little bit about "red over green means a sailing machine". Apparently, for a practical matter, it's just not typically done because the separation needs to be at least 1 meter for a small boat. Unless you are going to mount a 1 meter tall staff, the mast is going to interfere with the all-around green. So people simply don't use it to identify themselves as sailboat because there is no practical way to do it or at least nobody is making an assembly that does it the right way. I did see this advertisement from Perko but it is green over red . What the heck would that be used for?

http://www.perko.com/catalog/category/navigation_lights_under_20_meters/product/895/