Is it illegal to use an oil lamp hanging from the boom as an anchor light. I have seen this done, but wonder about the legality of it as well as the safety of it.
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The Coast Guard Regulations state:
"Power-driven vessels and sailing vessels at anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for a vessel less than 50 meters in length is an all-around white light visible for 2 miles exhibited where it can best be seen." So if you can see an oil lamp hanging on the boom for a distance of two miles, it appears to be OK. Personally, I wouldn't hang it from the boom - not high enough - and I don't think it would be bright enough.
"Power-driven vessels and sailing vessels at anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for a vessel less than 50 meters in length is an all-around white light visible for 2 miles exhibited where it can best be seen." So if you can see an oil lamp hanging on the boom for a distance of two miles, it appears to be OK. Personally, I wouldn't hang it from the boom - not high enough - and I don't think it would be bright enough.
Anchor Light Location
There are two schools of thought on this one, regardless of whether you use an oil lamp, solar light or battery powered (either from D cells or your house bank). And regardless of the "distance" issue. Let's assume that wherever you put your light, it has a 2 mile range. One school says: put it at th top of your mast, so it can be seen further away. The other school says use it in your cockpit because more people in the anchorage could see it. Another thread on this subject last week mentioned that designated anchorages don't need anchor lights. Personally, we just re-employed an old oil anchor lamp we had had around being unused for years, and hung it in the cockpit, and installed a Davis mega light with low draw at the masthead. Goin' to both schools... Stu
There are two schools of thought on this one, regardless of whether you use an oil lamp, solar light or battery powered (either from D cells or your house bank). And regardless of the "distance" issue. Let's assume that wherever you put your light, it has a 2 mile range. One school says: put it at th top of your mast, so it can be seen further away. The other school says use it in your cockpit because more people in the anchorage could see it. Another thread on this subject last week mentioned that designated anchorages don't need anchor lights. Personally, we just re-employed an old oil anchor lamp we had had around being unused for years, and hung it in the cockpit, and installed a Davis mega light with low draw at the masthead. Goin' to both schools... Stu
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