Quick Question about Masthead Light

[jBlaze3000]

Purchased my H23 with what I was told was a non-working masthead light. Wiring looks to be in decent condition however the male connection on the mast is gone (just bare wires now). The female connection on the deck is a 2-pole and looks just like the picture below.

Question: The cable coming out of the mast is a 3-wire cable, what is the 3rd wire for???

Kind of a bad picture but is the green/yellow wire on the left just snipped and not used?

 

[justsomeguy]

As of now, you have enough deck connector for one lamp. Just need the male fitting.

But, you do have enough wire there for two lamps. Yep, just cap the unused one for now.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

The requirement is for an anchor light (360') and a steaming light (forward only). This is often containted in a single fixture with two bulbs. Three wires are needed to control this.

 

[justsomeguy]

There's a requirement?

 

[Rick Webb]

For That Size Boat, Actually No

An anchor light is not required

A steaming light if out at night is suggested if practicable. You would however be required to have a working flashlight on board to indicate your presence to others.

There are three wires there for the two bulb fixture that contains a forward facing steaming light and a rear facing light that when lit in conjunction with the steaming light provides an all around white light to serve as an anchor light. each bulb gets one wire and they share a ground. The light fixture also has a front facing orientation be aware of that when installing.

 

[jBlaze3000]

An anchor light is not required

A steaming light if out at night is suggested if practicable. You would however be required to have a working flashlight on board to indicate your presence to others.

There are three wires there for the two bulb fixture that contains a forward facing steaming light and a rear facing light that when lit in conjunction with the steaming light provides an all around white light to serve as an anchor light. each bulb gets one wire and they share a ground. The light fixture also has a front facing orientation be aware of that when installing.

This makes sense as I do have a forward and rear facing light on the top of my mast...but then why only a 2 wire connection on the deck?

Is it likely just a not very well thought out modification by a previous owner?

 

[Rick Webb]

I Have Seen

Though it is proposed as not a good practice to use the mast itself as the ground.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

Navigation lights

Yup, there are requirements. There have been international treaties on this topic for hundreds of years.

The navitation light rules can be read at this USCG site:
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent#NavRulesArcs

A good picture of the lights and thier positions is at this site:
http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Navigation-Light-Rules

At night we (sailboats) are suppose to turn on the steaming light whenever under power and turn it off when under sail alone.

 

[justsomeguy]

Ah, American requirements. Sure, if you're going to be operating at night.

 

[isaksp00]

Good question. My H23 has a single all-around light on the mast crane (anchor light) and that's it - and the same 2-conductor deck plug as in the photo. I assume that is the factory configuration - why else would there be just a 2 wire plug? If the masthead light is required under power, how can the H23 comply?

 

[Hugh Straub]

Good question. My H23 has a single all-around light on the mast crane (anchor light) and that's it - and the same 2-conductor deck plug as in the photo. I assume that is the factory configuration - why else would there be just a 2 wire plug? If the masthead light is required under power, how can the H23 comply?

A 23 foot boat under power at night in inland waters is required to show red and green side lights and EITHER a single all around white light (like your single mast head light) OR a forward shining white light and a stern light. So, your present configuration is just fine. Do not use your white stern light and your all around mast head light at the same time. Note: using the side lights and the single all around mast head light has the advantage of reducing current draw by eliminating one of the white navigation lights.

Also your mast heat light does double duty as an anchor light (with the colored side lights turned off of course)

When sailing at night turn off the mast head light, leave on the colored side lights and turn on your white stern light.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards

Hugh Straub

 

[Rick Webb]

Not a Requirement

Rule 25 - Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars
(d) (i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 meter in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision

If you are going to make a big deal about the lights you might as well go purchase the day shapes as well. Get ready though they are hard to find, which should give you an indication of how often they are used.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Day shapes are REALLY easy to make.
Cut out 2 (circles for anchor and triangles for steaming) shapes out of 1/4" plywood. Cut a 1/4" slot from the top center downward in one and from the bottom center in the other. stop at the middle. the slide together. Then all you have to do is paint them black and find a way to hoist them in the rigging. Us exterior enamel paint. 12" is the smallest but larger boats need larger shapes.

 

[Hugh Straub]

Rick is right, a sailing vessel, that is a vessel while under sail at night, if 23 feet in length or less, can squeak by with a flashlight. Of course, when under power, regardless of whether or not sails are up, she must be lit as a power vessel.

All this is academic provided nothing goes wrong during your night time excursion. However, if some idiot on a Jetski runs into you at night causing serious injury or worse, you can be sure both the CG and the idiot's lawyer will examine your lighting very carefully looking for any possible deficiency. I know this because I have spent 40 years as an admiralty lawyer specializing in vessel casualties. As you are getting ready for the formal CG hearing and later for trial, you'll be glad you did everything right.

Kind regards

Hugh Straub

 

[isaksp00]

This is really interesting - curious to hear Hugh's view on this:
My H23, which I assume is factory config, has the R/G bow light and the stern white light wired together, so all are on or all are off. It has just a single 2-wire connector for the mast wire, and an all-round anchor light at the top. No forward facing steaming light. That means it cannot be configured to the letter as Hugh noted in 08-02-2014, 06:18 pm post. However, maybe because at 23 ft it legally need not be - depends on the interpretation of Rick's quotes.

I run at night under power with the nav lights on - R/G and stern light, no anchor light. Let's say that jet skier spiked me - I know I'd get sued, but would my configuration protect me - given perhaps Hunter's design for this assumed the lack of reqt because it is under 7 meters? 7 meters = 22.97 feet, so again using a technicality (as any plaintiff lawyer would), maybe a 23 ft boat is NOT under 7 meters?

 

[Hugh Straub]

This is really interesting - curious to hear Hugh's view on this: My H23, which I assume is factory config, has the R/G bow light and the stern white light wired together, so all are on or all are off. It has just a single 2-wire connector for the mast wire, and an all-round anchor light at the top. No forward facing steaming light. That means it cannot be configured to the letter as Hugh noted in 08-02-2014, 06:18 pm post. However, maybe because at 23 ft it legally need not be - depends on the interpretation of Rick's quotes. I run at night under power with the nav lights on - R/G and stern light, no anchor light. Let's say that jet skier spiked me - I know I'd get sued, but would my configuration protect me - given perhaps Hunter's design for this assumed the lack of reqt because it is under 7 meters? 7 meters = 22.97 feet, so again using a technicality (as any plaintiff lawyer would), maybe a 23 ft boat is NOT under 7 meters?

You may wish to check on the actual length of your boat...manufacturers often round length up to help their marketing, though I would think a .03 of an inch difference to be hyper technical and not worth worrying about.

The lack of a forward facing white light or alternatively a 360 degree white light, while under power is a concern. The court usually will require the person who violated a navigation rule to show that his violation not just did not, but could not reasonably have contributed to the casualty. This burden of proof is called the Pennsylvania Rule after a Supreme Court case from the 1800's. This can be a difficult burden to overcome even for a mostly innocent vessel operator.

You may wish to put your stern light on a separate circuit with its own switch...easier than changing lighting at the masthead.

Kind regards

Hugh

 

[Kermit]

Rick is right, a sailing vessel, that is a vessel while under sail at night, if 23 feet in length or less, can squeak by with a flashlight. Of course, when under power, regardless of whether or not sails are up, she must be lit as a power vessel. All this is academic provided nothing goes wrong during your night time excursion. However, if some idiot on a Jetski runs into you at night causing serious injury or worse, you can be sure both the CG and the idiot's lawyer will examine your lighting very carefully looking for any possible deficiency. I know this because I have spent 40 years as an admiralty lawyer specializing in vessel casualties. As you are getting ready for the formal CG hearing and later for trial, you'll be glad you did everything right. Kind regards Hugh Straub

And no one will care that the jet ski is illegal at night regardless of what lights you were showing. If the jet skier is killed or even slightly injured you will be the big bad wolf.

 

[twalker H260]

A parusal of the owners manual indicates the mast is designed to act as the negative ground. A two conductor plug will still allow you to wire for appropriate anchor/steaming lights. It would require an appropriate fixture at the mast head and a two position switch on the panel. If going to all that trouble I would also likely just replace the deck connector and rewire with a 3 conductor wire all the way.

 

[isaksp00]

I would be curious to see if anyone in Hunter knows why they would have wired the H23 with just one switch for the bow sidelights and the stern light, given that it appears this does not support a truly legal configuration of lights. At end of season I will probably attach my stern light to its own switch - pretty sure I have a spare.

 

[Kermit]

I would be curious to see if anyone in Hunter knows why they would have wired the H23 with just one switch for the bow sidelights and the stern light, given that it appears this does not support a truly legal configuration of lights. At end of season I will probably attach my stern light to its own switch - pretty sure I have a spare.

My 260 is wired that way. Personally, I think that's correct.