Required lights day and night Gulf of Mexico

[Hermit Scott]

I wanted to post this in the recent question about lake sailing, but it is a little different.
What lights are required for night time anchoring in the gulf of Mexico? What would be best for anchoring out there? For instance do I want to light it up like christmas morning or do I want to display lights that are standard and predictible to other mariners? The other post mentioned an all around white light, is a mast head light an all around white light?

Also someone mentioned I should get the "boaters bible" for things like this. What was that book again? I am ready to buy it now.

 

[Joe]

If your masthead light is an all around light (360 degrees) you can use if for an anchor light, but hanging a lantern from the end of the boom would also qualify.

I don't know what the boater's bible is but you should own a copy of "Chapman's Piloting".... and/or "The Annapolis Book of Seamanship" ... Check out Amazon dot com for both at a good price. Anyway, all your questions can be answered between those two..

As far as lighting your boat up like a christmas tree, well, that's a lot of battery juice. Read the book.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I usually say "That's why they write books."

Also, try this: http://www.boatsafe.com/

There've gotta be tons of websites with "boat lighting requirements" -- just can't be that hard to find.

 

[sailaway78]

Mast head light

Hermit,
The masthead light is all that is legally required. Technically it should be a CG approved fixture. Other than that you can light her up as much as you want. Many believe that it is advisable to also have some light lower, closer to deck level, particularly in a popular anchorage. Those not familiar with sailboats don't necessarily look up, and a lower light is more visible to them, especially if they are running around half drunk in a dink.

 

[jerryf609]

In my circle, "Boaters' Bible" refers to Chapman's Piloting.

 

[Steve Kamp]

A copy of COLREGS will answer any questions you may have regarding "required lights" and will also answer questions regarding so called "right of way" and other trafficcontrol/safety matters, both for inland and outside waters.
Steve

 

[RAD]

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/mwv_files/NR_Files/navrules.pdf

 

[Franklin]

No anchoring allowed in the Gulf

:Liar:

Just kidding...kind of. You don't want to anchor in the Gulf...trust me on that one...it was the second lession I learned out here. Find a protective anchorage if you want to drop the hook.

We don't have much of a current going in and out of land, so you normally don't have to worry about current pushing you ashore, so if you need a few hours of sleep, just heave-to, turn the mast head light on and get some rest. Just make sure you are at least 8 miles from any rig.

Or...do what the fishermen do and tie up to one of the rigs. It's not as smooth as a heave-to but maybe a little safer.

and of course, if you are more than a mile from shore, you are going to need 250' of rode at least. If you are near shore, that just seems like a bad idea but it will not matter how you light your boat because nobody is going to be near you at dark.

 

[Hermit Scott]

We were thinking of going out about 20 miles and anchoring out for the night. Then do a little diving the next day and come back in. It is going to be my wife and I on my boat and my friend on his boat.

 

[Franklin]

20 miles out it's going to be about 60+ feet deep. At a 7:1 scope, you will need 448' of rode after you add on the freeboard. You don't need that and you will be more comfortable heave-to; just make sure you are out of the shipping lanes....check the charts for that. When heaving-to, make sure you are at least 8 miles away from the rigs so even if you drift straight for one, it will take you about 5 hours to get there. That way you can set your alarm for 4 hours, get up and check your position and then go back to sleep...assuming all is fine...it not, you got 4 hours which is pretty good out in the ocean