Steaming Light Question

[Ward H]

Wed night we had a sunset sail, sailed under the full moon for a bit, then headed in. I only need to motor about 15 minutes to get into the slip.
I had my nav lights on for sailing. When I started motoring I turned on my steaming light only to find it didn't work.

I continued with just the bow and stern lights and thought about turning on the anchor light but did not.
If I had longer to go I would have stopped and rigged a lantern as a steaming light but that would taken almost as long as the ride in and there was no other boat traffic to be seen.

Would have turning on the 360 deg anchor light been appropriate?

 

[Jackdaw]

Wed night we had a sunset sail, sailed under the full moon for a bit, then headed in. I only need to motor about 15 minutes to get into the slip.
I had my nav lights on for sailing. When I started motoring I turned on my steaming light only to find it didn't work.

I continued with just the bow and stern lights and thought about turning on the anchor light but did not.
If I had longer to go I would have stopped and rigged a lantern as a steaming light but that would taken almost as long as the ride in and there was no other boat traffic to be seen.

Would have turning on the 360 deg anchor light been appropriate?

No. Better to not light for steaming then light incorrectly.

 

[Kermit]

Would have turning on the 360 deg anchor light been appropriate?

Interesting question. Either with or without the anchor light is wrong. So the question is, which is safer? And what would you tell law enforcement if stopped? My gut says go with what makes you more visible.

 

[Kings Gambit]

No, not really. The risk of collision to you would already be low because lacking other information, you would be seen by other boaters under power as the privileged (stand on) vessel unless overtaking them. A sailboat under sail on port tack in a crossing situation would avoid you seeing your port-side light, but proceed seeing your starboard-side light. Being under power it would clearly be your job to get out of his way in the latter example. That said, my experience has taught me not to take "short-cuts" around proper boating practices or regulations. That requires discipline; in some cases, a lot of discipline. You never know when a simple activity might turn rapidly into a complex one; so it's best to have most all of your "ducks lined up already." And one of those "ducks" is to check your navigation lights b/f you depart the slip if you know or suspect that you will be out after dark!! Like I said, discipline.

 

[CloudDiver]

If your Stern Light could be switched off independently of your bow bi/color or side lights and you did have your 360 on, you would look like a power boat under 40', however a sharp eye would notice that your 360 light is WAY higher than anyone would expect to see even on a very tall fly bridge.
Since most boats tend to have the bow/bi color or side lights on the same circuit as the stern lamp you cant just switch off the stern light, but you could cover it with tape. That's what I would have done and run with the anchor light and pretended to be dinosaur burner.
No one noticed anyway, so your chances were obviously the same having the stern light on with or without the 360. In reality most people aren't that quick to pick up on something like that, not even a Coat Guard Petty Officer in a Patrol RHIB. If you were farther out to sea or had a much longer channel trip in a busy area you would be justified in your level of concern.
BTW, in the Navy we do all sorts of deceptive lighting rigs to make a Destroyer look like any number of vessels in the dark... works pretty well.

 

[Kings Gambit]

No one noticed anyway, so your chances were obviously the same having the stern light on with or without the 360. In reality most people aren't that quick to pick up on something like that, not even a Coast Guard Petty Officer in a Patrol RHIB.

I "notice" lots of "violations" of the rules of navigation but never say or do anything about it. The most common one, of course, is seeing boats anchored without having hoisted the required dayshape (black ball). I also have noticed sailboats steaming at night with their anchor light on several times--doesn't fool anyone. I imagine the Coasties do notice stuff like that; but perhaps just do not wish to hand out dozens of citations everyday. It's a losing battle. By and large few boaters even know the rules well; fewer still will follow them. It's like the dog walkers. Having a lease in your hand with the animal running free is clearly not the same thing as having the dog on a lease--which is the ordinance.

 

[pateco]

I had a similar situation last month. We went out for a night sail, and the steaming light was working correctly on our way out. When I started the engine to return back through the ICW to our dock, the steaming light would not come on, so we went in with just the nav lights. When we got to the first bridge opening at Hillsboro inlet, the Bridge tender asked about our lack of steaming light. I explained what had happened, and he told me to get it fixed. Replaced the dead bulb the next weekend with an LED, and have not had any issues since.

 

[JamesG161]

A Captain with his Masters license delivered my boat. He reported the steaming light out and...

"Had to use the Anchor light instead with the running lights."

He said in a "pinch" that it was best safety alternative.

I agree with the Master.
Jim...

 

[Kings Gambit]

A Captain with his Masters license delivered my boat. He reported the steaming light out and...

"Had to use the Anchor light instead with the running lights."

He said in a "pinch" that it was best safety alternative.

I agree with the Master.
Jim...

In a pinch? What's the pinch--that he had to get your boat to you by a certain time; or that he had no crew aboard? Why not "pull over" and fix it, and then bill you for the extra time? A weak but relevant example here of the kinds of things that can really get people in trouble. Essentially, "I did not have time to do it right, so I punted--and got away with it" (this time).:naughty: Certainly, a "Master" should know that failure of the steaming light on sailboats occurs frequently; that they are not well maintained due to relatively inaccessible location. Why not inspect/replace before departure?

 

[JamesG161]

Or foul weather and 8' seas, which was the "pinch". Always nice to pull into a station and fix it if available.
Jim...

PS: I fixed the light before sailing again.

 

[Jackdaw]

A Captain with his Masters license delivered my boat. He reported the steaming light out and...

"Had to use the Anchor light instead with the running lights."

He said in a "pinch" that it was best safety alternative.

I agree with the Master.
Jim...

Sorry but that makes NO sense.

With your steaming light burned out, What does having your anchor light on actually convey to anther boat?

1) A boat is actually anchored but left his nav lights on.

2) Some dummy turned EVERYTHING on 'cause 'more is better' and we have NO idea whats up.

3) Its a sailboat motoring with sails down and steaming light burned out.

All are equally likely. To someone not on the boat, why is 3 the thing they bank on?

With just your nav light on at least you look like what you are; a boat making way. With your sails down and motoring, the possibility for confusion is of course there but minimized.

 

[Capt jgw]

If you're under 12 meters in length (39.4'), and under power it's perfectly legal to show a single all round white light instead of separate masthead (steaming) and stern lights. That rule was written for the familiar outboard powered run about with the white light on a stick, but it still works on larger boats. To be legal you have to extinguish or block the separate stern light. Duct tape over the lens
works. I ran my boat several weeks that way once when the steaming light went out. It was close to the end of the season so I didn't bother to fix it. Mast comes down for the winter so I just waited til then.

 

[Kings Gambit]

If you're under 12 meters in length (39.4'), and under power it's perfectly legal to show a single all round white light instead of separate masthead (steaming) and stern lights. That rule was written for the familiar outboard powered run about with the white light on a stick, but it still works on larger boats. To be legal you have to extinguish or block the separate stern light. Duct tape over the lens
works. I ran my boat several weeks that way once when the steaming light went out. It was close to the end of the season so I didn't bother to fix it. Mast comes down for the winter so I just waited til then.

I'm having problems with this. A sailboat under power can still have her sails up in either day or night. It's essential to communicate to other traffic whether or not the vessel is under power and following those rules, or under sail and following those respective rules. Sailboats with sails up but also under power during daylight are supposed to hoist a day shape as well but few ever do--I've never seen it that I remember. So, your comment is non sequitur b/c if you're a sailboat under sail you need to be distinguishable from one that is also under power; NOT from a powerboat!! We have lighting and day shape configurations that do that, and we need to use them.

Continuing with Jackdaw's comments (#1), a sailboat with both its sailing navigation and anchor lights on COULD BE a boat at anchor preparing to get underway by SAIL at night. That would be a critical piece of information for an approaching boat to have and the best interpretation of that lighting configuration assuming the dually lighted boat IS FOLLOWING THE COLREGS!! However, if you assume as the approaching vessel that the vessel ahead is actually underway and under power, but is just some goof who's using his anchor light "in a pinch" for a steaming light--you might wrongly expect him to get out of your way. CRASH!? You're in jail?

 

[Kermit]

My assumption is that, since I sail on an inland lake, no one knows the rules. If I were in that situation, I would just want to be seen. Lake boaters have their own rules. Don't get me started.

 

[JamesG161]

I am totally amazed at the rule book analytics here.
As Captain of my boat...
1) I would never send someone up my 65' mast in night time foul weather.:naughty::
2) Running lights and at least an anchor light would indicate "under way"
3) Who sees 360° angles.
4) Who knows if my mast is not a 100' tall in foul weather night?

Do what is safe for your vessel and crew, Captains ! You are in charge not the rule book.

Wed night we had a sunset sail, sailed under the full moon for a bit, then headed in. I only need to motor about 15 minutes to get into the slip.

Was the original post.
Jim...

 

[Kings Gambit]

My assumption is that, since I sail on an inland lake, no one knows the rules. If I were in that situation, I would just want to be seen. Lake boaters have their own rules. Don't get me started.

The sailboaters who seem to most frequently know the rules are racing skippers. Among powerboaters--the professional, commercial skippers know them best, followed by cruising skippers (e.g., trawler skippers) of power squadron ilk. Recreational boaters in small "run-a-bouts"--it's really a crap shoot, so to speak. The knowledge appears inversely proportion to horsepower and speed-- a guy who can skip across the San Pedro Channel in a 17 ft fishing boat in an hour may not be able to even read his compass or a chart. A guy in 27' cruising sailboat at night on the 4-hr trip might be able to distinguish a vessel towing from one trawling.

 

[Richard19068]

I believe JGW is completely correct. If you're under 12 meters in length (39.4'), and under power it's perfectly legal to show a single all round white light instead of separate masthead (steaming) and stern lights.

I'm having problems with this. A sailboat under power can still have her sails up in either day or night. It's essential to communicate to other traffic whether or not the vessel is under power and following those rules, or under sail and following those respective rules. Sailboats with sails up but also under power during daylight are supposed to hoist a day shape as well but few ever do--I've never seen it that I remember. So, your comment is non sequitur b/c if you're a sailboat under sail you need to be distinguishable from one that is also under power; NOT from a powerboat!! We have lighting and day shape configurations that do that, and we need to use them.

Continuing with Jackdaw's comments (#1), a sailboat with both its sailing navigation and anchor lights on COULD BE a boat at anchor preparing to get underway by SAIL at night. That would be a critical piece of information for an approaching boat to have and the best interpretation of that lighting configuration assuming the dually lighted boat IS FOLLOWING THE COLREGS!! However, if you assume as the approaching vessel that the vessel ahead is actually underway and under power, but is just some goof who's using his anchor light "in a pinch" for a steaming light--you might wrongly expect him to get out of your way. CRASH!? You're in jail?

A sailboat under power is a power boat. Cover up the stern light and the anchor light becomes the all-round light that combined with the red and green side lights make an under 12 meter power boat legal. When you switch the engine off uncover the stern light, turn off the anchor light and you're lit for sail.

 

[Capt jgw]

I'm having problems with this. A sailboat under power can still have her sails up in either day or night. It's essential to communicate to other traffic whether or not the vessel is under power and following those rules, or under sail and following those respective rules. Sailboats with sails up but also under power during daylight are supposed to hoist a day shape as well but few ever do--I've never seen it that I remember. So, your comment is non sequitur b/c if you're a sailboat under sail you need to be distinguishable from one that is also under power; NOT from a powerboat!! We have lighting and day shape configurations that do that, and we need to use them.

Continuing with Jackdaw's comments (#1), a sailboat with both its sailing navigation and anchor lights on COULD BE a boat at anchor preparing to get underway by SAIL at night. That would be a critical piece of information for an approaching boat to have and the best interpretation of that lighting configuration assuming the dually lighted boat IS FOLLOWING THE COLREGS!! However, if you assume as the approaching vessel that the vessel ahead is actually underway and under power, but is just some goof who's using his anchor light "in a pinch" for a steaming light--you might wrongly expect him to get out of your way. CRASH!? You're in jail?

Under the COLREGS if you're a sailboat under sail alone ("a sailing vessel") then you MAY NOT have your steaming light on. In the case above where the steaming light is burned out, you must turn off the anchor light and show the stern light. If the observer knows the basic rules, there is no way to confuse a power driven vessel (sailboat with engine running) from a sailing vessel. The sailing vessel does not show a masthead (steaming) light. Red and green side lights and stern light only. Yes, during day we are supposed to show an inverted cone when under sails and power, but this is waived for vessels under 12 meters. I've never seen one either.

 

[Ukeluthier]

USCG Rules say (for both inland and international):

Section 23(d) (i) A power-driven vessel of less than 12 meters in length may in lieu of the lights prescribed in Rule 23(a) exhibit an all-round white light and sidelights.

The international rules also add:

(ii) a power-driven vessel of less than 7 meters in length whose maximum speed does not exceed 7 knots may in lieu of the lights prescribed in Rule 23(a) exhibit an all-round white light and shall, if practicable, also exhibit sidelights.

The rules don't say anything about the need to extinguish a sternlight if you have one.

My little 19' Menger catboat's stock nav lights do not include a steaming light -- just sidelights, sternlight and anchor (360-degree) light. The sidelights and sternlight are on the same switch, and the anchor light is on a separate switch.

It looks to me like the obvious intent is to use just the sidelights and sternlight when sailing, and to add the "anchor" light as a steaming light when under power... which to my reading meets the letter and intent of the rules above.

 

[Kings Gambit]

I am totally amazed at the rule book analytics here.
As Captain of my boat...
1) I would never send someone up my 65' mast in night time foul weather.:naughty::
2) Running lights and at least an anchor light would indicate "under way"
3) Who sees 360° angles.
4) Who knows if my mast is not a 100' tall in foul weather night?

Do what is safe for your vessel and crew, Captains ! You are in charge not the rule book.



Was the original post.
Jim...

There's a break-down of logic here. A sailboat under sail has no light high on the mast unless using the tricolor mast head light. So running lights are enough for signalling that you're underway while sailing. The mast lights come into play NOT for visibility, but in order to tell other vessels nearby, and that can see you, WHAT kind of a vessel you are and which way you are pointing so as to indicate which vessel is privileged and which is burdened in a crossing situation. You're confounding the issue by displaying the wrong lighting configuration under the assumption "well-they'll figure it out--as long as they can see me I'm good!" You're not increasing safety; you're creating uncertainty. Sorry.