Was the design of the Hunter 23.5 intended to drag the motor when sailing at night? If I raise the motor it blocks the light. This is with a factory motor attached to the factory mount.
Stern light
- Thread starter MikeyJ
- Start date
Happens on a lot of boats. Many skippers have bitten the bullet and installed another light where it can be seen and disabled the original one.
That's what I'm thinking of doing. I think people would see me with the sails up but just to be safer and legal.
Not at night. Google Bismarck Dinius, Clear Lake, California. Yes, good to be legal.
It has been my experience that time spent dealing with nav light function (running down a short, burnt bulb, cracked lense, etc.) far exceeds the amount of time we actually sail at night. I keep mine working to be legal but assume they won't work when I actually need them.... so I keep a set of these on board.
If it were my boat, I would not spend time moving the stern light and just stow a light I could clamp onto the stern rail when I needed it.
2 cents.... YMMV
If it were my boat, I would not spend time moving the stern light and just stow a light I could clamp onto the stern rail when I needed it.
2 cents.... YMMV
This is one of the best posts I've ever read on this forum. @MikeyJ - you cannot go wrong following this advice.
This light set is a powerboat running light setup as it has a 360 degree white light, so it would not solve the OP's problem, as his issue is proper lighting when sailing. That said, I would rather use the 360 degree white light, and risk confusion as to my vessel type, than sail with an obscured stern light, which would be a game of Russian-roulette.
Best to relocate the stern light to be legal, and shame on the builder for putting out a boat with an improperly positioned stern light.
PS I looked a few photos of the Hunter 23.5 and they show the stern light mounted on on the starboard side of the transom, which is immediately adjacent to the OB. I suspect that if you just relocate the light to the port side of the transom, you may solve your problem. A stern light displays 135 degrees, measure the angle from a portside light location to the back of the engine, and I suspect the engine will not be within the 135 degree arc.
Is so the builder could have just as easily shipped the boats without the problem.
Is so the builder could have just as easily shipped the boats without the problem.
It is easy to blame what occurred in the past but a whole lot better to concentrate on solutions
On a serious note.... I got curious what the actual regs state and found this...
If your boat is greater than 39.4 feet but less than 65.6 feet, or 20 meters, you need the following set of navigation lights:
So I don't think the 360 is illegal on a smaller boat. It would only be a problem if you were also running a masthead light.
If your boat is greater than 39.4 feet but less than 65.6 feet, or 20 meters, you need the following set of navigation lights:
- A masthead light is a white light at the front of the boat. The masthead light needs to be visible across 225 degrees and from two miles away.
- A stern light, which is a white light at the rear of the boat. The stern light needs to be visible across 135 degrees and from two miles away. When the masthead light and the stern light are combined, that makes up 360 degrees.
- Finally, you need one pair red and green sidelights that are visible across 112.5 degrees and from a distance of one mile.
So I don't think the 360 is illegal on a smaller boat. It would only be a problem if you were also running a masthead light.
From what's I understand, while sailing you turn off the mast head light. So people know you are a sailboat. The nav lights on the front and stern light remain on whether sailing or motoring.
You are losing track of your light options. While you could legally use the 360 white as a combined stern light and masthead (steaming) light, since its a combined light, you would not have only a stern light for when you are not steaming (under power). The combined light is fine for a power boat which always uses both, a 360 doesn't work for a sailboat.
I agree that it will be too much trouble to relocate the stern light. So I'm going to add one to my back pulpit. Now another question. I'm guessing I need to take the bulb out of the original light. Or, can I leave them both on?
Details.
Just another example of why it takes much longer than it should to change or fix anything on a sailboat. It doesn’t fit, it’s not the right type, there’s no good spot, it fits but doesn’t work as it should, someone before tried it and now the whole thing is a CF. “I can’t believe that little thing costs so much!”
Just another example of why it takes much longer than it should to change or fix anything on a sailboat. It doesn’t fit, it’s not the right type, there’s no good spot, it fits but doesn’t work as it should, someone before tried it and now the whole thing is a CF. “I can’t believe that little thing costs so much!”On the H26 (and maybe the H260?) they eventually put the stern running light on the stern rail (see it above the tiller in the attached photo) but there is still a blank pad molded on the right transom in the original location.
