Stern light.

[Chris Patterson]

I realize in the scheme of things, this may seem insignificant, but my stern light was M.I.A. upon receiving the boat. I have certainly looked at some horrible monstrosities in the last few weeks, to say the very least. This photo I THINK is a factory 22 light, but regardless, is it legal? From what I've read in Chapmans, Duttons, etc., it doesn't seem to fit my interpretation of copacetic.

Opinions? Advice?

 

[Stu Jackson]

I agree, looks like it doesn't have enough width. Could be a PO swapped it out with an incorrect unit. Either get a new one or try mounting a unit like the Aqua Signal 25 series stern light. It'd be a tad bigger and could get clobbered by a stern dockline, but would be much more visible.

 

[Milton.Audas]

This looks like the standard stern light fitting. the regs have changed but i believe there is a 'grandfather clause' that permits these old bow and stern lights. The newer fittings present a number of options, incl. LED, as well as positioning the lights. They are also much more visible to marauding speedboats and other nuicances. Suggest looking up the coastal and inland waterways regs and/or contacting your local authority for clarification.

 

[GorillaToast]

Chris, I just pulled one like that off my boat and consigned it to the waste bin. I bought an Aqua Signal all-around anchor light on a short 3" pedestal. I plan to put a piece of black plastic in the globe to get the required 135*, fill in the old hole with epoxy, and mount it in the same place.

Not really worried about knocking it off with dock lines, as my slip is port side dock ( double slips). I'll post pics as I go, if wanted.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Yeah, I could stand some ideas. I'm probably all wrong about this, but I'm understanding that on the stern, it should be 36 inches above the bow light? And all around white?
Snot, with my bi-color on the pulpit rail, that sucker would be WAY up there if I'm "legal".
Plus, the sheets tearing it down.
And as Milton said, I for SURE want the speedboaters to see it.
The dillemas ...

 

[shipwreck66]

Anything for maximum visibility is preferred. My wife noted after a couple night outings that even the bigger boats are awfully hard to see with mast lights, spreader lights, bow, stern, & cabin all ablaze. We put out strings of LEDs (white) so nobody can claim they didn't see us. You can always pick up a battery powered stern light from Academy for when the lights (da##@t) won't work, and often they won't, for no apparent reason.

 

[GorillaToast]

Quoting from Sailing Fundamentals by Gary Jobson p.140:

"The sternlight is a white light placed as near the stern as possible and visible astern from an angle of 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side."

and from Chapman Piloting Seamanship and Small Boat Handling by Elbert S. Maloney p. 80-82:

"Sternlight A white light showing over an unbroken arc of the horizon of 135*, centered on dead astern [21(c)]...

"The Rules and Annex I do not specify a vertical or horizontal placement for a sternlight, except that it be as nearly as possible 'at the stern'"...

p.82: "...On boats less than 12 meters (39.4 ft) it may be combined with the masthead light as a single all-round white light."

 

[Lovekamp]

A white light visible from front of boat, above the bow light, will tell everyone that you are a powerboat, and that they do not need to concern themselves about you being a sailboat (with right of way). The size of the light is inconsequential. Brightness and visibility angles are important.