Why isn't Davis Megalight USCG approved?

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Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
It seems to me that a light that is visible to 2 nm, turns itself on at sunset and off at sunrise and can stay on all night without killing the batteries is an ideal anchor light. So why isn't the Megalight USCG approved? Peter H23 "Raven"
 
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Les Blackwell

Doesn't have to be approved

Anchor lights do not have to have CG approval, it only has to work. My Hunter 380 has an anchor light and it is not CG approved but I still use it.
 
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Gord May

Megalite

Suspect that the (excellent) Megalite has not been independantly tested & certified for performance. This cost $$$. For this reason, they don't advertize it as an anchor lite. As previously stated, it merely has to work, as it does. Regards, Gord
 
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Don Evans

Approval Process

I looked into this recently and found that the process as the others described, is independantly conducted by testing labs, stamped as meeting CG requirements and stamped by its engineer, then submitted to the CG approvals branch who then audit the testing labs data and agree to approve it. I phoned Davis and asked one of their representatives why it had not been tested and they said basically, cost. Using this light does meet the requirements of an anchor light IMHO, having recently asked a coasty, and I intend to start using one this season. There is lots of equipment required for a boat that is not approved by CG, you just have to have it aboard. i.e. bailing buckets, anchors, oars, boarding ladders etc. Don
 
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Chuck

Our situation as well

Peter, This issue has come up before and the reasons to use the Megalight on an H23 are so compelling (low current drain) that we intend to use it this summer. Hopefully the thread is right and the anchor light does not need to be coast guard approved. /Chuck H23 Windsongs
 
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Rodd C.

Don't waste your money on the Mega Light...

I installed one last summer and it lasted three weekends before it failed. I went up the stick,, removed it and returned to WM and got another one. I then made another rip up the stick and it lasted until August. I finally purchased a standard Perko anchor light and put a smaler bulb in it 5W vs. 10W and it has worked well and even a 5W bulb is much brighter than the mega light. If you want to save battery life go with the new LED anchor light!! P.S. I also know of two other local sailors who had the mega light fail. We susect it has something to do with the light sensing sensor....????
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
Rodd, don't climb the stick

I screwed the megalight to a homemade pigstick and raise it on the main halyard. It sits above the masthead and is visible for 360 degrees. Power supply wires trail down the mast to a cigarette lighter plug, which goes into a socket next to the electrical panel. I figure I don't need the halyard while anchored and in the event of an emergency departure the light can be on the deck in seconds. Peter H23 "Raven"
 
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