Anchor light extension to cut glare.

[Sea-Dog]

Depending on where you have it mounted, your anchor/all-around white light can be a pest when driving at night.

Mine is mounted slightly behind my driving position on the side deck of my boat.

I hate them mounted in front, or at the stern. :( Too much glare/reflected light.

I don't know if anyone else has come up with the same solution to night-time glare from the allround white light whilst driving the boat at night.

I bought a standard folding anchor light and extended the length of it by replacing the tubing.

Aluminium anodized tubing is available very cheaply from Bunnings in exactly the same size as original.

Just a matter of drilling out a single pop rivet in each end of the original fittings.

Then solder in some more wire as appropriate, and insulate well (Sealed with silicone and wrapped in electrical tape)

Measure sufficient length of tubing to clear the height of your bimini so your all-around white light can actually be seen from all-around.

Drill a hole in the side wall of the new tubing, pop in a rivet and your ready to mount and wire up.

The next step it took was to wrap black electrical tape around the white plastic screw-on shade for the light, at exactly the height of the filament in the globe, or a bee's-d!ck above it.

This prevents most of the light (directly from the filament) shining downward into the driver's eyes. Same for lighting up the foredeck - minimal.

It still allows white light out horizontally where other boats can see it.

A small amount of diffused light from the shade will still be reflected downwards, but not enough to bother your driving - well, not compared to the shade without tape anyhow.

The length of my tubing is approximately 1,100mm. This is enough height to clear the top of my bimini, without being too long.

All up cost if you already have the folding-type anchor light - Less than $10

Cheers, Sea-Dog

[Grand_Marlin]

Good idea Ross.

I would be careful on the legality side of taping up the light though...

I like mine mounted up on top of the canopy ... fixes the problem perfectly.

You can also now buy a telescopic LED extension anchor light that extends to 1.8m for $89

Not real cheap, but good and it telescopes back down to about 500mm

cheers

Pete

[deathstar 3]

I thought that your anchor light waz just that, unless you are a large vessel it would only be lit when at anchor.

But I do agree about the anchor light being a pain in the arse at night, it just kills your night vision.

John

[Sea-Dog]

Hi John, here's a bit of info that may be of use in relation to which lights should be displayed.

From MSQ website:

http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Home/Safety/Navigation_lights/

Navigation lights are required to be shown on ships operating between sunset and sunrise, and in restricted visibility. Navigation lights indicate the size of the ship, the angle where you see them, the direction the ship is travelling, or if the ship is anchored.

Power-driven ships must show sidelights and either an all round white light or a stern and masthead light. Sailboats under engine power are considered to be power-driven ships, and must show the same lights as a power-driven ship.

Power-driven ships less than seven metres in length and whose speed does not exceed seven knots, may show an all round white light in lieu of sidelights. If practical, these ships should also show sidelights.

All ships at anchor must show an all-round white light.


Hi Pete, I'd like to have been able to fit my light to the bimini, but too much of a pain with wiring and folding the bimini and windscreen to get the boat into my garage.

I think I am OK as long as the all-around light meets visibility standards as follows:

From Attorney General's Department:
http://www.frli.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/0/AFA46D6C468FD228CA257023001AC7CA?OpenDocument

Marine Orders - Part 30: Prevention of collisions, Issue 7 (Order No. 4 of 2005)

Legislative Instrument - F2005L01578


Number: No. 4 of 2005 Brief Description: Marine Orders Part 30 gives effect to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, and prescribes measures to be observed by ships for the prevention of collisions, and specifies lights and signals to be provided on a ship. Marine Orders Part 30, Issue 7, repeals Part 30, Issue 6, and amends typographical errors that occurred in Issue 6.



Visibility of lights

The lights prescribed in these Rules shall have an intensity as specified in Section 8 of Annex I to these Regulations so as to be visible at the following minimum ranges:
(a) In vessels of 50 metres or more in length:
‑ a masthead light, 6 miles;
‑ a sidelight, 3 miles;
‑ a sternlight, 3 miles;
‑ a towing light, 3 miles;
‑a white, red, green or yellow all‑round light, 3 miles.
(b) In vessels of 12 metres or more in length but less than 50 metres in length:
‑ a masthead light, 5 miles; except that where the length of the vessel is less than 20 metres, 3 miles;
‑ a sidelight, 2 miles;
‑ a sternlight, 2 miles;
‑ a towing light, 2 miles;
‑a white, red, green or yellow all‑round light, 2 miles.
(c) In vessels of less than 12 metres in length:
‑ a masthead light, 2 miles;
‑ a sidelight, 1 mile;
‑ a sternlight, 2 miles;
- a towing light, 2 miles;
‑a white, red, green or yellow all‑round light, 2 miles.

It was bl00dy hard to find these visibility standards - not available on MSQ.

Cheers, Ross (Sea-Dog)

[Wayne_Red]

Hi seadog
Interesting reading. I certainly appreciate the effort a lot of you guys go to to find interesting info. For an internet ludite like me I could never find this stuff.
Regards Wayne

[fishingjew]

I thought that your anchor light waz just that, unless you are a large vessel it would only be lit when at anchor.

But I do agree about the anchor light being a pain in the arse at night, it just kills your night vision.

John

I thought the same thanks for that sea-dog looks like some rewiring to put anchor light on with the port and starboard lights:-[ .

[Sea-Dog]

I thought the same thanks for that sea-dog looks like some rewiring to put anchor light on with the port and starboard lights:-[ .

Hey Fishing Jew,

I wouldn't put them on the same circuit, as you need the all-around white light on, by itself, when at anchor.

Sidelights are only for when you are underway.

Cheers. Ross (Sea-Dog)

[finga]

Mine are connected from the one switch but I have a relay system that knocks out the nav. lights when the motor is not running.
I was thinking about a PE cell to turn all of them on and off auto style but I thought that was a bit much.

[deathstar 3]

Awesome, thanks for the info. I stand corrected and have learned something.

John

[Grand_Marlin]

In all due respect to everyone ... the lighting rules are an integral and very important part of obtaining your license ... It is good that you have now learned, but it is worrying that there are obviously many people that dont know the rules.

Ross, the USL code has all the info on lights etc etc etc ... especially useful when setting up a commercial outfit with multiple lights for night fishing.

Cheers

Pete

[Sea-Dog]

What's the USL code Pete?

[Grand_Marlin]

The USL code (Uniforn Shipping Laws) is the book of rules for international shipping... it is where most of our boating rules come from.

It deals with lot sof things that relate to all size boats / ships - especially for meeting survey requirements for the different classes.
You would have heard of boats being in "1A Survey" "2C Survey" or "3D Survey" etc etc.
The USL Code gives them all the rules they need to meet the survey requirements - safety gear, fire fighting, stability, lights / shapes etc etc.

Cheers

Pete

[Sea-Dog]

The USL code (Uniforn Shipping Laws) is the book of rules for international shipping... it is where most of our boating rules come from.

It deals with lot sof things that relate to all size boats / ships - especially for meeting survey requirements for the different classes.
You would have heard of boats being in "1A Survey" "2C Survey" or "3D Survey" etc etc.
The USL Code gives them all the rules they need to meet the survey requirements - safety gear, fire fighting, stability, lights / shapes etc etc.

Cheers

Pete


Thanks Pete, I have just downloaded the whole lot (61.5MB) for possible future reference from http://www.nmsc.gov.au/uslcode_2.html

I really need to get a life - don't I ???? ;D

[Roughasguts]

Interesting re Nav lights and anchor lights, and usually there easy to see which way the boat is going when nothing else is lite up on the boat.

But then you get Sydney harbour party boats, and such and there a Neon christmas tree of strobing flashing coloured lights and signs.

Takes 5 mins to work out which ones are the dull Nav lights and which way the boat is heading.

With all that outside ilumination how do you rechon the skipper can see 20 metres in front of him.

[Sea-Dog]

Interesting re Nav lights and anchor lights, and usually there easy to see which way the boat is going when nothing else is lite up on the boat.

But then you get Sydney harbour party boats, and such and there a Neon christmas tree of strobing flashing coloured lights and signs.

Takes 5 mins to work out which ones are the dull Nav lights and which way the boat is heading.

With all that outside ilumination how do you rechon the skipper can see 20 metres in front of him.

Apparently, some of the skippers now use the tactile method of navigation :(

[NAGG]

Perko have a folding (1M) All round anchor light ..... It is removable :) I keep mine in the rod locker clipped into the underside of the hatch , when not in use 8-) The other thing is that the light is not cast downwards ... so it has minimal affect on your night vision! ...... NAGG

[Roughasguts]

Apparently, some of the skippers now use the tactile method of navigation :(

Thank's Sea-Dog, never heard of tactile navigation before, so looked it up.
Hmmmm how the hell does that work on a boat it says you get feed back from your sences either from your seat or both hands on the controls.

Bloody hell it sounds dangerous, it's designed for visually impared water skiers or at least they use it some how. But what use would it be for a skipper at night, if it was any use it would be in the work Lexus, (got every thing else in it) so we could drive home with the lights off.

Have you any more information on it ? sounds interesting and must be viable but can't see how it works. Seems like some force feed back in the controls like Sony Playstation. But hey thats a game not real life.

[Sea-Dog]

Thank's Sea-Dog, never heard of tactile navigation before, so looked it up.
Hmmmm how the hell does that work on a boat it says you get feed back from your sences either from your seat or both hands on the controls.

Bloody hell it sounds dangerous, it's designed for visually impared water skiers or at least they use it some how. But what use would it be for a skipper at night, if it was any use it would be in the work Lexus, (got every thing else in it) so we could drive home with the lights off.

Have you any more information on it ? sounds interesting and must be viable but can't see how it works. Seems like some force feed back in the controls like Sony Playstation. But hey thats a game not real life.

Sorry Roughas, I was trying to be funny. :-[

Ever heard of "touch parking" extend that to night-time navigation - just drive 'till you hit something. ;)

[Roughasguts]

Title : The Use of Tactile Navigation Displays for the Reduction of Disorientation in Maritime Environments
Corporate Author : QINTIQ LTD HANTS (UNITED KINGDOM) CENTRE FOR HUMAN SCIENCES
Personal Author(s) : Dobbins, Trevor ; Samways, Shaun

Report Date : FEB 2003
Pagination or Media Count : 6
Abstract : The maritime environment can be difficult to navigate in, due to poor visual cues, leading to disorientation and the potential for operational failure. The sense of touch is often overlooked as a mode of information display, but is ideally suited to providing intuitive navigation cues. Tactile cues provide a potential method to overcome these visual limitations and provide an alternative mode of displaying information from the more common visual and audio mediums. The QinetiQ Centre for Human Sciences have developed a Navigation Tactile Interface System (NTIS) that displays navigation cues through the highly intuitive sense of touch. This has been demonstrated in high-speed boats by the setting of the blind world water speed record with the use of the QinetiQ NTIS, and underwater by the US NAMRL Tactile Situation Awareness System which allowed divers to successfully complete a navigation exercises using only tactile cues. Therefore, tactile navigation displays have the potential to reduce disorientation in maritime environments and improve operational performance.

That is funny Sea-Dog even more so it actually exists.
Now a tactile wife surely that exists.

[Sea-Dog]

Now a tactile wife surely that exists.


Yep, If you're going the wrong way - she'll give you a physical stimulus (clip over the ear) to guide you back to the right path.

I think my wife has been using that method for years. ::)

[Grand_Marlin]

;D ;D ;D Ahhh. the old "drive by feel" technique ;D ;D ;D