White light - would this be legal?

[Luc]

For night time navigation, rather than have the all round white light on while moving around, I was thinking of fitting a white light (leds) to the rear of the outboard cover. That way, even if I turn to look astern, I won't be dazzled.

Given the longevity of leds, they could be wired into the engine electrics so that it automatically comes on when the outboard is fired up.

At rest or drifting, I would turn on the all round white light.

Luc

[Marlin_Mike]

The regs say all round while underway? dont think your idea would be complying

Mike

[Mad-One]

This was taken from Marine safety qld's website
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.

Cheers Mad

[seatime]

I don't believe it would be legal Luc,
from the Colregs:
"The Rules concerning lights shall be complied with from sunset to sunrise, and during such times no other lights shall be exhibited, except such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these Rules or do not impair their visibility or distinctive character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper look-out."

They may be confused with a sternlight, but then they aren't visible thru the regulation arc of 135 deg. It's one of the reasons boats under 12m have the option of using an allround light, sternlights can be obscured if mounted on the transom near an outboard.
regards

[finga]

Another reason would be it isn't certified as a Nav. light and insurance companies being what they are you can't take any chances.
Bummer really :(

[Jeremy]

I guess my lights aren't legal then. I have the red and green and a stern light. There is nowhere on my centre console I would feel comfortable mounting a white light that would not interfere with my forward vision.

Does anyone know of any lights suitable for mounting on top of an aerial?

Jeremy

[STUIE63]

I talked to the water police about this and they said the rules were an allround white light and red and green but understood the problems with night visibility of a white light they told me that it would be up to individual interpretation but the bloke I was talking to said if I ran a stern light he would have no problem.I know it's theoretically against the law but this is the way I run at night stern light and nav lights on . as soon as I stop turn the nav lights on and allround white light on. I leave the stern light on as it is a good squid light
Stuie

[FNQCairns]

I guess my lights aren't legal then. I have the red and green and a stern light. There is nowhere on my centre console I would feel comfortable mounting a white light that would not interfere with my forward vision.

Does anyone know of any lights suitable for mounting on top of an aerial?

Jeremy

Now theres a good idea, a marine VHF broomstick incorporating an allround white light - I would buy it!! with shielding it could work.

cheers fnq

[seatime]

I talked to the water police about this and they said the rules were an allround white light and red and green but understood the problems with night visibility of a white light they told me that it would be up to individual interpretation but the bloke I was talking to said if I ran a stern light he would have no problem.I know it's theoretically against the law but this is the way I run at night stern light and nav lights on . as soon as I stop turn the nav lights on and allround white light on. I leave the stern light on as it is a good squid light
Stuie

Stuie, I can't agree with that water police interpretation. The Rules are written in such a way that there is no ambiguity or misunderstanding. These rules have stood the test of time and argument in court cases. If you were involved in an incident that somehow involved the lighting arrangement the investigating water police or shipping inspector would wipe you like a dirty bum.

The point of a power boat having an allround or masthead light is so they can be distinguished from another vessel such as a sailing vessel and the give way rules applied accordingly. In a crossing situation and depending on the aspect a power driven vessel without an allround or masthead light could be mistaken for a sailing vessel and any resulting confusion could cause a collision.
The interpretation voiced by that officer you've mentioned shows a distinct lack of understanding of the Colregs.

[SgBFish]

Jeremy.

Why not get one of those cheap small fishing headlamps (dorky looking) battery powered LED lights and tie it to the aerial. They are bright.

As I moor my boat occasionally for nights on end I have been tossing up the idea of how to show an anchor light without it jeopardising my battery. I was thinking of using one of those solar powered garden lights that have a light sensor and switch on after dark.

Is there anything on the market apart from pinching one from the garden?

Scott

[finga]

You can approved LED anchor lights now and I have seen them that telescope like a car aerial.

[deadbeatloser]

Jeremy.

Why not get one of those cheap small fishing headlamps (dorky looking) battery powered LED lights and tie it to the aerial. They are bright.

As I moor my boat occasionally for nights on end I have been tossing up the idea of how to show an anchor light without it jeopardising my battery. I was thinking of using one of those solar powered garden lights that have a light sensor and switch on after dark.

Is there anything on the market apart from pinching one from the garden?

Scott
there are already solar nav lights available, pains wessex website

[ashh]

I have an all round/stern light that is 600mm tall, plugs into fixed base so is removable and being on a tinny it can be seen from any angle/direction. Its powered by ten (i think) LEDS and draws next to no power, and being up that high it doesnt blind you when fishing out the back of the boat, oh and it lights up the baitboard too :) $40-$50 off e-bay from memory.

[Benny01]

does that mean you cant have big spot light on the front of the boat to see where your going

[Luc]

Thanks for all the feedback.

What I'll do is shift the white light from the rear port side to the rear starboard side so it will effectively be behind me. That'll reduce the amount of dazzle.

LEDs are certainly the way to go. I'm :
I'm fitting led nav lights,
will replace the current bulb for the white light with an led cluster and
will fit 2 or 4 led lights inside the tinny for night time fishing.

For night fishing at anchor, I'm also thinking of fitting an extra socket for an all round white light towards the front of the boat so it will be behind me when fishing over the stern.

Luc

[artesian]

G'day Luc, that's what I did, and while it works, when I sit there, I obscure the light, and I don't think it is an all round white light then.

[saltchaser]

Luc all round white light at upper most part of boat ie: top of bimmie if you have one cheers salt

[Luc]

Fixed my earlier post - computer had a spak attack and had to be restarted.

Have one, so the bimmini idea sounds good and it would be easy to route the cabling inside the supports.

Artesian, re the light being obstructed. it's on a 600mm post so there should'nt be too much obstruction.

There are plenty of boats with the white light mounted on the stern quarter but only with an overall height of 15/20 cms. I would'nt think that would satisfy the 'all round visibility' requirement.

Luc

[boogsboat]

Hey Guys

Just to let you know I had a bit of a discussion with my local "AUTHORITY" the other morning as I came back to the ramp. He Basically said that my 30cm allround light on the back of my current tinny was illegal. He then went on to say that the light had to be above my head height when I was underway. So 60 cm on the back of my little tinnie may just pass. So as to not obstruct the light.

Don't Know what Iam going to do with the new Boat as it is a Centre Console and mounting the light above console Just Blinds You. My mate has cut out a stubbie holder and slips it over his light but the reflection from the white insides of the boat is still blinding and the stubbie holder is illegal too.

There has to be a sensible solution to this.

At what height does the light stop affecting the drivers vision which is the most crucial thing I guess?

I believe that I am safer without the light on as I have better vision. What does anyone else think? And yes I know its the law to have the light on.

[artesian]

Gday Luc,

On my tinnie the light I have mounted behind me is about shoulder height- so my 127kg obstructs it :-) At the time I set it up, I was new to boating, and used to shine a torch forward, so that was covered- one trip showed me that the torch was a dud idea. I now velcro strap an led torch to a rod so it faces forward to show a white light.

Perko make a flying saucer on a stick light that doesn't shine as much light down into the boat as some, but it's $80+ and still not perfect for me.

I have seen boats set up with a white light on the front of the centre con, at about hip height, a stern light on the tranny, and port and starboard.

Not sure about the legality, but has to be better than no lights, or just port and starboard, both of which I have seen offshore and at Monduran.

Nothing like trolling along and then spotting the faint glow of a sounder, which is mostly obscured by the skipper, to make you realise that the buzz through the hull is a lure or two towed by the boat in front.

Doesn't really matter at trolling speed, but if a boat can meet a rockwall at speed at night, they can run over another boat.

If the choice is do nothing, or stick some LEDs on the back of the cowl, I'd stick the leds. We work in the same place, and over the road there is a very sexy head led head torch for $22- $15 on special - and I know you have the good oil on the 12v stuff - call on x38174, but not for a couple of weeks