nav light help

[mik01]

Hi All,

just after some practical suggestions on whether I can do the following....

some of you may remember when I bought the boat, I had to remove the entire windscreen to back it into the garage, and no other suggestions were possible for me to follow.

so I set about rigging up the windscreen to hinge and fold forwards over the bow. as you can see in the first pic. its not the best scenario, but it beats the over $600 I was quoted for a new windscreen plus whatever folding solution I wanted engineered into the new one :-/

now the only problem I have is that the anchr light was screwed to the ally frame on the windscreen, and will not fold with the screen. I want a more permanent solution, so have two options I reckon will work -

1 - I buy an extendable light to 1800mm and mount on the bow or topside of the boat on the port side (not desirable, as the only one I have seen doesn't fold down, it only extends down to 600mm, which might not let me get in the garage again!) or -

2 - similar to my vhf aerial, one that can fold down along the port side but have not found one high enough for sale. so I thought i might rig up an aerial with a anchor light attached to the top and run the wiring down the aerial winded around it (if you get what i mean).

the other problem is that i need the height to get over the bimi, which standard anchor poles won't do (only 600mm standard from what i have seen).

does anyone know of a fold away anchor light that is up to 1800 high?

cheers,

Mick

[Dreamweaver]

Hi Mick

You enjoy setting yourself some difficult tasks :) - good on you for meeting the challenge! ;)

As you say, the only anchor lights I've seen come in set lengths. Whilst the idea of mounting a light on top of an aerial is creative - you'd want a pretty rigid aireal and, let;s face (if you don't mind be being blunt, but respectful), 12 v cable helically wound round the exterior, would not look the best . (If aesthetics are important).

Since you want your anchor light to be seen (not sure of the rules in your state), you'd need to have a fair length of stainless tubing.

Whilst I can't offer an immediate solution, could you take your standard anchor light, and I'd imagine it wouldn't be too hard to source identical grade/diameter tubing at the length you are after. It would be a case of fitting the light to the top and then perhaps visiting one or more chandlers to source a fold down/cam locked footing.

I suppose the other way would be to have a plate welded in to your bimini tubing with a wire running down from the plate, trimmed by a gromet and/or the wire through the tubing , terminating in a removable connector at the other end. If you know what I mean.

Don't know if all of this helps, but if not, may give you some ideas. :)

[mik01]

Hi Mick

You enjoy setting yourself some difficult tasks :) - good on you for meeting the challenge! ;)

As you say, the only anchor lights I've seen come in set lengths. Whilst the idea of mounting a light on top of an aerial is creative - you'd want a pretty rigid aireal and, let;s face (if you don't mind be being blunt, but respectful), 12 v cable helically wound round the exterior, would not look the best . (If aesthetics are important).

Since you want your anchor light to be seen (not sure of the rules in your state), you'd need to have a fair length of stainless tubing.

Whilst I can't offer an immediate solution, could you take your standard anchor light, and I'd imagine it wouldn't be too hard to source identical grade/diameter tubing at the length you are after. It would be a case of fitting the light to the top and then perhaps visiting one or more chandlers to source a fold down/cam locked footing.

I suppose the other way would be to have a plate welded in to your bimini tubing with a wire running down from the plate, trimmed by a gromet and/or the wire through the tubing , terminating in a removable connector at the other end. If you know what I mean.

Don't know if all of this helps, but if not, may give you some ideas. :)

thanks for taking the time to reply mate.

yeah your points have merit. as I do love a challenge (!), both options would work nicely and be far more aesthetically pleaseing (thanks for being honest !).

i guess the only thing that worries me with having a fold down long piece of tubing is when ploughing through the waves it is prone to bending when folded down? unless i leave it up all the time when out on the water i guess.

the bimini solution would be great, as long as the wiring has enough play to fold down backwards with the bimi. but I would need to always have the bimi on the boat or always up when out after dark.

hmmm - unless i buy the extendable pole light and customise the base with the fold down footing? there must be a good reason why no other boat has this type of setup or issue

[seatime]

G'day mik01,

M8, technically (by the regs) if your anchor light (allround white) is also being used as an 'underway' steaming light it shouldn't be more than 1m above the sidelights. If it's only used for anchoring it should be OK.
There's probably very little chance of you getting fined for an allround white steaming/running light 2m high, but the possibility does exist.

cheers
Steve

[mik01]

sorry - just to clarify, this is an anchor light only.

cheers

[seatime]

OK, no worries. I assumed you used the allround anchor light when moving, it's not common for boats your size to have an anchor light in addition to a white masthead light and a sternlight.

Where do you have the masthead light mounted?

[Dreamweaver]

A pleasure Mik - that's why we're all here - to exchange info and try to help each other ;):)

Steve (gelsec) raises some very good points. But it's very confusing when we are talking across states and the regs may be different. Steve's commented on the allround/masthead light as to height having to be no MORE than 1m above the sidelights. In WA , it's AT LEAST 1M above the sidelights. (Not doubting you Steve, just pointing out different regs)

As for the the tubing being folded down - a couple of 'governor' clips where you can lock the tubing in may do the trick.

Folding back the bimini and the wiring should not be a problem. I have a 5.83m Carribean Adventurer with a VHF and AM/FM aerials, helm remote spotlight, GPS mushroom - all mounted aloft with wiring - and I have no probs folding the targa . You just have to allow for a small bit of travel in the wire and grommets and wire trim covers (those concertina lining) will make a neat job. :)

[seatime]

Hi Dreamweaver,

The regs are the same here as any state - my mistake it's as you say "at least 1 metre higher than sidelights"

If it's an anchor light only it should be OK, a reasonable height will give it good visibility.

Why is the anchor light mounting a problem and the masthead light not?

[mik01]

cheers guys.

I must be confused, I thought that whilst underway all I had to have on was my red/green nav lights?
then when anchored, only my all round white anchor light?

is this not correct for Qld?

my boat only had the one anchor/all round white light on it as well as the nav lights

[Blackened]

G'day

Whilst underway for a boat of your size, you will need all round white light and red/green nav lights on.

If fixed/at anchor, only need the all round white.

Put it this way, how the hell am I supposed to see you from behind whilst you are underway when you only have the red and green nav lights on?

Dave

[mik01]

ummmm Dave - I do have bright backlights on my sounder and gps...::)

lol - only joking. so I don't need a separate mast and stern light on my 5.2m boat?

cool - then I just have to worry about the anchor/underway light :D ;)

[Oog.]

G'day

Whilst underway for a boat of your size, you will need all round white light and red/green nav lights on.

If fixed/at anchor, only need the all round white.

Put it this way, how the hell am I supposed to see you from behind whilst you are underway when you only have the red and green nav lights on?

Dave

Dave, i wish this rule was either more enforced or the boating public was somehow made more aware of it
Nearly every time i have come back into the harbour at night after a big day out i have come across boats not showing white lights>:(

1 night after coming rather close to #3 in a row i was really mad & yelling (boat rage?)>:(
I guess my whinge is can we all be aware of our obligations and please keep it safe for all of us:)
Thanks

[polky]

Miko1 Mate had same dramma, purchased waterproof female plug in socket, mounted to middle of bow 100mms from front windscreen and wired it into the nav lights switch . Purchased light pole from BIAS approx 1800 i think,would be easey to extened if needed, plugs pole in when needed and stores on clips under side pocket when not. Works a treat, My new signature has the same set-up. Polky.

[Blackened]

G'day

oog, I know exactly what your saying... wish there were more authority out there to enforce the rules at 3am. Not having a shot at anyone but most people have no idea, and it's down right dangerous.

Hey.. lets all drive to the ramp in the dark with all the tail lights on our boat and car out. Hows that? Can you see how difficult its become?

Dave.

[Dreamweaver]

G'day Gelsec - ahhhhh! No probs at all matey ;) - you mean to say the rules are possibly consistent between (at least two) states? Common sense - We live in hope ;D

Good info and logically put Dave! My uderstanding with port and starboard lights visible from forward midships to a 112.5 sweep back is to avoid the confusion when you sight (hopefully!) a pair of nav lights ahead - you know you are coming up to a bow (underway or at rest) and not coming up astern of that vessel.

Oog/Blackened - could not agree with you more!

Mick - Looks like polky's got the answer - a derivation of what I was suggesting ;):)

I can't understand that, whilst the regs require a masthead(steaming) light - so many boats >= the required length, are only fitted with an anchor light.

My masthead/steaming light was originally fitted from the top of the cuddy cab - directly forward of the windscreen - totally useless, against the 1m+ rule, and all round visibility and right in the middle of my helm vision - imagine what it would have done to my night vision whilst underway! This is why the light regs on boats need to be enforced at the spec/manufacturing point - compliance - like on vehicles - also why I had it fitted aloft on the targa. :)

[kevthommo]

I, too, am going through the masthead light blues. Southwind 17 foot runabout has a bimini already wired through tubes up to centre of main frame (outside edge of frame). It folds easily with no strain or wear on the wiring. The previous owner had it rigged on the switch panel as a "cabin light", with bayonet fittings to plug in a removable small fluoro light hanging from the back of the bimini when required.

Maiden voyage yesterday - all good - but the light problem is similar. The stern light (on the switch panel as "anchor light") cannot be clearly seen from other than side/rear.

My plan is to clamp a folding BIAS all round white light to bimini. When raised it will form the running light and should give me sufficient night vision, being atop and behind drivers position. It will throw enough general light to light up as a cabin light and be no more intrusive than the stern light anyway. I was thinking that a better solution would be a light or bracket for the light that folds on a horizontal as well as vertical plane but I haven't come across such a system.

The folding all round white on the bimini will still let me fold the bimini down so I can get the cover on the boat (don't have access to a big enough garage). Yes it does mean I have to have the bimini up at night but I usually have it up all the time anyway to facilitate movement forward to storage areas and anchor well. Figure its a small price to pay - rather keep onside of the authorities (and insurance people, should it ever come to that).

cheers

kev