Who uses their nav lights while at anchor?

[freddofrog]

Hi all

This was being discussed in another post but I thought I’d start a new one so it’s not tucked away.

IMHO, nav lights on while at anchor should be a big no no.

An anchor light indicates you are stationary (ie not manoeuvrable). Having your nav lights on indicate the exact opposite, ie are manoeuvrable and hence have obligations with respect to giving (or exercising) right of way...you can see where this is going huh...

So if someone in a sail boat or even a power boat off your starboard bears down on you and sees nav lights they would expect you to get out of the way. And when they t-bone you ‘cause you didn’t then you’d have a lot of explaining to do and some hefty repair bills to match. With only an anchor light on, everyone understands your intensions and gives you a wide berth (hopefully!).

This is assuming they have seen your anchor light in the first place. IMHO, if you are worried about others not seeing your anchor light (as some people are), just get a brighter anchor light...less confusion and everyone is safer.

I know people think differently so fire away….

cya
ff

[finding_time]

Not me!!

Anyone who has there Nav lights on whilst anchored should be booked!!

Ian

[plaztix]

Like Ian said, 'Book em'

Its simple

When anchored - anchor light on.

When navigating - nav lights on.



If the anchor light is not visible from all angles its not legal.

[Leighton]

what about while slow drifting?

[tigermullet]

Nav lights on when at anchor? NEVER. It is plain dangerous. I could not understand some of the reasons given for having them on, in the other thread.

Last winter coming home on a wet, dark night someone had left their nav lights on whilst at anchor. For a while it was very confusing because it appeared that he/she was heading straight for my boat and, with shallows and sand banks in the way, I could not work out what was going on. It would have been better to have come across a boat without lights rather than that.

Another bad habit that seems to be developing is owners leaving anchor lights on when in a designated mooring area and attached to a mooring. It's unnecessary and confusing.

[tigermullet]

what about while slow drifting?

In that case you would be 'under way' and need the nav lights on.

[Taroona]

Being at anchor and under way two diffrent conditions so at anchor a 360 degree light is all thats needed.

Look at the following link

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

http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/resources/image/468dd1b4a3c08107/nav_lights_s.gif (http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Home/Safety/Navigation_lights/Navigation_lights_image)

[rocksberg6]

In my opinion most of the people that this thread is refering to have proberly left there nav lights on by mistake! God knows i have been guilty of this on several occassions. Maybe this thread should discuss better ways to address this problem also. Maybe by the way of alarms or panel lights and the like. Just my opinion.:-/

[dogsbody]

In my opinion most of the people that this thread is refering to have proberly left there nav lights on by mistake! God knows i have been guilty of this on several occassions. Maybe this thread should discuss better ways to address this problem also. Maybe by the way of alarms or panel lights and the like. Just my opinion.:-/

In my boat the light switch is illuminated when the nav lights are on. Same with bilge pump, etc. Simple way to know.

Dave.

[fishing111]

It's an easy mistake to make, agree totally with Rocksberg.

[Nico.d.R]

a 3 way switch would be the go , up=nav lights , centre = off and down is anchor so when you turn on the nav lights the anchor light turns off .

[gone_phishin]

You still have to have your all round white light on when under way Nico. It just turns into your anchor light when at anchor...so 3 way switch is down - off, centre - anchor or allround white, up - nav lights and all round white.

Geoff

[Lovey80]

a 3 way switch would be the go , up=nav lights , centre = off and down is anchor so when you turn on the nav lights the anchor light turns off .


Nico mate if the Navigation lights are on so is either an all round white light or at a minimum a stern light. I know of a guy that didnt do this and a much bigger boat nearly ran strait up his arse doing 25knots at night comming back from the banks. He would have been sunk or at least someone killed if the skipper of the large boat didn't see him in time.

Cheers Chris

[seatime]

Hi all

This was being discussed in another post but I thought I’d start a new one so it’s not tucked away.

IMHO, nav lights on while at anchor should be a big no no.

An anchor light indicates you are stationary (ie not manoeuvrable). Having your nav lights on indicate the exact opposite, ie are manoeuvrable and hence have obligations with respect to giving (or exercising) right of way...you can see where this is going huh...

So if someone in a sail boat or even a power boat off your starboard bears down on you and sees nav lights they would expect you to get out of the way. And when they t-bone you ‘cause you didn’t then you’d have a lot of explaining to do and some hefty repair bills to match. With only an anchor light on, everyone understands your intensions and gives you a wide berth (hopefully!).

This is assuming they have seen your anchor light in the first place. IMHO, if you are worried about others not seeing your anchor light (as some people are), just get a brighter anchor light...less confusion and everyone is safer.

I know people think differently so fire away….

cya
ff

The t-boner would have to take some responsibility for the collision too, not as much as the t-bonee, but some blame would be apportioned for not avoiding a collision by all possible means.

After all, the Number 1 rule is to avoid collision. Failure to Give Way to a Stand-On vessel does not absolve that Stand-On vessel of his obligation to avoid a collision. Arguing to a marine inquiry that the Give Way vessel wasn't displaying the correct navigation lights would not put the Stand-On vessel in the clear. The Give Way vessel should always be monitored/plotted to ensure he does obey the correct procedure. The Stand-On vessel should allow himself adequate time and distance to take avoiding action in case that Give Way vessel doesn't give way.

regards

[BrewGuru]

A lot worse situation which I encountered 3 weeks ago, I was looking for an anchorage at Bulwer coming in at night I am 46' long and 23 tonne I nearly collected a fibreglass 17 ' anchored with no lights on at all and he had a mate anchored about 10 metres away with no lights either.

About 12 months ago, in a 72' and 60 tonnes, about to anchor off Yellow patch we just missed a anchored yacht, again with no lights, you don't see them until you are right on them.

[spears]

Many a times i have sat in a river and dead quiet.I then have no lights on while anchored cause you can hear a engine from 5 kls away.It comes down to common sense.But nav lights should be on any boat while moving.thats what the regulations say.

[BrewGuru]

No lights? No anchor Light? you need to re read your regulations, anchor lights you use at night whilst anchored wtf? what if you have a nano sleep, I would run over you

[freddofrog]

The t-boner would have to take some responsibility for the collision too...

You are absolutely right gelsec, I just didn't bother putting it in, just trying to keep the length of the post down.

I guess I was hoping to hear from the other camp (ie those that use nav lights at anchor) but they are all probably too scared now to join in for fear of life and limb :-X

[artesian]

I like the ones that run port and starboard, but no all round white.

A few times I have come fairly close to the back of another trolling boat, only saved by the glow of a sounder screen.

[BrewGuru]

hear hear artesian, been their too!
There is a whole lot of stories, anchored of Yellow patch, With Lights and I guy with his auto pilot on gone downstairs for, beer,coffee, tea or what ever, called him up to get him to change course, otherwise imminent danger was to be had!

[Fish Guts]

brew guru are u moored at mbbc ?

[spears]

No lights? No anchor Light? you need to re read your regulations, anchor lights you use at night whilst anchored wtf? what if you have a nano sleep, I would run over you
It depends where u are.we would not see or hear anyone for 8 hours..till day break.we sit up fishing all night.If we call it a night then we pull over to the bank..

[BrewGuru]

brew guru are u moored at mbbc ?

Yep berth 1A

[Fish Guts]

thought i recognised the boat. met you on the friday before that bilfish tournament at the gate when no one had a key. did u get out to tempest. weather turned ordinary, saw u guys coming around combie sat, we were the noosa cat.

cheers

fish guts

[Eagle]

I'm toying with the idea of making some "fiber-lights" using clear (as clear as can be found) mono line about 70 or 80kg. This line would be run from each nav light to the dash. There would be two small holes placed about 6mm apart and the ends would protrude about 3mm at most from the dash in an appropriate position. The other end would be placed inside the nav light and the squared end would be facing the light bulb as close as possible to the filament. It cant be too close or the mono would melt or do something worse. The light should travel along the mono line and show as a warm glow at the end protruding on the dashboard. This will show if you have the nav lights turned on or off, and more inportantly, it will show if a nav light is not working. I had a nav light fail one night and it was most unpleasant and scarey to discover it when we were almost back at the ramp after a 25 klm trip in the dark. I think the mono sounds like a great idea.
Wedge :D

[BrewGuru]

thought i recognised the boat. met you on the friday before that bilfish tournament at the gate when no one had a key. did u get out to tempest. weather turned ordinary, saw u guys coming around combie sat, we were the noosa cat.

cheers

fish guts

Yep we got out on First light Sat morning, the forecast of 10/15 knots and 1.2 mtre swell were a tad out, whent to Deep Tempest it was unfishable, had 3 squalls come up from the gold coast, weather was more like 25/30 knots with a 2.5 mtre swell. We will have to catch up and have a beer next time at the club

[deadbeatloser]

not me

regrds dbl