Height of Stern Light

[oldboot]

Has anybody thought about mounting the LED all round white light on the top of their radio aerial? Should give sufficient height and LED's maqy or may not interfere with reception?? Worth investigating i suppose, the fibreglass will withstand the hammering for certain.

running wires up your radio aerial will bugger up its performance pretty bad.

BUT

using a marine areial base and a pretty stiff fishing rod blank ( or a buggered aerial) to support an all round white is a very reasonable idea.


remember you can display anything as an allround white as long as it performs to spec.

cheers

[Hornet Rider]

So we have regulations agreed by all nations and seagoing practice that has been proven effective for over a hundred years.....and you recon you know better.

don't come whining here when the decide to have a blitz on that one too.

This whole all round white issue has come to the fore because huge numbers of boaties thaught thay knew better concerning all round whites...and the coppers Booked a hundred or so in a short time in a small area.

The coppers and the government now have proof that there is a wide spread willfull ignorance of boating regulations concerning light......they should have very little problem askig for budjet to undertake a blitz on any similar manner.

cheers[/quote]

boot, that willfull ignorance stuff will do it to you every time, thanks for this cogent advice, much appreciated

[PinHead]

[quote=Hornet Rider;1190027]

it isn't risk management when someone else is trying to navigate another boat and believes you are also moving as you have your nav lights on..sure makes it difficult at times to work out what is going on. I don;t shout abuse at anyone..no point..I just shake my head and wonder at what goes through their mind.

skipper grade 5 + tanker?...citycat perhaps[/quo

Pin, great theory but not an issue in reality, keep shaking your head if it helps to ease the pain

no pain...I just marvel at what some people do..I get it..I will just shine the spot light straight at every boat with nav lights on so I can see if they are anchored or underway..simple solution from my point.

[PinHead]

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[Hornet Rider]

[quote=PinHead;1190067]

no pain...I just marvel at what some people do..I get it..I will just shine the spot light straight at every boat with nav lights on so I can see if they are anchored or underway..simple solution from my point.

brilliant idea pin, can't wait to hear your report on how the spot lighting goes, shoud be an illuminating read

[PinHead]

if you are stupid enough to sit at anchor with nav lights on then I am stupid enough to shine a spot light on you.

[Hornet Rider]

if you are stupid enough to sit at anchor with nav lights on then I am stupid enough to shine a spot light on you.

feel better now you've got that off your chest?

[deckie]

If you have troubles with the anch light shining down and reflecting off the boat disrupting night vision...do this.
Take a bit of stiff cardboard (beer carton is good) and scissors out to the boat at night, with a hole in the middle of the cardboard the thickness of your anch light pole and a slice in the cardboard so u can fit it on the pole. Switch the light on and tape the cardboard just under your light and gradually cut it smaller and to a suitable shape until the smallest shape that stops light shining down onto the boat.
Make up something permanent that exact shape out of thin ally or stainless and use a hole saw to cut the correct diameter and cut in half down the axis of the hole...fit both pieces together around the pole under the light with a bit of epoxy. Or if u can get the pole off just a hole and slide it up the pole. Needs to be horizontal and a cpl of inches down from the light so it doesnt interrupt the all round lighting when seen away from all angles.
Makes a big difference to your vision...you could buy these once but no idea who sells them these days.

[finga]

I heard somewhere recently that they are looking into a new revision of the colregs. Not sure if there is any substance in that though.

Ta Andy.
I'll worry about it when it comes on the news-stand at the paper-shop.
Until then...it's all hearsay as Judge Judy would say

[Sea-Dog]

More from COLREGS:

Rule 22
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:


(c) In vessels of less than 12 meters in length:

* a masthead light, 2 miles;
* a sidelight, 1 miles;
* a towing light, 2 miles;
* a white red, green or yellow all-around light, 2 miles.

So your sidelights don't need to be as intense as your all-around white light.
----------------------------------------------


ANNEX I
Position and Technical Details of Lights and Shapes

2. Vertical Positioning and Spacing of Lights

(d)A power-driven vessel of less than 12 meters in length may carry the uppermost light at a height of less than 2.5 meters above the gunwale. When however a masthead light is carried in addition to sidelights and a sternlight, then such masthead light or all-round light shall be carried at least 1 meter higher than the sidelights.

9. Horizontal sectors

(b) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impracticable height above the hull.

When you look at the combination of rules 2(d), 9(b) and 30(b) I interpret that to say that as long as your all-around white light is at least 1 Metre higher than your sidelights - it can be partially obscured by structures etc. if it would be impractical to go higher. You are still complying with regulations. You may just need to establish to the satisfaction of the judge, the impracticality of making the light higher.

Anyone who has been booked for all-around white being obscured if it was at least 1M above sidelights may be able to have the fine reversed.
---------------------------------------------

10. Vertical sectors

(a) The vertical sectors of electric lights as fitted, with the exception of sailing vessels underway shall ensure that:


* (i) at least the required minimum intensity is maintained at all angle from 5 degrees above to 5 degees below the horizontal;
* (ii) at least 60 percent of the required minimum intensity is maintained from 7.5 degrees above to 7.5 degrees below the horizontal.

If you want to use some sort of screen below your all-around white light to stop it iterfering with vision - you need to make sure that the light is still visible within the angles listed above.

---------------------------------------------

Rule 30
Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

* (i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;
* (ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

[Jeremy]

if you are stupid enough to sit at anchor with nav lights on then I am stupid enough to shine a spot light on you.

That's what I do. Enough candle power to burn the retinas out of the eyes of anyone in boats without anchor lights on. I really like the idea of using it to check whether a boat with red and green nav lights on is anchored or not also.

HR, you have long since lost the logic of your arguement and you are just digging a deeper hole for yourself. Don't stop tho, it is very entertaining.

[gunna]

Just came back from BCF. They have sold out of the extendable light. Seems the word is getting round.

[oldboot]

Now... remember your all round white on anything under 12 meters should be clearly visable at least 2 miles ( that is nearly 3 Km) away in good weather.

This is a lot brighter than the tail lights on a car.

this means if you are comming out of Many boat harbour.....you should clearly see an all round light of a vessel comming between Green and St Helena.

Many of the older style 2nm compliant all round white lights use a 10 watt incandesant lamp........if you are concerned about being seen.....there is nothing to stop you using a brighter light.....a car tail light is typicaly 5 watts.....the brake light is typicaly 21 watts.....so if you went for a light using a 21 watt globe...you would considerably increase your visabilty.

Of course these days the led stuff is the go......even the standard 2nm compliant stuff is brighter in led and the old incandessant stuff and they draw diddly squat.........so going for a brighter LED all round white is a realistic thing.

Now consider that these regs are agreed and in force in almost evry contry on earth with water, and the basic application has remained un changed for over 100 years........there has to be a very good reason......I don't think there would be a single set of other regulations that could claim this sort of providence.

I recon the reason is that is simple enough and it works.



cheers

[Hornet Rider]

That's what I do. Enough candle power to burn the retinas out of the eyes of anyone in boats without anchor lights on. I really like the idea of using it to check whether a boat with red and green nav lights on is anchored or not also.

HR, you have long since lost the logic of your arguement and you are just digging a deeper hole for yourself. Don't stop tho, it is very entertaining.

Another expert with a sharp tongue, good on you Jeremy. What an inspiring, responsible person you must be ...'enough candle power to burn the retinas out of the eyes of anyone in boats without anchor lights on'... is that boats with women & little children in them or do you shine your big light on boats with adult males on board? How about you & all the other sharp tongued marine experts ease off the personal attacks ... comment on technical advice or personal opinion, personal experience is good.

[oldboot]

UM.... I haven't seen any personal attacks in this thread....just reasonable responses to someone espousing a plainly illegal practice of leaving red & green on when not under way.

OH BTW.......shining relay bright lights at other vessels.....such that it effects their vision.......may bet you fined too............not real responsible either.


cheers