Nav light question

[Rich VanValkenburg]

I hope this doesn't turn out to be a stupid question, but here goes. Those of you who have seen Sonja's aft end can tell that a stern light out there is only about a foot above water when underway. You can hardly see her transom when waves are over a foot. I remember a night years ago during a DRYA Sweepstakes race on Lake St Clair where most of the boats were showing a white light aft under sail from the masthead, and not mounted on the transom.

I have a (mfrs name begins with P) model 1197 light that has two bulbs, two separate hot feeds, and a neutral wire so that either bulb or both can be turned on. The aft light has a baffle that appears to make it visible 22.5 points aft of center on each side, while the other is visible the rest of the compass.

Can I use this light as a stern light from the masthead, as well as all around when under power? My port/starboard lights are mounted on the cabin sides and so this configuration isn't in the State or Federal specs. Also, the mfr packaging doesn't specify that this would cover the stern or all around requirements, but that baffle looks like it would work. It's near impossible to run a wire back there, too.
http://www.seattlemarine.net/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=5509


Rich

[Concordia...41]

No advice Rich, but isn't it a glorious thing to have to worry about a stern light :):):):):)

[Thorne]

Be aware that there is an infamous situation here in Northern CA where a Sheriff ran a high-speed powerboat into a sailboat and killed one of the people aboard -- and was not charged because their stern light wasn't working. Instead the sailboat skipper has been charged with manslaughter.

The sailors thought that having their cabin light on, which was much brighter than the stern light and visible in the same range, would be enough. But a judge decided otherwise...

There are multiple sides to the issue, including the fact that the sailboat skipper had been drinking, but the bottom line seems to be that for legal protection, you need to have legal running/steaming lights operating in the required positions on the boat.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=5569012
http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2007/0607/June13/June13.html
http://www.record-bee.com/local/ci_6617896

[Ron Joslin]

I hope this doesn't turn out to be a stupid question,
Rich

Rich, thats a good question. I wish I knew what my sailboat looked like from astern. The "legal" stern light on the transom is shurly blocked by the rudder and the outboard at certan angles and does not look very bright to me. I could describe it as a "romantic glow". I am looking at adding a removable pole light that wont be blocked by anything.

Concorida...41 If a stern light is all you have to worry about - that is glorious. :D:)

[Ron Joslin]

No advice Rich, but isn't it a glorious thing to have to worry about a stern light :):):):):)

You are so right, having a stern light to worry about is glorious. ;)

Now that I have thought about it for a while, looking out into the darkness at a properly lit boat you can tell a lot about it such as size, what kind, direction, ect.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

If I understand the question correctly, if your boat is a sailing vessel of a size to use a tricolour masthead light (i.e., less than 20 metres overall length) the answer is yes, you can carry the sternlight at the mast head, but only if the side lights are also at the masthead - i.e., a conventional "tri-colour" masthead light, when under sail.

Under power, of course, you will be showing an all round white at the masthead in addition to the port and starboard side lights, if your boat is under 12 metres.

Here is the chapter and verse:

IRPCS Rule 25:

a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

(i) sidelights;
(i) a sternlight.
(b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.
(c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by paragraph (b) of this Rule.
(d)

(i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 metres in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule, but if she does not, she shall have ready to hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent a collision.

(ii) A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this Rule for sailing vessels (http://amazon.co.uk/gp/product/186105839X?ie=UTF8&tag=sailtracouk-21&link_code=em1&camp=2502&creative=9254&creativeASIN=186105839X&adid=45d73e7e-48fa-41d6-8dc2-4dae8a5d2d34), but if she does not, she shall have ready to hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent a collision.

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

I have a (mfrs name begins with P) model 1197 light that has two bulbs, two separate hot feeds, and a neutral wire so that either bulb or both can be turned on. The aft light has a baffle that appears to make it visible 22.5 points aft of center on each side, while the other is visible the rest of the compass.

Can I use this light as a stern light from the masthead, as well as all around when under power? My port/starboard lights are mounted on the cabin sides and so this configuration isn't in the State or Federal specs.

Rich

Well Rich, you know what opinions are worth... :D But if your sidelights are mounted on the hull and you use this product up the mast for your stern light/combo masthead light (commonly and incorrectly referred to as a "steaming light").... I would say it does NOT meet the specs in the COLREGS...

That said... Of course a boat coming up from behind is going to see your mast mounted stern light better than one down low on the hull possibly blocked and would have NO WAY of knowing that your sidelights aren't mounted as part of a tricolor...BUT, and it's a BIG "BUT".... Admiralty law is pretty severe when you deviate from the prescribed rules.

Why not just get a decent tricolor masthead light and put a proper masthead (steaming) light on the fwd side of your mast? And get rid of that wiring in the hull.