[RookieHook]

Aren't you supposed to turn off the Nav lights when anchored near a channel? That's dangerous, especially when people are anchored near channels. Last night, there was a guy with his nav lights on, right next to the channel, before the moon was up. I don't have a plotter and couldn't see anything but the sparse buoys with lights (half of them are out). And someone with their navigation lights appears to be a buoy. The angle I had, I couldn't see the white deck light, just the red nav light. Thought it was a buoy until I got to about 50 feet of him. I wasn't going fast because we were looking for the buoys, (basically idling) and he screamed at me for heading toward him. I seriously thought he was a buoy. Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

 

[Koz54]

RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.

 

[MakoMike]

Koz54 wrote:
RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.


That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.


This post edited by MakoMike 01:12 PM 08/21/2008

 

[SORTIE]

MakoMike wrote:
Koz54 wrote:
RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.


That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.
which is why I should really run a separate wire to my all-round light. Last year I mounted that light aft and disconnected the stern light, so the all-round light is on when the nav lights are on but it can't be on alone. the stern light on the transom no longer functions, but if it did it my stern would show as two white lights, vertically arrayed, which I thought would send the wrong message.

 

[MakoMike]

SORTIE wrote:
MakoMike wrote:
Koz54 wrote:
RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.

That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.
which is why I should really run a separate wire to my all-round light. Last year I mounted that light aft and disconnected the stern light, so the all-round light is on when the nav lights are on but it can't be on alone. the stern light on the transom no longer functions, but if it did it my stern would show as two white lights, vertically arrayed, which I thought would send the wrong message.

That configuration would make you a tug with a tow astern.

 

[SORTIE]

exactimundo, Mike (although SORTIE has been known to tow - and be towed

)

next layup I'll remove the stern light, fill the hole in the transom, remove the boat name, and paint the whole darn thing

have to re-wire the all-round so I can illuminate it alone when needed. I'm thinking of a change to the cabin configuration that might make it inhabitable for an overnight.

This post edited by SORTIE 02:06 PM 08/21/2008

 

[RookieHook]

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.
[/quote]

That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.
[/quote]

So is it ok to have the red and green Nav Light on when anchored? Isn't this a hazard? If you have a stern light that is not 360, are you supposed to turn on the red and green nav light?

This post edited by RookieHook 02:08 PM 08/21/2008

 

[Nikoli]

Anchored Vessels
Power driven vessels and sailing vessels at anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for a vessel less than 50 meters in length is an all-around white light visible for 2 miles exhibited where it can best be seen.

Link

This post edited by Nikoli 02:11 PM 08/21/2008

 

[huricane]

Anchor light

So to answer your question Rookie all you need to have on when you are anchored is an all around white light and your Nav lights should be turned off Good luck out there.

 

[Koz54]

MakoMike wrote:
Koz54 wrote:
RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.


That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.


Sorry about that Mike, that is what I meant.

I have a 360° while light that plugs into what I was told is a ?stern socket?. The light is on a long pole so it is about 12? above my head and can be seen from any angle with me standing on the deck.

 

[MakoMike]

RookieHook wrote:

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.

That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.
[/quote]

So is it ok to have the red and green Nav Light on when anchored? Isn't this a hazard? If you have a stern light that is not 360, are you supposed to turn on the red and green nav light?
[/quote]

No it is not O.K. to have any of the nav. lights on while anchored. As you pointed out, it can lead to confusion. At anchor vessels are supposed to disply a 360 degree white light.

 

[MakoMike]

Koz54 wrote:
MakoMike wrote:
Koz54 wrote:
RookieHook wrote:
Aren't you supposed to turn the nav lights off when you are anchored?

Yes, at anchor only your stern light should be on.


That is not correct. At anchor you're supposed to display a 360 degree white light. The stern light is part of the running lights.


Sorry about that Mike, that is what I meant.

I have a 360° while light that plugs into what I was told is a ?stern socket?. The light is on a long pole so it is about 12? above my head and can be seen from any angle with me standing on the deck.


Misnomer. A stern light in a white light that is only visible from astern of the boat and is visible for 180 degrees.

 

[pequa1]

I know that the nav lights are supposed to be on if you are on a slow, slow drift, along with the anchor all around white light, but do you ladies and gentlemen feel that this is also confusing to others actually underway ?

 

[MakoMike]

pequa1 wrote:
I know that the nav lights are supposed to be on if you are on a slow, slow drift, along with the anchor all around white light, but do you ladies and gentlemen feel that this is also confusing to others actually underway ?

That's not true. If you are drifting you are supposed to disply your nav lights, NOT your anchor light.

 

[Nikoli]

MakoMike wrote:
pequa1 wrote:
I know that the nav lights are supposed to be on if you are on a slow, slow drift, along with the anchor all around white light, but do you ladies and gentlemen feel that this is also confusing to others actually underway ?

That's not true. If you are drifting you are supposed to disply your nav lights, NOT your anchor light.

What if your stern and your anchor light are the same light? Center console without a T top?

This post edited by Nikoli 04:13 PM 08/21/2008

 

[MakoMike]

Nikoli wrote:
MakoMike wrote:
pequa1 wrote:
I know that the nav lights are supposed to be on if you are on a slow, slow drift, along with the anchor all around white light, but do you ladies and gentlemen feel that this is also confusing to others actually underway ?

That's not true. If you are drifting you are supposed to disply your nav lights, NOT your anchor light.

What if your stern and your anchor light are the same light? Center console without a T top?

That's a different story, if you are running one all around light in lieu of a Masthead and stern light, then yes, it should be on.

 

[Koz54]

That?s were I was confused. I am only running one all around light in the stern area.

I leave it on at anchor and while underway, but when underway I turn on the bow nav lights.

 

[Nikoli]

MakoMike wrote:
Nikoli wrote:
MakoMike wrote:
pequa1 wrote:
I know that the nav lights are supposed to be on if you are on a slow, slow drift, along with the anchor all around white light, but do you ladies and gentlemen feel that this is also confusing to others actually underway ?

That's not true. If you are drifting you are supposed to disply your nav lights, NOT your anchor light.

What if your stern and your anchor light are the same light? Center console without a T top?

That's a different story, if you are running one all around light in lieu of a Masthead and stern light, then yes, it should be on.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[MakoMike]

Nikoli,
No problem.

Koz,
It doesn't really make a difference where the light is mounted it has to be visible for 360 degrees around the boat.

 

[RookieHook]

Conclusion

Anchored -----Anchor light, a 360 degree light that can be seen from a distance of 2 miles, but definitely not bow navigation lights (red and green)

Drift and or Moving -----Navigation and Stern lights...... and it is ok to have the bow navigation lights and a stern light (did I see this called a Masthead?) that is visible 360 degrees

Does this sum it up?