Mast Anchor Light Installation

[Laika 26X]

Folks,

Not to get to wordy here, but as previousley stated, a White All-Around (360 deg/32 Pt) ANCHOR light is required at anchor (especially outside of a designated anchorage) between sunset and sunrise.

No saving power here.

Also, it MUST be distinctive.

Ref Nav Rules PP 38-43,106-107: The bulk of you may be INLAND, I'm both.

Feel free to save this: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2887041/COMDTIN ... ted%29.pdf

FWIW there are some great mods here adding the light. Use an LED @ ~.10 Amps if your "Power Budgeted". I also have a Wheems and Plath Lamp as a backup, to avoid lowering the mast if the LED craps out (Murphy's Law).

"Sub" Ed
USCGAUX Boat Crew Certified
USCGAUX Safe Boating Instructor Certified
NYS Safe Boating Instructor Certified

[Hamin' X]

Folks,

Not to get to wordy here, but as previousley stated, a White All-Around (360 deg/32 Pt) ANCHOR light is required at anchor (especially outside of a designated anchorage) between sunset and sunrise.

I could be wrong, but my understanding of the COLREGS, is that if your vessel is under 30 meters and is anchored in a designated anchorage, you are not required to display an anchor light. Also, there is no specified height for the light, only that it must be as high as practical and visible from 2 nm and not be occluded for more than 6 degrees. To me, this means the light can be hoisted up to the spreaders and be just fine, as the mast will not occlude the visibility. Six feet above water level will allow for about 3 nm of visibility, so it only needs to be high enough to clear your boom and furled mainsail. At least that is how I see it.

~Rich

[opie]

From the original question here, one answer is that you do not need to run wires from the bottom of the mast for an anchor light if you already have a steaming light.

See this topic.

I read the above topic here and did the mod myself. I just had to run a air of wires from the mast top down to the steaming light and then follow directions.

[Russ]

From the original question here, one answer is that you do not need to run wires from the bottom of the mast for an anchor light if you already have a steaming light.

See this topic.

I read the above topic here and did the mod myself. I just had to run a air of wires from the mast top down to the steaming light and then follow directions.

Wow! How did you do that? I tried to run a snake from the top to the steaming light. I could see the snake through the hole in the mast for the steaming light. The problem was the hole was too small for me to get the snake through. I fought and fought with it until I got frustrated and decided to just run the wire all the way down and splice it in at the base.

It's still nice to use the original 2 wires to operate both lights by reversing the polarity.

--Russ

[BK]

I use solar Malibu lights that I attached to a 3/4 PVC pipe. Then I put these into fish pole holders that I bought used from Minny's in Newport Beach for a couple of dollars. It lights up my cockpit so when I arrive back at night I can see.
I also hoist up the mast a light that goes on a personel water floater safety vest . It is a water proof light that has a 360 degree visability.

[defrich]

In a "special anchorage" , boats under 30 feet are not required to show an anchor light. In a 'general anchorage', they are.

I made a gaff and fished out the 3" pieces of styrofoam, sometimes one, sometimes two , at a time. As I got deeper into the mast I had to change the design of the gaff to get the job done ( won't bore you with the details unless asked ).
Also, I had to remove all the hardware going to the inside of the mast down to 18 feet from the top. It took me nearly a full eight hours to prep the mast for the wire. ( putting it back together was easier )
After I inserted the wire completely thru the mast, I replaced the styrofoam , two pieces at a time ( 72 pieces ). Then reattached the hardware.
I then wired in a 360 degree anchor light ( 2km , coasty approved ) as well as replacing the steaming light with 120 degree LED fixture.
I wired these in parallel , but reversed polarity , using the same two pronged plug thru the deck.
Then I wired in a DPDT switch to change the polarity of the plug on demand.
I now have a choice of having my steaming or anchor light on ( or of course off ).
I also disabled the lamps on my switch panel , as they each drew almost a quarter of an amp ( actually closer to 220ma ).
I now can anchor in general anchorage and not have to pay a ticket for non-compliance.
Hope this helps someone.
Blue Skies....Richard

[Russ]

I also disabled the lamps on my switch panel , as they each drew almost a quarter of an amp ( actually closer to 220ma ).

Yea, I made my own breaker panel with a DPDT switch for the anchor/steaming light. While at it I used LEDs for indicators so the switch light wouldn't draw more than the LED on the mast.
The 2 wire polarity trick worked well.

I'm glad I didn't waste 8 hrs pulling foam out of the mast. The snake busted through it.

--Russ

[defrich]

Yeah Russ,
The styrofoam proved a bit more work than I originally thought it would be.
But it is now history , and all is well in the world.

Blue Skies....Richard

[Catigale]

Can someone tell me the difference between a special and general anchorage??

[Québec 1]

I'm looking at getting this mast light when I will need one..Bahamas time!
http://www.bebi-electronics.com/owl.html
Q1

[Sumner]

I'm looking at getting this mast light when I will need one..Bahamas time!
http://www.bebi-electronics.com/owl.html
Q1

I looked at those and others and we bit the bullet and got....



http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=769978

...one that was Coast Guard approved. I'm not saying it is any better, but if something were to ever happen they couldn't say that we didn't have an approved anchor light.

It does work ....



http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... de-23.html

....well, but this year I'm also going to install some lights down lower around the cockpit and will be using some of the LED walkway lights that sell for under $4.00 and recharge during the day. I'll just stuff them into some pvc tubes attached to the stanchions.

So far where we have been anchored at there has been very little night time traffic on the lakes, but still for the future I'd like something down further on the boat that would be easier to see by a power boater in addition to the 'legal' one at the top of the mast.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Trips to..

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links

[defrich]

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

CHAPTER I - COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

SUBCHAPTER I - ANCHORAGES

PART 109 - GENERAL

109.10 - Special anchorage areas.

An Act of Congress of April 22, 1940, provides for the designation of special anchorage areas wherein vessels not more than sixty-five feet in length, when at anchor, will not be required to carry or exhibit anchorage lights. Such designation is to be made after investigation, by rule, regulation, or order, the procedure for which will be similar to that followed for anchorage grounds under section 7 of the River and Harbor Act of March 4, 1915, as referred to in 109.05. The areas so designated should be well removed from the fairways and located where general navigation will not endanger or be endangered by unlighted vessels. The authority to designate special anchorage areas was transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Transportation by section 6(g)(1)(D) of the Department of Transportation Act (80 Stat. 931) and delegated to the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard under 1.46 of Title 49 CFR, who has redelegated pursuant to the authority to establish special anchorage areas to each Coast Guard District Commander in 1.051(e)(1)(i).

(33 U.S.C. 471, 180, 258, 322, and 499; 49 CFR 1.46(c) and 1.45(b)) [CGD 79096, 44 FR 51585, Sept. 4, 1979, as amended by USCG19983799, 63 FR 35526, June 30, 1998]

Read more: http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/109-10-special- ... z0qrWonxvw
This is all I could find on short notice.
Hope it is helpful ( not showing anchor lights between sunset and sunrise is listed as $100 fine )

Anchored Boats
Motorboats and sailboats at anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for a watercraft less than 50 meters (164 feet) in length is an all-around white light, visible for 2 miles exhibited where it can best be seen ).

Boats less than 7 meters (22.96 feet) are not required to display anchor lights or day shapes unless anchored in or near a narrow channel, fairway or anchorage, or where other boats normally navigate. Anchor lights are not required on boats less than 20 meters (65.62 feet) anchored in special anchorages in inland waters designated by the Secretary of Transportation.

Blue Skies----Richard

[Catigale]

Thanks Richard.

Incidentally, Ive never displayed an anchor light in 8 years of cruising in the Northeast (perhaps 5 weeks of overnight cruising per year) and I would say about 2/3 of the boats I see dont either.

[defrich]

Hi Steven,
I have found that I get bit in the nethers when I least expect it.
Hope your record holds.
Blue Skies....Richard

[Catigale]

If Korea puts one by Brasil Ill use my anchor light...

GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL Brasil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the great features of the shallow draft is I anchor at Cuttyhunk in about 2-4 feet of water depending on tide - from the depth alone the only traffic I see are catamarans since anyone with a keel cant get close.

Maybe a third of the boats in the mooring field light up their anchor lights at night.