source for light dome on mast

[thelederfam]

Does anybody know where I can buy a dome for the light at the top of my mast? It was broken when I purchased the boat. It is an 80's MAC 25. MACR1261Mxxx
thanks,
John

[Tomfoolery]

What light are you asking about? There should be a Masthead Light (official designation, but unofficially called a 'steaming' light), which is a white light of 2-mile (or more) visibility, facing forward, and covering a horizontal arc from dead-ahead to 22-1/2 degrees abaft the beam on either side (10 pts each side of center), and is only used to indicate to other vessels that you are under engine power.

There may also be an anchor light, which is an all-round white light of 2-mile (or more) visibility. That would have been added by a previous owner.

If it's the Masthead Light, it might be cheaper just to replace the whole thing. But that depends on the light, as the 80's was a long time ago, and it's possible or even probable that it was updated at some point. And there are many styles of Masthead Light that conform to the requirements.

Post a pic here, and/or poke around West Marine's site, to identify the unit. But you'll find an economy light that meets USCG requirements isn't very expensive, and certainly doesn't need to be LED because it's only used with the engine running.

Mine came with an Aquasignal Series 25, which I'm pretty sure is the original, and which is $38 new at WM, but can be had for less from other sources. https://www.westmarine.com/buy/aqua-sig ... ecordNum=8 (Looks just like the Stern Light in the picture, but has a wider angle of coverage at 20 pts vs the Stern Light at 12 pts.)

If it's an all-round white Anchor Light, it could be anything, as MacGregor didn't provide it.

[Russ]

^ What Tom said.

I assume "top of the mast" is literally top of the mast. That would most likely be an anchor light. Google LED anchor light.

[thelederfam]

On my mast are 2 lights. At the top is an auto type #1157 bulb socket. I assumed that a clear dome fit over it for 360 deg. visibility but as the dome is missing I don't know what the requirements are or the purpose of it. I think it is wired to the same switch as the bow and stern lights. The other light on the mast seems to be just a working light that shines down on the deck.

[Tomfoolery]

Here's a graphic from West Marine showing navigation light requirements for sailboats and power boats. Ignore the tri-color option for sailboats under sail, as it would be pretty unusual for a boat as small as a Mac, though certainly perfectly legal. Your boat would be equipped with a single bi-color sidelight unit, plus a white stern light, plus a white masthead light. MacGregor didn't supply anchor lights as an OEM, AFAIK.



I'd have to see some pictures to identify the fixtures you're referring to, but there should be a light on the front of the mast to indicate that your boat is under power, which can be turned off when under sail only (engine off), so it would have to be separate from the sidelights (mostly likely a single bi-color in the bow) and stern light.

The one on top is probably an anchor light. You can use a single all-round white at the top of the mast instead of a masthead plus stern combo when under power (see the small powerboat graphic), but the stern light wouldn't even be there if that was the case.

The one on the front of the mast may have been a combination Masthead Light and down-ward aimed deck light. Like this one.



It's also possible that it's a 2-element light, with the front covering 20 pts, and the rear the other 12 pts, and lighting them both makes it an anchor light. My last sailboat had that unit, so there was no separate Masthead Light on the front of the mast.



Do you have a Mac 25? Or a 26M? Not that it matters, as the lighting requirements are the same, but I'm confused. If it's an M, it would certainly have been equipped with the correct lighting unless someone did something to it. I don't know about a boat built in the 80's, though, but unless you go back very far, I would think most sailboats would have been equipped with lights.

And of course, it's also possible that a previous owner completely mangled the lighting on your boat. In that case, you really need to put it right, as having the wrong lights at night can confuse the other vessels (which is what they're there for - to tell others what your vessel is, how it's oriented, and what you're doing) which may not know what they're supposed to be doing in a meeting situation; stand-on or give-way vessel status depends on who's piloting and/or doing what, and the other guy knowing what you're piloting and/or doing.

[Russ]

On my mast are 2 lights. At the top is an auto type #1157 bulb socket. I assumed that a clear dome fit over it for 360 deg. visibility but as the dome is missing I don't know what the requirements are or the purpose of it. I think it is wired to the same switch as the bow and stern lights. The other light on the mast seems to be just a working light that shines down on the deck.

Me thinks you should read brother Tom's info above.

Don't mess around with navigation lights at night. There are serious responsibilities and liabilities for not running the correct lights at night.

Learn what is legal. There are ample examples of legal/criminal prosecutions for not displaying the correct navigational lights.