MacGregorSailors.com

raycarlson wrote:Sorry that is Diodedynamics.com not digital..................................................

Had me searching that other site with no luck.

I would still love to see them as running lights.
Yea, I've used these strips quite a bit. Have them in my house and on the boat. They work great. Often wondered where they could be used. Your idea sounds awesome. I considered wrapping the mast as an anchor light. I have a railing going downstairs at home with LED strips under it to light the steps.

You are correct about power consumption. I have an ammeter built in and was amazed at how much power these things draw. Still below incandescent, but much higher than expected. All my cabin lights and running lights don't add up to one incandescent bulb. However, these strip lights (I have them in the aft bunk, head and v-berth) draw about .5 amps.

Aw..comon and learn how to post pictures. It's not that difficult. Host 'em someplace else and past the link here. Then highlight it and click "image" button above.

My disco aft berth. It's normally so dark in there.

raycarlson wrote:For nav lights up front I switched to a 30 inch LED strip on each side, they make a REALLY bright green and red now that will light everything with in 30feet up in a nice red or green glow, and you can trim the strips to any shorter length you want from three feet to about 3inches, they come premounted to a high tech 3m adhesive backing with 10inch wire leads for 15 bucks apiece, I mounted them right below the rub rail so the light source is not visable from on the boat, all you see is the glow out to the sides if anything gets close to your boat.

Has this application of LED light strips been approved by the USCG?'

Rule 22 states these lights need to be visible for at least 2 miles. Not hard to figure out.

Rule 21 states the light from a sidelight is visible from an arc of 112.5, directly ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft of the beam, either side. This is the part you may be not in compliance with since your lights are likely visible from a position further aft. The stern-lights are visible from the stern to 67.5 degrees forward either side (135 degree arc). Reason for the rule - at night, visibility of the white, red, and green lights is an indication of the direction of travel of the boat. On a sailboat, you should not be able to see the stern light and the sidelights at the same time.

Not concerned what the coast guard thinks of my lights as they do not operate in the state of az or the sea of cortez, the only place my boat can be found.

I was really not concerned about the USCG, just the ability of another boat captain to understand at night that you may be under sail and not capable of maneuvering like you would under power. The rules are carefully thought out and your decision to not follow them in this case can adversely affect others. I too make mods that are not quite spec - but draw the line when they could affect the safety of people I do not know.

I don't feel,the need to be that critical, a red and green on the bow, roughly where they should be is fine. As long as they are visible to a good distance.


In open water, when a captain see lights, steer around and away, if in a crowded area, go slow enough to be able to react. Light's to with-in a half a degree of visual......

It is not unsafe if it is close to the regulations.

My guess is you are compliant with regs. Those LED strips are BRIGHT and I'm sure travel 2nm. The only concern would be the cut off points.
Regs state:
red and green sidelights, 112.5°, visible 2 n.m., placed above hull at least 1 meter (3.3') below masthead light.
So it's that 112.5 degrees that is in question. If a boat sees green from behind 112 degrees, he might believe he has the right of way.

Do these cut off at 112.5 degrees?



Now for many of us that sail inland far from boating knowledge have seen all kinds of lighting used improperly. Sans boating education, boaters don't seem to understand much about what the lights are indicating. Even when properly displayed. I see people who either don't see me or don't know the rules of the road. Nevertheless, lighting regs are recognized internationally, even on inland lakes.

So why worry about the regs? The land sharks.....um I mean Lawyers.
A case that comes to mind is the sailboat that was struck on a California lake by a drunk captain who turned out to be a sheriff deputy. Sailboat captain was charged with the death of his fiance who was with him on the sailboat. Long story short, lawyers sent the running light bulbs to forensics to determine if they were powered before the collision. Heated bulb filaments break on impact and can prove running lights were on. That's how detailed these legal cases get about coast guard regs.

And of course who has the legal right of way or proper lighting only matters in court. Avoiding a collision in the first place is more important. That's why I keep a bright flashlight and horn handy.

Here's the story. Good read
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/justice.asp

BoatUS did a good story on navigation lighting regs
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazin ... -night.asp

I often wonder about my aft nav light on the Mac. Seems like it's easily obstructed.

--Russ

well if the angles of the navlights MUST be very exact... so all the are in conflict with the law while under motor. The white light on the mast changes the angle together with the mast --> against law and order !!!!!!!!!

My 30inch LED's are fine and comply as well as any other nav light purchased at walmart or west marine just much brighter, I just don't care to debate what the USCG thinks about them as they really don't go around with tools measuring angles of degree on boats nav light installations, most aren't smart enough to do the math to figure it out anyway. in 99.999% of the world if you have red, green and white lights working and there on the correct side of you boat your more than good to go. Operating in SOC, MX most boats under 30 feet don't have any lights at all and the big container ships steaming up the gulf will not change course for a 26 foot Mac anyway regardless of what lights you have. Some people just love to worry about rules and lawyers. In recreational boating your chances of being stopped by law enforcement while boating is probably governed more by the square inches of material in your wife or girl friends bikini then your boat equipment.

kurz wrote:well if the angles of the navlights MUST be very exact... so all the are in conflict with the law while under motor. The white light on the mast changes the angle together with the mast --> against law and order !!!!!!!!!

That's very true. I suppose one could "lock" the mast in a forward facing position. Who actually does?

As far as enforcement, I don't believe there is any. Coasties and other marine police simply don't have the time or resources to check the visibility or angle of running lights. If they light up, that's probably the most they will care about.

Lawyers are another thing. After reading that article, I believe William was right.

raycarlson wrote:My 30inch LED's are fine and comply as well as any other nav light purchased at walmart or west marine just much brighter, I just don't care to debate what the USCG thinks about them as they really don't go around with tools measuring angles of degree on boats nav light installations, most aren't smart enough to do the math to figure it out anyway. in 99.999% of the world if you have red, green and white lights working and there on the correct side of you boat your more than good to go. Operating in SOC, MX most boats under 30 feet don't have any lights at all and the big container ships steaming up the gulf will not change course for a 26 foot Mac anyway regardless of what lights you have. Some people just love to worry about rules and lawyers. In recreational boating your chances of being stopped by law enforcement while boating is probably governed more by the square inches of material in your wife or girl friends bikini then your boat equipment.

It is obvious you are proud of your lights - but plenty of information has been posted that they are not compliant with ANY regulations. This is not about law enforcement - it is about safe boating. Because this board is used by many as a source of information on ideas for modifications, I want to stress to those reading this that this is not a responsible modification and has safety and legal implications - even more than taking out some foam to make a cabinet.

That's why I put them on, They are tremendously much much safer then the tiny Hella light the factory provided.