WHITE OR BLUE?

[Russ]

WHITE is the safest color.

I like sailing at night, as well as anchoring overnight. An all-white boat is more visible at anchor and underway than the blue hull.

Even considering the topsides are white on a blue-hull, the flattest and most reflective surfaces are the high-freeboard, slab-sides of the Mac.

In a worst-case scenario, with your boat turtled or laid over in the water, the white hull would be more visible to rescue efforts by the Coast Guard etc.

Just like cars, white will be the longest lasting, least expensive, and look better with less maintenance.

Touch-up on scratches with the white hull is easier to match, maybe not for 100% exact white tint, but functionally, less noticable than off-blue repairs to the blue hull.

Some very good points. As a blue hull owner, I make extra effort to be illuminated at night.

--Russ

[Russ]

WHITE is the safest color.

I like sailing at night, as well as anchoring overnight. An all-white boat is more visible at anchor and underway than the blue hull.

Even considering the topsides are white on a blue-hull, the flattest and most reflective surfaces are the high-freeboard, slab-sides of the Mac.

In a worst-case scenario, with your boat turtled or laid over in the water, the white hull would be more visible to rescue efforts by the Coast Guard etc.

Just like cars, white will be the longest lasting, least expensive, and look better with less maintenance.

Touch-up on scratches with the white hull is easier to match, maybe not for 100% exact white tint, but functionally, less noticable than off-blue repairs to the blue hull.

Some very good points. As a blue hull owner, I make extra effort to be illuminated at night.

--Russ

[Divecoz]

..Some very good points. As a blue hull owner, I make extra effort to be illuminated at night.
--Russ

Russ I know it may sound cheezzzie to some, but when I was on my SW Florida trip, I used the standard anchor light etc.. But I added 6 - S.S. Big Box Store , Solar Yard Light's in PVC Rod Holders attached with S.S. Hose clamps to my stanchions. At least from a distance it looked nice.... I got lots of compliments and you couldn't miss her sitting at anchor. Cost? Less than $50 total! I slept like a baby...

[wallville]

A2Z is a blue hull, but her price was too right for her to be too wrong of a decision. I was headed for a new white hull initially. This thread led me to BWY (again) and noticed they sell matching paint for the hull colors. Good news in a world full of gotcha's. 00.02 cents.

[Russ]

Russ I know it may sound cheezzzie to some, but when I was on my SW Florida trip, I used the standard anchor light etc.. But I added 6 - S.S. Big Box Store , Solar Yard Light's in PVC Rod Holders attached with S.S. Hose clamps to my stanchions. At least from a distance it looked nice.... I got lots of compliments and you couldn't miss her sitting at anchor. Cost? Less than $50 total! I slept like a baby...

Not at all.

I bought a few of those $2 solar lights at Wal-Mart. Mounted 2 on the stern pulpit with wire ties and couple on the end of my finger pier at the marina. Totals cost: $8.
They really produce more light than I thought they would. In fact, when we are sailing at night I have to cover them up. And as you mentioned, in addition to the required anchor light they light up the boat more.

--Russ

[pokerrick1]

What a good idea (which I will write down for future use) - -- cheap solar lights for around the slipped boat and maybe the dock -- - I like it!

Rick

PS Wal Mart here I come - -- and I'll just store them away in my boat boxes( which take up 1/8 of the garage)..

[Catigale]

I wouldnt worry about this on a lake but on a navigable body of water it might not be legal to display anything above the anchor light. There is a COLREGS line about lighting the decks of very large vessels on anchor, but Im pretty sure Macs dont fit the bill.

[Russ]

You may be right about the color regs. Honestly I'm not concerned about the regs as much as avoiding collision with some yahoo out on his ski boat at night. Or those early morning fishermen who must be out there before dawn on a pitch dark lake. The blue hull probably looks invisible to them and I bet they aren't looking up at my mast where the legal anchor light is.

If someone wanted to bust me for too much light so be it. I'm sleeping better with solar lights in the cockpit. Plus as an added feature, it helps for those late night trips to the bathroom.

--Russ

[DaveB]

I think the key word is Navigable Channel, no one should anchor in that body of water . Anchoring off the Channel far enough away to prevent Navigators using your lights as a Navigation aid is bad seamanship.
Off the side in a cove or far away that doesn't interfer with other boaters is probably OK.
I want to be seen in Anchorages that have many traffic/dingys.
I use a Wal-Mart $5 Anchor light LED I slide up the Back stay, I usually only have 3 Led's running but in a heavy traffic area will run switch to all 6 Led's and last 72 hrs at full on 2 AA rechargeable batteries.
If someone is parting to wee hrs of morning with all lights lit up, whats the difference?
Dave

I wouldnt worry about this on a lake but on a navigable body of water it might not be legal to display anything above the anchor light. There is a COLREGS line about lighting the decks of very large vessels on anchor, but Im pretty sure Macs dont fit the bill.

[DaveB]

I often come across a Flats boat with 6- 1mil candle lite spotlights mounted on a Arch right on my eyes and there doing 40 plus knots with no moon. Blinds me and takes only seconds to go by me.
I hate night cruising in SW Florida as these High Ho Yahoo's are thinking they have the Waterways to them-self and and don't give a Damn who is in their way .
Like back 1800's in Dodge City and the Wild West. Only they had Pistols not 40 ft. Bullets
Dave

You may be right about the color regs. Honestly I'm not concerned about the regs as much as avoiding collision with some yahoo out on his ski boat at night. Or those early morning fishermen who must be out there before dawn on a pitch dark lake. The blue hull probably looks invisible to them and I bet they aren't looking up at my mast where the legal anchor light is.

If someone wanted to bust me for too much light so be it. I'm sleeping better with solar lights in the cockpit. Plus as an added feature, it helps for those late night trips to the bathroom.

--Russ

[ALX357]

pedantic point :

00.02 cents is really the same as $ 00.0002 and otherwise about a fifth of a mill. I think. Too much.

[Catigale]

From the UK IIRC....I also recall there was a dinghy that fouled the rigging too, so the capsize was complicated

[grady]

pedantic point :

00.02 cents is really the same as $ 00.0002 and otherwise about a fifth of a mill. I think. Too much.

Speaking of that have you heard this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt1w4iRNWLA

[Catigale]

That is brutal!!! Sending it to the math teacher....

Gotta give that guy credit for his patience...

[DaveB]

A pound for the penny! , a Grog for my friend.

pedantic point :

00.02 cents is really the same as $ 00.0002 and otherwise about a fifth of a mill. I think. Too much.