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I don't anchor at night very often, in fact rarely. The first time I did, I hoisted up the halyard a Coleman electric camp lantern (the base would unscrew, and it would take eight D cell batteries). When I awoke the next morning, the base had unscrewed from the lantern constantly hitting the mast. The base and batteries were in Davy Jones Locker.

Ray

Yeah, batteries just don't cut it when anchoring at night. I like russ idea of using a LED patio light off the backstay (or topping lift, or quibble, or whatever the heck you guys call it - I never did get the lingo down after 40 years of sailing), Anyways, it's a good idea because when people actually get close enough to SEE your anchor light at night the last place they look is up in the air - a light down a little lower is actually better to spot from an approaching boat. Especially if there are stars out that night.

Trust me - been there, done that MANY times.

I mounted a 6 foot pole, or mast, on the stern that holds a flag, weather station, life ring, and an LED garden light. It can also work as a mast crutch in case I ever need to lower the mast to clear a bridge. I still use the mast crutch that came with the boat for trailering though.

budgates wrote:I mounted a 6 foot pole, or mast, on the stern that holds a flag, weather station, life ring, and an LED garden light. It can also work as a mast crutch in case I ever need to lower the mast to clear a bridge. I still use the mast crutch that came with the boat for trailering though.

Yet another great idea.

Loala wrote:
I was thinking about creating a long string of solar lights to run up the forestay, over the masthead, then down the backstay. (But haven't had time to do it yet.) I've seen this done a couple times during some harbor parades we've had down here in Newport/Balboa. Looks pretty cool!

12v "Fairy Lights" led strings can be found all over ebay/amazon. I have a string I sometimes run up with my flag halyard. They are tiny with thin wires so I wrapped them on a piece of line to take the strain. The 200 led sting I got is is about 70' if I remember right and draws 6w. They come in all sizes though. My buddy ran them around the entire perimeter inside his hunter and it gives a nice chill light.

I took apart one of those solar powered garden lights, replaced the generic battery w/ a good rechargeable. First attached sail slides to haul it up, first time it didn't come down, had to lower the mast!! Then attached a cord down haul that worked but was a hassel every morning. Now I just hang it from the genoa sheets at eye level, lights up the deck and its away from the main hatch so bugs don't gather. I velcro it to the mast crutch during the day. Works like a charm, keeping it simple!

BOAT wrote:I like russ idea of using a LED patio light off the backstay (or topping lift, or quibble, or whatever the heck you guys call it - I never did get the lingo down after 40 years of sailing),

Just to be clear, my battery anchor light was NOT a cheap solar patio light. Those patio lights are probably not legal alone as anchor light. I doubt they are bright enough to be legal.
This is what I used before installing a mast top anchor light. It's a running light visible for 2 miles. Runs on batteries for several nights. Even longer when I replace the incandescent bulb with an LED.



I use solar patio lights as supplemental lights to the legal required proper anchor light. I don't have the clamp on light on the boat any more.

This is how I hung it when I used it. Would swing with the boat and was low enough as not to be mistaken for a star.

Seapup wrote:

Loala wrote:
I was thinking about creating a long string of solar lights to run up the forestay, over the masthead, then down the backstay. (But haven't had time to do it yet.) I've seen this done a couple times during some harbor parades we've had down here in Newport/Balboa. Looks pretty cool!

12v "Fairy Lights" led strings can be found all over ebay/amazon. I have a string I sometimes run up with my flag halyard. They are tiny with thin wires so I wrapped them on a piece of line to take the strain. The 200 led sting I got is is about 70' if I remember right and draws 6w. They come in all sizes though. My buddy ran them around the entire perimeter inside his hunter and it gives a nice chill light.

I bet that looks way cool. I bought some of those on Amazon. Recently, Amazon emailed me that they were recalled for safety reasons and told me to stop using them and refunded my money. Probably because they use tiny tiny wires. *shrug*

Bobglas wrote: I took apart one of those solar powered garden lights, replaced the generic battery w/ a good rechargeable. First attached sail slides to haul it up, first time it didn't come down, had to lower the mast!! Then attached a cord down haul that worked but was a hassel every morning. Now I just hang it from the genoa sheets at eye level, lights up the deck and its away from the main hatch so bugs don't gather. I velcro it to the mast crutch during the day. Works like a charm, keeping it simple!

What kind of battery did you replace it with? I had to replace garden solar light batteries. I wanted to replace them with NiMh. After some research, I learned that those old crappy Nicad batteries that had memory were actually ideal for garden lights. They do best when run full down and then charged.

What I really wanted to say is that I would check visibility of that solar light for legality. At anchor, both power and sail less than 65 feet must have a 2 NM all 'round white light. I've never seen a solar garden light that bright. If someone hit you at night, you could be charged. If you don't think so, look how far the sharks, erm, lawyers went with this case regarding COLREGS.
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/justice.asp


Good stuff here.
http://www.boatus.org/findings/48/

Lately garden lights are listing their brightness. Either by lumens or how many times brighter than the old ones. Mine said 4x (don't remember how many lumens), it's way brighter than my old one, lights up the deck too. I replaced the 900mAh w/ a 2500 mAh.

I am going to put a solar flag pole light on top of my mast. 8in with 20 LED's if I don't like it it's only 22$ and I can use it somewhere else.

jrcanoe wrote:I am going to put a solar flag pole light on top of my mast. 8in with 20 LED's if I don't like it it's only 22$ and I can use it somewhere else.

Can you shut it off so you are legal when sailing?

Bobglas wrote:Lately garden lights are listing their brightness. Either by lumens or how many times brighter than the old ones. Mine said 4x (don't remember how many lumens), it's way brighter than my old one, lights up the deck too. I replaced the 900mAh w/ a 2500 mAh.

4x doesn't mean much. 4x more than what? Seems more of a marketing label than anything else.
I'm trying to figure out how to convert lumens to visible distance. I do see lumens often quoted, many times with flashlights as well, however how does that translate to how far it can be seen?

The law states 2nm. If someone runs into you and you're not legal, YOU might be charged with the collision. As in this case, the sailboater was charged with homicide for the death of the passenger because they claimed his running light was not visible. Pretty heavy stakes when the law gets involved.

As long as these are shielded and point downward, you can illuminate your deck with as many lights as you want. Creating multiple points of light that can be seen from any distance should be avoided.

RussMT wrote:

jrcanoe wrote:I am going to put a solar flag pole light on top of my mast. 8in with 20 LED's if I don't like it it's only 22$ and I can use it somewhere else.

Can you shut it off so you are legal when sailing?

Don't really plan on doing any sailing at night but would have to lower mast to turn it off or rig a wireless remote swich. Besides the PA boat and Fish commission are totally clueless as to boating law and I have beaten them in court every time they have wrote me a ticket.