What are you using for navigation lights?

My boat has sidelights bulkhead-mounted on the cabin sides. There are 2 disadvantages of this arrangement:
- The leeward light is blanketed by the genoa; and,
- The lights get so hot that it is possible to get an 'OOPS' when stepping over the cockpit coaming.

But, what I really want to know is: what are you doing for a steaming light (all-around white light); and,
what are you using for an anchor light (also an all-around white light)?

Does your steaming light only face forward and do you rely on the sternlight for the aft 135 degrees? Or, do you turn off the sternlight and switch on an all-around white light in its place. Can this all-around steaming light also be the anchor light?

Of course the length of the Sandpiper requires that only a handheld flashlight be onboard. But, let's pretend (as always) that we have a longer hull.

posted February 05, 2003 01:24 AM            

Ken's Short Wave has a nifty masthead light arrangement which he described in a previous posting. As I recall he did this because of the same problem you were having with the genoa covering the deck lights.

Ken's posting is worth looking at as he is involved with the Power Squadron and his setup is correct according to regulations.

posted February 18, 2003 03:50 PM            

Here's a cut & paste from my previous posting re: nav lights.

I sailed with the stock Sandpiper nav light setup for seven years until stopped by a Toronto Harbour Police boat one night...We were sailing toward them on a close-hauled tack. They said that my cabin-mounted nav light was being obscured by the jib.

Here was my solution:

Masthead Green/Red navigation-light and a white steaming light at the mast spreaders; new white stern light on railing. Original deck-mounted navigation lights may be switch-selected.

Many sailboats have dual upper and lower red/green nav lights. One combo unit at the mast head for sailing...shows red and green forward and to the sides. I have one rigged to be switched on when sailing...but switch it to the cabin mounted lights when motoring.....say..in crowded Toronto harbour at night...where no one would be looking up that high. I have a "centre off" toggle switch. MASTHEAD-OFF-LOWER HULL LIGHTS

The rear-facing white stern light is now mounted higher up on the stern rail. The original stern light has been removed as it was hidden by the outboard motor and BBQ.
This light must remain on no matter what other lighting combinations you have switched on.

A forward-facing white "steaming" light is mounted on the mast at the spreader level. It MUST be switched on ONLY when you are motoring...even if your sails are still up.
That's how the other vessels can tell weather you are a sailboat (actually sailing) or under power.

In addition, a Windex light at the masthead now makes it easy to view the Windex when night sailing. It's powered with the masthead nav light circuit.

There is a "fly in the calking" with the centre-off nav light switch arrangement. My compass is illuminated only when the lower nav lights are selected. That's because the compass lights are wired in parallel with the port side mounted red nav light. I need to install a solid state diode between the upper and lower circuits so that I can see my compass when sailing.