Navigation lights

[Skipper Dan]

I am going through the regulations for navigation lights, this is what I found so far.

28' sailboat

sailing: sidelights red and green plus a white stern light

power: side lights red and green plus a white stern light and a white steaming light on the mast somewhere.

I found a site here http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/revi ... info2c.htm but it does not show the steaming light on while sailing. Do you not show the masthead or steaming light while sailing so that others know you are under sail alone?

Dan

[okawbow]

I have read that the white, steaming light,(halfway up the mast) is only used when under sail and power at the same time. During daylight hours; a black ball is supposed the be hoisted to let other boats know that a sailboat is also under power, and therefore treated as a powerboat.
The white mast head light is only usd at anchor. Sailboats under 60 feet?, can use a tri color mashead light instead of sidelights for navigation.

It's probably not legal, but at night, when I am sailing and I see or hear another boat; I flash a spotlight on my mainsail to be sure they see I am under sail.

[Robert The Gray]

If I remember correctly, the steaming light is only used while the under motor power at night even if the sails are up. The foresail should not obscure it. Use only running lights when sailing at night. It should be fine to shine a light on your sail I wouldn't shine it at the bridge of the approaching boat. The black ball is the day shape for being at anchor, the motoring sail boat during the day looks like it is motoring and does not need a shape. If you are motoring with your sails up in varied traffic up then one should pilot as if they were a motor boat. On a technical note the mast head tricolor only works for sailing at night. The correct lighting configuration for any boat under power at night is steaming light above running lights. If you motor at night with the tricolor and the steaming light on the colors are stacked wrong. The white steaming light ends up on the bottom. If someone was approaching your port forward quarter they would see a red light above the white light. Boats with a tricolor masthead would technically need to switch to lower tricolors when using the steaming light. This is all from memory so I may be mistaken. I made a great black ball with a small dodge ball. I could never figure out if I had to put my steaming light on when I started rowing my Triton. Are oars an auxiliary power?

r

[okawbow]

Found this....
http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/revi ... info2c.htm

[Skipper Dan]

Found this....
http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/revi ... info2c.htm

That's the one I was at in my first post. You explained it better in your post. The white over colors made the most sense. The thing I cannot figure out is why my "The New Complete Sailing Manual" couldn't do that. Now I can go back to that site and it will more than likely make more sense.

Dan

[Tim]

Three points:

1. The so-called "steaming light" is technically called a "masthead light" under the official Navigation Rules. There is a specific definition attached to this light in terms of visibility (a white light with 225° of arc so placed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam on either side), and on most sailboats this light will not be located at the masthead; typically the masthead (i.e. "steaming") light is located roughly halfway up the mast on small sailboats.

The light located at the actual masthead of most sailboats is technically an "all-round light" and is frequently used as an anchor light.

2. Showing a masthead (i.e. "steaming") light while underway means you are a power-driven vessel. A sailboat becomes a power-driven vessel anytime the propulsion engine is running, whether or not the shaft is engaged and whether or not the sails are up.

3. Vessels under oars show the same lights as vessels under sail. (Rule 25). Power-driven vessels, by definition, require mechanical means (i.e. engines or electric motors).

I think everyone ought to have a copy of the Navigation Rules. It contains much more information than everyone needs, but it's the only place where the true rules are laid out (though not always with great clarity), and therefore the best reference at its core.

[Figment]

2. Showing a masthead (i.e. "steaming") light while underway means you are a power-driven vessel. A sailboat becomes a power-driven vessel anytime the propulsion engine is running, whether or not the shaft is engaged and whether or not the sails are up.

and so I've always wondered why this light isn't directly wired to the ignition circuit.

[Tim]

You'd still need a switch to turn it off during daylight hours.

[Rachel]

The day-shape equivalent to the steaming light is a "steaming cone" and is a black inverted cone shape that you hoist while you are steaming during daylight hours.

If you are the sort of person who can remember things better when they make sense, or have meaning, the reason I (in my understanding) that the steaming light is called a masthead light, even though it is only partway up the mast, is that the "head" of something on a boat is the "front." I think the heads (bathroom) are called that because they used to be forward on the vessel. So the masthead is the forward part of the mast, vs. the top. I suppose this has something to do with the word "ahead" vs. the melon on top of our shoulders.

Tim, I am going to have to go look at the rules now, because I thought the steaming light/cone was only for when you were being propelled by machinery. If I were sailing along with the engine running, but in neutral - say, charging batteries - I would not have thought that I was a power-driven vessel (until it was placed in gear).

But now I am going to have to check on that (not as a challenge to your knowledge, but because I had better clarify/re-familiarize myself with that section of the rules!).

[Tim]

I think the actual definitions in the Rules are rather ambiguous on the sailboat-with-engine-running-but-not-engaged thing.

What Rule 3 actually says (at least in my admittedly old version that I have on hand here; a current version is on my boat at the moment) is that a "sailing vessel means any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used. "

One could argue about what "being used" means--does it mean shaft engaged or simply that the engine is running? What I stated in my post above has always been my practical understanding of the definition, through training and anecdote and (I think) common sense and basic seamanship.

In your scenario, Rachel, would you demand your right of way as the stand-on vessel in a port/starboard tack meeting situation with you, sailing on starboard tack with your engine running to charge the batteries, meeting a purely sail vessel on port tack? I wouldn't. It seems wrong. This is the sort of situation that leads me to the interpretation I've stated.

One thing about the rules is they always generate debate, largely because of ambiguity in the way they're written. Maritime schools provide semester-long courses in this challenging subject, after which the student still barely knows all the ins-and-outs of the Rules. Countless books on the subject seem only to further confuse the issues depending on the author's point of view. Legal case after legal case has hung on various interpretations of one rule or another. Clearly, interpreting the rules can become very complex.

[Skipper Dan]

Nice post Tim, thanks for the information I will get that book.

The post reminds me of the many arguments :-) I had on the airplane boards about almost the same thing. The FAA isn't any better about explaining things in their FAR/AIM book. In some cases they go out of their way to be evasive. On some points they do not want all pilots to know you can do something so they word it like you cannot.

Shipment came from Jamestown today I'm off to get dusty/itchy.

Dan

[Rachel]

Hi Tim,

Well of course I would never "demand" my privilege, but if I were sailing with no propelling machinery being operated (i.e. no shaft and propeller turning), I would consider myself a sailing vessel. Or at least I would have before this discussion.

I guess it depends on how you think of the propelling machinery. In my mind it is the propeller and shaft, which are not turning unless my engine is in gear.

In one way, it all comes down to common sense and avoiding a collision; but on the other hand a mutual understanding of the rules is important, so that everyone "knows" what assumptions others are (or should be) running under.

This is an interesting one, and I'm going to check into it a bit further (not to "prove" anything but just because I want to understand the rules as well as I can).

Rachel

[Tim]

I don't really want to get into a deep rules discussion, as it's beyond the bounds of my knowledge and well beyond the limits of this particular thread. Unfortunately, there are few mutual understandings when it comes to the Nav Rules--hence the continual confusion and ambiguity that leads to close calls and collisions and stress.

I stand by my own interpretation of the rule at hand because it means I'll be more likely to take early and substantial action to avoid a collision if I have an engine running in my sailboat, whether or not I'm technically the stand-on or give-way vessel. (in this particular scenario), and there'd not be a question that I'd acted appropriately, since I chose the less-privileged course of action. If there's confusion, I'd rather it inconvenience me than the other boat, particularly in such a gray area.

[Rachel]

Luckily the lighting requirements are more cut and dried!

Rachel

[captphil416]

Great discussion. Follow the rules and you can not go wrong legally. If you are going offshore do not leave without the most powerfull masthead tri-color you can afford. Give ships the chance to see you. On the Pearson Triton the nav lights are only 1 meter above the waterline, all but invisible from the bridge of ships. Also carry a high power torch and if neccesary shine same at the approaching ships bridge, not upon your sails. The crews of ships are highly professional, and have fine electronics, but they still want to see you. First be safe and then be sure you are legal. Phil