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Where can I get a tricolour masthead light that isn't $1,000,000+ ?


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Decided the simplest, lightest and most effective nav light setup for the 830 would be a single masthead tricolour like I used to have on the SR.

Problem is, they appear to be a bit thin on the ground at the usual chandlers, unless you want to pay $250+ and end up with something of a size that would negate the righting abilities of the keel bulb!

 

Is there nobody that does the small ones of these anymore? doesn't even have to be LED, would settle for an old school bulbed item!

 

What am I missing?

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This is the one that Bart put on our mast, nice unit and only half what your header would think.

http://www.hellamarine.com/en/products/navigation-lamps/tri-colour/2-nm-naviled-trio-tri-colour-led-navigation-lamp.html

If you can get one at trade it would be a good option, it's 400g so something half the size would be ideal for the racing, trailer, sport boat fleet, you don't comply with motoring regs but that said they tend to keep working heaps better if installed well, and being up out of the way and water.

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Still more than $250.00 though.

Small, light, Tricolor, Anchor, Strobe, 12 or 24 v, Auto on off via photo sensor (turns itself off in the day, on at night), designed for the Vendee Globe boats.$465.00 NZD, normally + GST, but I'll do it for $465.00 incl GST or crew.org members.

 

Requires 3 wires to do all functions (4 if you want fast stobe as well)

 

See http://www.neptunes-gear.com/index.php/led-lighting.html change to NZD in the top left corner - default is USD.

 

 

Send me a PM if anyone wants one.

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Yep, cheap. But only legal when sailing. When motoring you are required to show a white steaming light at least 1m above sidelights, so ...

 

To be correctly lit at all times means a yacht with masthead tricolor needs lower nav lights AS WELL, so she can show correct lights when motoring as above. An all round white at the masthead and lower Prt/Stb lights work too, separate stern light not required .

 

Anchor light can be hung from the boom etc, so lots of stuff works, plug in when you need it etc. Garden solar lights DONT meet the requirements of 2NM visibility, at least none I've seen.

 

Just a caution, if you are involved in  an accident and are not showing the correct lights, you may not be covered by your insurance! :-(

 

FLC, fully understand the $ issue - I have it too!

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I think that in a place like Waitemata, against the backdrop of the city lights, lower lights are more effective. 

 

The Masthead would be my choice for anything and anywhere with a bit more space. Gives ships much more time to see you through increased horizons.

 

I'm not sure you can really get around having the separate pulpit lights if you want the option of  lowers as well ass masthead.

 

Pulpit lights kinda get busted and trashed though. On the cabin side, they always relect off your genoa.

 

Where would other people optimally position side lights for protection, visibility and minimization of reflected glare back to the cockpit?

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TBH I never had an anchor light or steaming light on Gaucho, guess I was just more irresponsible then...

Are you saying that whilst sailing I can have a port/starboard on the pointy end and a 360 degree white light (anchor light on the top of the rig and no stern light?

Maybe I should have a look for the colregs... ;-)

My issue with going for pulpit or topsides mounted ones is pretty much to do the aesthetics of white or black light housings on a slime green hull or the fact lines seem to get tangled around pulpit mounted ones and rip them apart..

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Yep MB, the all in one at the masthead is good, with the proviso in my post above. One other advantage is the Amazonia Tri light combo I sell also only draws 0.15a, so, while sailing, it's all you need. When motoring power is not so important...

I really like the masthead lights at sea. They are visible from much further than deck or rail level lights on a yacht. I've had a friend pick out my strobe at over 5nm, although I'd switched that on as he could not see the tricolour.

Some don't like masthead anchor lights, and say they can be mistaken for stars. Mine could never be mistaken for a star - way to bright. Plus, if you have to look up to see it, then collision is imminent! From 1 boat length away, it's at about 45 degrees, which is within normal horizontal vision...

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And yes, you can dispense with the stern light if your white masthead is 360 deg, but only when motoring! When sailing, you need the white light aft, so tricolour or stern light and sidelights. If you have an anchor/tricolour combo, then you only need lower sidelights to be complient, as the anchor light can be both the steaming light and stern light when motoring, in combo with the lower sidelights.

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mb yes that's not correct, your showing the lights of a vessel under power, and any other yacht under sail and showing the correct lights can expect you to give way

 

With most of the yachts finishing the SSANZ races in the dark we see many that aren't compliant and some that are wrong and unsafe. I've pointed this out to some when I've had a chance but this mostly hasn't been appreciated

One of the most common faults are faded lenses on Tri lights, the green will look white until very close,

Another one is "na that boats motoring so it can't be one of ours don't worry about taking their time"

And the third most common one is the boats on starboard tack approaching the finish line with the helmsman looking at the finish boat with a red LED headlamp on, the boat is now showing red green red.

 

If someone hit them would the be in the wrong ?

Probably

 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 

I used to often change from masthead Tri light to our lowers when in heavy traffic as in harbour people aren't looking up also in a crowded bay I often hang a LED lantern off the boom at night as well as having the anchor light on for the same reason.

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last night at 10pm

 

voom was motoring back from the bucklands beach rum races

 

(thanks for the rum guys!)

 

ken + i were followed and then stopped by the police in deodar III about stanley point

 

during the racing a stray sheet had dropped over the rear beam and wiped off the rear nav light, so once we got into the inner harbor and ferrys were flying up behind us in the dark i was holding a torch pointing backwards in 1 hand and the tiller in the other while ken packed the boat away

 

the side lights were going but no use from the rear

 

the torch had a pretty high powered LED and as we bounced around over ferry wakes etc the police thought we may have been flashing a distress signal

 

we weren't, they were happy, we both carried on

 

so they are out there, they are watching

 

but no looking for trouble

 

eg i don't think they bothered with the yacht motoring out at north head that seemed to be using a white mast head anchor light as their only nav light....

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Jon, fair point, but it is not just some old tri lights whose green looks white - lots of old lenses both upper and lower have this issue, especially the lights with cheap crap plastic not up to the UV. 

 

It is possible to get luminous paint, and paint your wind indicator with that - Well, the vane and the bottom of the angle indicators, then no torch needed. Works well. So does having a deck level wind display...

 

There are heaps of boats out there with poor or incorrect lights, and some with none! Please make sure your lights are up to the task, it's safer for us all.

 

Finally Jon, as per my previous post - I don't believe you have to look up to see a masthead light, unless you are already to damn close! Background/city lights can be difficult for lights at any level, depending on the circumstances.

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Back to the original post.

 

FLC I went thro the same decisions when moving lights from behind sails to where they could be seen.\

 

In the end I went bi-colour at mast head and transom mounted stern light.  not 100% correct but then someone show me a boat where everything is correct, including quadrants.

 

The one I have is USCG approved as masthead lights ......... all LEDs and did not break the bank, well within your budget.

 

So far have had no dramas, but I also run "steaming" light for when motoring

 

Enjoy the decision making process

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think yes

 

as we become power boats when we run under power

 

the exact combination of lights depends on boat length

 

but you'll note that all power boats show white in all directions

 

plus - red to port, green to stbd

 

Navigation-lights-1.jpg

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