Annual rant - lights

[Guest]

How many collisions happen a year in NZ as the result of poorly fitted or non existant Nav lights?

 

Is it a big issue.

 

More to the point: the current standards for lights are inadequate.

 

I have compliant nav lights…..but at 30deg heel in a sea I doubt that most vessels will see me. I think the 'Admiralty' chaps should be looking at keeping with the times - there is more marine traffic, more background shore lighting, the commercial vessels are faster, etc. A little stobe light on top of the mast would help. Many cruisers are already doing so.

[Guest Crafty 1]

How many collisions happen a year in NZ as the result of poorly fitted or non existant Nav lights?

 

Is it a big issue.

 

More to the point: the current standards for lights are inadequate.

 

I have compliant nav lights…..but at 30deg heel in a sea I doubt that most vessels will see me. I think the 'Admiralty' chaps should be looking at keeping with the times - there is more marine traffic, more background shore lighting, the commercial vessels are faster, etc. A little stobe light on top of the mast would help. Many cruisers are already doing so.

 

Good points

[Bimini Babe 0]

those stupid solar Garden lights are just plain dangerous and stupid to use.

Why's that? I don't have an anchor light on my boat - not that I've found anyway... usually use the foredeck spotlight at night when anchored, but it's a big drain on the battery, so was thinking about just getting a 'stupid solar garden light' instead! Why not?

[Guest]

Great thread guys and thanks for reading it. As someone who hasnt done much cruising and left it to the skipper to put the lights on, its been very helpful. Whats the difference between a anchoring light and a steaming light? I wouldnt have a clue if there different or the same thing.

[unpc 5]

The problem with the garden lights are that they are not bright enough - 2 miles visibility and may not last til morning. It is also quite likely that they will not be fixed in a position that allows all round visibility eg being obscured by a bimini. That is important when boats swing and can be at all sorts of angles to the shore.

The Bebe led anchor light is excellent has a low current draw and an automatic turn off and on with light level.

Even if you have all the lights, bulb failure seems common even with little or no use, so it pays to check the lights just in case you have to use them.

Up the mast again sigh.

[rigger 47]

 

according to Rule 22 you are right the rule is inadequate.

 

(2) In the case of sailing vessels underway, the vertical sectors of electric lights as

fitted must ensure that -

(a) at least the required minimum intensity is maintained at all angles from 5

degrees above to 5 degrees below the horizontal; and

( at least 50 per cent of the required minimum intensity is maintained from

25 degrees above to 25 degrees below the horizontal.

[wheels 543]

Why's that? I don't have an anchor light on my boat

Brightness is one problem, but colour temp is the other. They blend in perfectly with a Stary background and look like just another star. A proper anchor light easily stands out from the Stary background.

Under 12m boats only need a 1Nm light, over 12m needs the 2Nm light.

After now experiencing twice, nearly running into anchored boats with poor or no lighting at night, I now do not take any risks with just assuming. I get the Bino's out and take a good look. It is amasing what a good set will bring up out of the Dark.

[dutyfree 170]

I agree that it is a problem. Many people don't get about at night, but some of us have quite often. The worst was when I came across a yacht race where I first identified the back markers by the back lights on their wind instruments through binoculars! It was between Waiheke and Maraetai Beach. I was actually looking for the usual small tinnies that fish out there. There were three of us on look out including using radar. I would say that about a third of the yachts were showing no or extremely weak lights.

 

It is easy to sit there in the knowledge that you can see what you need to see, but the reality is that the navigation lights are so others can see you!

[Megwyn 2]

I get the Bino's out and take a good look. It is amasing what a good set will bring up out of the Dark.

 

Thread drift . . .

So, what would you recommend as a good set of bino's? There are so many out there - how do you sort the wheat from the chaff?

 

M

[darkside 61]

I bought my wife Steiner Skippers 7x50 for christmas a few years back

We were full time cruising back then and yes she was pleased. It made it a lot easier to work out what the ships were up to. And of course those french sailors who like to run without navigation lights...

They weren't cheap but are great quality. The 7x50 may be a bit much if there is a bit of sea running as they can be difficult to hold steady enough. For a fast cruiser or smaller boat that moves a bit 7x35 could be better. They are just great in the dark though

[Guest Crafty 1]

I get the Bino's out and take a good look. It is amasing what a good set will bring up out of the Dark.

 

Thread drift . . .

So, what would you recommend as a good set of bino's? There are so many out there - how do you sort the wheat from the chaff?

 

M

 

 

You take many pairs of bino's outside put your eye's to them, look through them, and compare. too Easy

 

Good quality optics technically will make a difference to clarity etc... but the best measure is determining at what distance you want to see things then just measuring the clarity of objects at that distance between the brands. With your eyes.

 

Generally the more you spend the better they get.

 

This will help...

 

http://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/ma ... culars.php

[Grinna 2]

Waterproof is a very important feature to have on boats, and not just for the obvious reason. Waterproof binoculars have far better seals and rapid changes in temperature won't cause leaks, fogging, etc which can allow fungal growths and dust intrusion and all sorts of other things.

 

7x50 refers to the magnification (7 times) and the size of the objective lens in mm (50mm). The larger the objective lens, the more light can get into the binocular theoretically. The balance between objective lens size and magnification determines the size of the exit pupil .... that is the size of the aperture of light leaving the binocular and going into your eye. If the exit pupil is larger than the size your pupil can expand to then the binocular will not limit the amount of light going into your eye ... it will have maximum brightness at low light levels. A smaller exit pupil may, under low light conditions, limit the amount of light entering your eye.

 

The quality of the lens and the way they're arranged together with the coatings on the lenses and general construction quality all help to determine the price. Roughly, the more you pay the better the quality.

 

Inbuilt compass is a debatable issue. Some people love them, others never use them. You pay more for a compass built into your binoculars. An illuminated compass is probably worth it if you're going down that route.

[Fogg 427]

those stupid solar Garden lights are just plain dangerous and stupid to use.

Why's that? I don't have an anchor light on my boat - not that I've found anyway... usually use the foredeck spotlight at night when anchored, but it's a big drain on the battery, so was thinking about just getting a 'stupid solar garden light' instead! Why not?

 

Why use a Heath Robinson approach for what should be considered a mission-critical system? Would you replace you car headlight bulb with a candle?

 

When I bought AC the nav lights weren't up to scratch. It was the #1 priority job to get fixed before I would even leave the marina for the maiden voyage. You might set out for a day sail but you never know when events conspire against you and you find yourself on the water at dusk. The thought of being afloat with incorrect lights scares me into action. But the evidence is that not everyone else feels the same way and many people couldn't care less about their lights.

 

Binos. I think 7x50 is generally regarded as the optimum choice for marine use. 7x magnification is about right - much more e.g. 10x - and the movement gets too much to hold a steady view. And the 50 (referring to the size of objective lens - the big end) means you are gathering much more light then say a 40. Which gives you an overall light value of 50/7 = 7 (approx). Which is excellent and actually brightens the true light. Try looking through a pair of good 7x50s at dusk and you will see that the view thru the binos is actually brighter than the view with the naked eye. That's what you want.

[Guest]

I've heard wheels say that before, but what is the problem? Not bright enough? I thought they'd be OK, come in pascks of 6, you could spread fthem around.

[Megwyn 2]

Thanks guys - that helps.

 

Burnsco have a couple - 7x50's. One is smaller than the other.

I will check out the waterproof features.

 

[Fogg 427]

I've heard wheels say that before, but what is the problem? Not bright enough? I thought they'd be OK, come in pascks of 6, you could spread fthem around.

 

For God's sake why? Why would it even enter your mind to use garden appliances on your boat? You wouldn't in your car or your plane (if you had one). So why in heavan's name for your boat? Why the resistance to something that is so crashingly straightforward and obvious?

 

It's not hard, it's not expensive, there's no excuse. I just don't get it.

 

If you want a cheap-as-chips anchor light here's one for the price of a bottle or rum (and the LED nav lights are similarly cheap):

 

http://www.burnsco.co.nz/Products_28.aspx?CategoryId=5&ProductId=19440

 

[Bimini Babe 0]

Bottle of rum AC?! Well that's just ludicrous! Of course I'd take the rum instead!

 

I just like the fact that they're self-contained. No switches or battery connections means you don't have to remember to switch a light on before bedtime (which I've done before), and no need to remember to turn it off when you get up (which I've also done, draining the battery).

[Megwyn 2]

I agree BB. They stay out there during the day and charge. Then automatically turn on at night then off during the day. And they don't drain the battery.

 

Some of the LED solar lights are reasonably bright. Never had problems finding the Elliott at night when returning from a party on someone elses yacht or ashore. Yet others who had come in before dark could not see their yachts because they had not turned the anchor light on.

 

I agree, some solar lights are rather poor - but the new generation LED solar lights?

[Grinna 2]

You can now get LED bulb replacements for standard anchor light fittings that have light sensors in them, so that they come on at dusk and go off at dawn automatically. They are white lights, so there's no issue about colour temperature and being LEDs they use far less power than a standard bulb. Forgetting to turn the anchor light off is no longer an issue.

 

Personally, we have a masthead anchor light and then usually string an LED cockpit light as well as having a couple of garden solar lights in the cockpit. Don't want to look like a floating city, but also don't want to meet new people by accident (so to speak).

[Fogg 427]

The LED lights are such low drain that it's almost irrelevant, in the 0.5-1W region which would draw a fraction of an amp and your battery will hardly notice it even overnight.

 

And after a few times, remembering to turn it off/on will become second nature. When it's dark enough that I need to turn on my cabin lights, I know it's time to also switch on my anchor light. And the reverse routine in the morning. How hard can it be?