Light position specs

[Simon B]

You comercial chaps should be to answer this instantly;

We're putting nav lights on our rib its going to be used for diving what do we need and can any of the ones that are suposed to be fitted on the centre line be fitted off centre by about 8" (200mm)

[Simon Hawkins]

I presume you are talking about your all round white steaming light. Please give more details.

[Simon B]

Yes primarily, however I believe if a dive boat operates in low light conditions then it has to show "resricted in ability to manouvre" red white red, I assume these are all round too.

[Polwart]

RULE 23 (c)

(iii) the masthead light or all-round white light on a power driven vessel of less than 12 meters in length may be displaced from the fore and aft centerline of the vessel if centerline fitting is not practicable, provided the sidelights are combined in one lantern which shall be carried on the fore and aft centerline of the vessel or located as nearly as practicable in the same fore and aft line as the masthead light or all-round white light.

[pressman]

You could also fly the blue and white diving flag

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by pressman

You could also fly the blue and white diving flag

Presumably not much use at night?

Rule 27 (e) says:

Whenever the size of a vessel engaged in diving operations makes it impracticable to exhibit all lights and shapes prescribed in paragraph (d) of this Rule, the following shall be exhibited:

(i) Three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;

(ii) a rigid replica of the code flag "A" not less than 1 meter in height. Measures shall be taken to ensure its all-round visibility.

[pressman]

Whatever you do there will always be someone who doesnt understand!!

We were out mid channel flat calm, roasting hot. A yottie appeared heading straight for us they had come to see what we were upto.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by pressman

We were out mid channel flat calm, roasting hot. A yottie appeared heading straight for us they had come to see what we were upto.

I had that checking moorings for my sailing club. We're sitting inshore, anchored up with the A-Flag up, and we saw the boat they use to transport the tug crews steaming over. They were close enough that we could hear thm saying "What's that flag then" with us gesturing them to get lost. Eventually, about 2m off us, one of them went "Oh yeah, diver down" and off they went again!

Muppets!

[Simon B]

At least they we approaching with some semblance of caution, some nobba out of Swannage ploughed through a group of our divers in a motorcruiser doing full bore or near enough, should have called it in but was more worried about our divers and he was moving fast, but what did I expect when he was wearing Oakley "thermo nuclear protection" - yes he was that close!

[karlT]

We run a dive charter rib in channel isles with seacats blasting past us regularly.

You need side nav lights forward steaming light and stern light. Get steam light and stern light separate for good following reason. Steaming light should be 1m above side lights but where this is not possible can be reduced see annexes of colregs.

Also all round white light for when anchored.

We use red white red (restricted in ability to manouevre) in low vis / night and also fly dive flag whilst diving only!!! .The red /w /r is offset by about 50cm from centre line.

The reason to have separate steaming / stern light. If you have divers down on say a wreck and you are simply drifting near the shot line (we use poled buoy with strobe and dive flag) to keep track of shot line at night we also have to inform coastguard every time we dive of where and how many persons to comply with their local instructions.
Good for them and us as we have often been asked if available to assist craft in area. (and also should we ever lose a diver know where we are to start any searches from) So using a strobe is not a problem as the coasty already knows if the public report it.

When drifting you are not making way but are technically underway so need to show stern and side lights as well as red/ w /r. As soon as you start motoring to pick divers up or to return to shot you are making way and need steaming light.

The results of this are on your own responsibilities should come across another vessel showing RAM as to who has right of way.

read annexes of colregs for detailed specs of lighting heights / specs or speak to MCA who will no doubt give you detailed answer!

Cheers
Karl T