Navigation Lights

[Chris]

I have noticed that most ribs have port and starboard nav lights and then an all round white poking up on top of the a-frame.

The Aframe on Pigs Ear also has a mounting point for a stern light as well.

I guess the way you should have it set up is the port, starboard and stern lights are effectively your running lights and should be wired on one switch. Then the all round white is on a seperate switch and should only be used when at rest as an anchor light...

However most ribs I have seen tend to run at night with an all round white.

Have I got this right?

[maxhar]

All round white + sidelights are the norm - never seen a stern facing light on a rib, it's always been an all rounder.

For boats that are 4m and under it is permissible to display only the all round white light.

[captnjack]

Most RIBs run an all-round white while underway as they don't have a masthead light (which would be white). The white all-around takes the place of the masthead which covers the forward 225 degrees and the white sternlight which covers the aft 135 degrees. Vessels under 65ft or so (20m) can combine these two lights into the all around.

So two switches. One for the red+green sidelights. Second switch for the all-around white. Underway both switches should be on. At anchor just the all-around white.

No stern light unless you have some way to mount a white forward masthead light covering the forward 225 degrees and 1m above the red+green sidelights.

[thomas]

Brought this up recently and went away feeling like a bit of a noob, although sailed for years, so I went round the marina and looked at every rib to see how they were set up, according to the MCA and on here they were all wrong.

Vessels under 12 metres
Power vessels of less than 12 metres in length shall exhibit:

a) Separate or combined sidelights, a masthead light and a stern light or

b) Separate or combined sidelights, an all round white light.

Masthead or white all round light shall be carried at least 1 metre above the sidelights.


How many people on here have a white light a meter above their side lights? Not even sea school ribs in our marine do. My boat has once switch called 'Nav Lights' that does the side and anothe called 'Anchor' that does the top.

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by thomas

How many people on here have a white light a meter above their side lights? Not even sea school ribs in our marine do. My boat has once switch called 'Nav Lights' that does the side and anothe called 'Anchor' that does the top.

This is how mine's set up. Although underway you need to have both switches on.

My pole could be a bit longer; my all-around is roughly 80cm above the sidelights depending on the trim.

[martini]

Originally Posted by thomas

How many people on here have a white light a meter above their side lights?

I do, but it's an 8.5m so not difficult to keep a-frame in proportion etc

Originally Posted by captnjack

My pole could be a bit longer;

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by thomas

.

Masthead or white all round light shall be carried at least 1 metre above the sidelights.


How many people on here have a white light a meter above their side lights?

Yup BP does

[Erin]

If you want to be smart you can use a dual pole switch for the nav lights and a second single pole switch for the anchor light.

On the nav light switch, one pole is used for the port and starboard lights whilst the second pole switches the anchor light. This means that when this switch is operated all three lights come on but the two circuits are kept separate. You then wire the anchor light switch in parallel with the first switch. This will also be able to turn on just the anchor light but without interfering with the port and starboard as they are electrically isolated on the first switch. Sounds complicated, but really is quite simple. Suppose I could do a little diagram if anyone's interested. Works well on my boat anyway.

[captnjack]

Originally Posted by martini

I'm willing to be jealous if your's is bigger than 80cm

Otherwise

[Ribochet]

Just to clarify what the IRPCS states in relation to a vessel operating at night with a single all-round white light

Rule 23
A power-driven vessel of less than 7 metres in length whose maximum speed does not exceed 7 knots may in lieu of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule exhibit an all-round white light and shall, if practicable, also exhibit sidelights;