Need Help Understanding Navigation Light Requirements

minuteman62-64

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Apr 12, 2011
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Now getting to the time where I'm actually spending more time using my boat than working on it. Since I might be out after dark, as shorter days approach, I'm looking at installing navigation lights.

My understanding is that for my boat, 15'-6" aluminum skiff w/outboard, I need one of those red/green lights on the bow and an "all around" white light on the stern. Previous owner had removable pole lights - a 10" long red/green one for the bow and a 24" long white one for the stern. That would work great for me, since they'd be easy to stow away.

My question is regarding how high the lights have to be. Based on my reading, the stern "all around" light has to be 1 meter (about 40") higher than the bow light. So, my boat has a high bow, 19" higher than the stern quarter where the all around light would mount. If I use a 10" pole light on the bow (as did the PO), to have the stern light 1 meter higher it needs to be 10" + 19" + 40" high?????? Does that make sense? I haven't seen any boats the size of mine motoring around with a light on a 70" high pole. I might as well put a sail on it and use it for emergency propulsion.

Am I reading the regs. correctly?
 

Bondo

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Now getting to the time where I'm actually spending more time using my boat than working on it. Since I might be out after dark, as shorter days approach, I'm looking at installing navigation lights.

My understanding is that for my boat, 15'-6" aluminum skiff w/outboard, I need one of those red/green lights on the bow and an "all around" white light on the stern. Previous owner had removable pole lights - a 10" long red/green one for the bow and a 24" long white one for the stern. That would work great for me, since they'd be easy to stow away.

My question is regarding how high the lights have to be. Based on my reading, the stern "all around" light has to be 1 meter (about 40") higher than the bow light. So, my boat has a high bow, 19" higher than the stern quarter where the all around light would mount. If I use a 10" pole light on the bow (as did the PO), to have the stern light 1 meter higher it needs to be 10" + 19" + 40" high?????? Does that make sense? I haven't seen any boats the size of mine motoring around with a light on a 70" high pole. I might as well put a sail on it and use it for emergency propulsion.

Am I reading the regs. correctly?

Ayuh,..... Why change what works,..??
 

minuteman62-64

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Ayuh,..... Why change what works,..??

If you mean go back to what the PO had (10" pole light on bow & 24" pole light on stern) that would work great for me. Just doesn't seem to conform to the 1 meter higher than bow light requirement (if I'm reading it correctly). Have to get new lights in any event, since the old ones were corroded and damaged beyond repair and were thrown out. I'm going to go LED lights for the new ones.
 

phillyg

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Jul 26, 2007
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The previous owner was on to the requirement, almost. You need the height differential between the red/green and the all around white light. So, since your bow is high and you put your red/green on a pole, just make sure your white light is on a pole and shows at least one meter higher than your red/green.
 

smokeonthewater

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Nobody is gonna worry about a couple inches in height or for that matter a foot.... ditch the front pole and flush the bow light... put the rear on a 48" pole and go boating.... Think about it how are they gonna accurately measure the height of the lights while floating in the water.......... They aren't.....


Most importantly make sure the all around light is the highest point on your boat such that it can easily be seen from all directions
 

UncleWillie

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Oct 18, 2011
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The All Round light needs to be visible "ALL Round" at All Times.
That means it needs to be above your head when you stand up and above anything else. Especially when stopped!
The Previous Owner's, 24 inch, All-round light almost certainly was NOT visible from All Directions, All the Time.
It would also be right in your face.

The mast for my All Round is about 5 feet long.
It mounts an the rear transom, which places it nearly 8 feet above the deck, and about a foot above the Bimini.
If it were any lower it could not be seen All Round, All the Time.
It it were any lower it would be in my view and kill my night vision.

Side lights are red (port) and green (starboard) and shine from dead ahead, to 112.5 degrees aft, on either side.
Side lights may be combined into a single "Bi-color" light.
Vessels under 12m sidelights shall be visible for 1 nautical mile, All-round light shall be visible for 2 nautical miles.
Power vessels less than 12m may show a single all-round light in lieu of the separate masthead and stern lights.
All-round lights are white and shine through 360 degrees.
The All-round Light shall be carried at least 1 meter higher than the sidelights.

Unless the bow lights were also on a mast,
I can't picture a boat where, if the All-round was less than 1 meter above the Bow lights, it wouldn't be in your face when you stood up.
 
Last edited:

smokeonthewater

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Yep Willie beat me to it... I was coming back to add... Make SURE it is high enough that it doesn't shine on your dash, windshield or bow so you can actually see at night
 

minuteman62-64

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Thanks, guys, the rationale is now making sense. Looks like the PO's original set up (24" stern pole light), circa 1982, would provide a clear 360 degree shot as long as operator was sitting. However, the stern light would be lower than the bow light and, as pointed out, ruin the operator's night vision. For sure not 1 meter higher than the bow light. Maybe different requirements in 1982?

Anyways, I'm going to look to mount the bow (navigation) lights as low as possible, but still clear the point of the bow, and get the longest folding stern light I can find that will be removable and stowable and plug into and be secure in a socket at the stern quarter.
 

smokeonthewater

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FWIW I have never found a folding or telescopic stern light that wasn't a cheap POS.... not saying they don't exist but if they do it's news to me.... You might consider looking for a good storage place like clipped under the gunwale for a solid pole.
 

minuteman62-64

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FWIW I have never found a folding or telescopic stern light that wasn't a cheap POS.... not saying they don't exist but if they do it's news to me.... You might consider looking for a good storage place like clipped under the gunwale for a solid pole.

OK, good to know. Taking a look at my cockpit, looks like I could clip a 48" pole to the bow side of the stern seat (which is where the PO stored his pole lights). Maybe that will be the limiting factor.

Another factor for me: probably be using lights only 2-3 times/year. Maybe durability won't be a driving criteria. However, I'll probably buy at West, where I can actually handle the merchandise before purchasing - get some idea of durability.
 

BF

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on my aluminum boat there is a compact flush mount bow light on the front of the aluminum handle piece right on the 'v" of the bow... and a receptacle for the stern light mounted in the starboard stern handle (that sticks through just in front of the transom). I have one of the telescopic rod stern lights, that is about 3' when it is at its shortest. Probably extends to about 5'. I don't remember the brand, but it doesn't seem overly flimsy or junky to me. I rarely use the lights, (maybe twice/year)... otherwise I just have the stern light lying across the back in the splash well. It still looks and works like new after 7 years. The recepticle has a flat swivel cover that also functions to lock the light in place when it is plugged in... stern light is definitely long enough to be seen well over everyone's head.
 
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