360* nav light ?

[SS MAYFLOAT]

On my bridge is the 360 nav light. It is on a pole about 3' high. There are 2 lights in it. One is pointed forward while the other is pointed aft.<br /><br />While anchoring I have both lights on with the other lights off. Then when I am underway, I turn off the one that is facing aft. This way it does not blind my night vision. There are two other white lights on the craft as well. One above the cabin door and one on the transom. <br /><br />My problem comes from the DNR saying the 360 must remain on no matter what. I explained that with the light pointing aft that it blinds me and that it has its own seperate switch for that particular light. <br /><br />As usual I'm probably wrong for trying to run that way, but why is there two sperate lights with seperate switches. They are marked and appear to be original.<br /><br />To please DNR, I plan to remove that light and get another to mount on top of my bimini top. This way the light won't be blinding me while underway at night.<br /><br />Does anyone know why or what the purpose of the two lights are for and why they would be on seperate switches?<br /><br />Thanks.....SS

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: 360* nav light ?

The navigation lights should include a green/red bow and a white stern light. The stern light must be visible 360*. The bow light needs to be visible from the front and sides, but not the back. The white light on your bowlight is probably just a courtesy light. I doubt it's intended to be on underway.<br /><br />The separate switches are for Anchor/Navigation lights. For anchoring, you just need the stern light lit. You probably got a small pamphlet with your boat registration. That should explain it all.

 

[gspig]

Re: 360* nav light ?

Must be your state's rule. Ky rules state that powerboats must have red and green bow lights a forward facing and rear facing white light. The white light on my boat is set like yours. My white light is on a pole on my windshield. Under power, the white light is only lit in the front half and a rear transom mounted light is on. At anchor, both lights on the pole are on and all other lights out.<br /><br />Edit: Just checked KY Dept of Fish and Wildlife. Newest pamphlet shows boats under 26' as having green and red bow light and a 360* stern light. Class 2 and 3 boats have same lights and an additional mid mounted white light, but doesn't appear to be a full 360*.

 

[rwidman]

Re: 360* nav light ?

If you want some confusion to lighten up your day, start here:<br /><br /> http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/PartC.htm <br /><br />Basically, on most of the boats forum members are likely to own, red and green bowlights are required as well as two white lights or a 360 deree white light when under way. When anchored, the 360 degree white light is left on, the bow lights are turned off.<br /><br />Many boating books have a better explanation.<br /><br />If the white light blinds the operator (what a design!), it's sometimes possible to place a shield under the light so it only shines horizontally, not down.

 

[jtexas]

Re: 360* nav light ?

may I add that you are "underway" any time you're not anchored or moored, as when drifting, and the red/green bow lights must be on.

 

[gspig]

Re: 360* nav light ?

Looks like my and Mayfloat's boat comply with Coast Guard reg but not our respective state's. I wonder if boats are "grandfathered". My boat was built with the lights in the described configuration.

 

[KaGee]

Re: 360* nav light ?

I believe they want the 360 light left on because the stern light won't pass the "arc of visibility" test.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 360* nav light ?

I have the typical red/green nav lights. They are not on the bow, but on the sides of the fly bridge. The boat is 27', so that may put me into a different catagory.<br /><br />If you look at my boat at night from the side you can see the 360 plus the red/green depending on what direction your looking at it. If you would be looking from center to aft, the white transom, and white nav light above the cabin door would be visible. So another in a boat can tell which way your vessel is traveling with or without the 360 being fully illuminated.<br /><br />I have always wanted to dispute these guys, but rather your right or wrong, they are always right and there is no need to argue their point of view.<br /><br />I really don't want to alter what was factory just so I can see at night. If I shut off the aft looking light, I can see fine. Thanks

 

[gewf631]

Re: 360* nav light ?

This site has some very good graphics and explainations.<br /><br />They state that, <br /> Power driven vessels of less than 20 meters shall exhibit navigation lights as shown

<br /><br />They show this configuration for Vessels of less than 12 meters in length <br />

 

[gspig]

Re: 360* nav light ?

I think local law may trump CG law. My lights are like the pic to the right of the sailboat. KY regs. show a picture like the one to the right on the vessels less than 12 meters, this applies to Class1 and class 2 vessels as defined by KY regs.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 360* nav light ?

Yep, gspig, mine is like the photo in the top right pic. Whatdaya know, It is NOT a 360* light.<br /><br />I'm going to check into Ohio law which is very simialar to USCG. I'll print it out and hand them the law as I read and understood it. There is just no way of operating my boat with this light in front of me when it is on. DUH<br /><br />Last year at a fireworks show, there were about 400 boats present. They singled me out of the bunch, but didn't notice that only one boat had the red and green light reversed. <br /><br />Thanks again for the help, it has been beneficial and has backed up what I thought was within regs.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 360* nav light ?

Cool, I found it. My configuration is like the bottom boat in Fig. 1. Does the mast head light look like 360*? Nooooo! Maybe that is the key word I should use in explaining to them it is not an all around light, but is a masthead light. At least that is to their terminology.<br /><br />it is here http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/opsguide/navlites.htm

 

[salty87]

Re: 360* nav light ?

i have the same windshield-type mounted light and am also going to move it to the top of my wakeboard tower.<br /><br />that's another issue that i haven't gotten a straight answer to....the 360 degree light is supposed to be highest point, it was when my boat was built but not with the wakeboard tower added.<br /><br />i'm just going to move it, i'd like to go with an LED replacement.