Running lights...what's legal?

[Nos4r2]

I have the normal port/starboard/steaming/anchor lights on my boat, but as it was used on the canals here there's also a pair of rather bright spotlights on the cabin roof too. They were intended for the canal tunnels over here-dark smelly unlit places up to 2 miles long.<br />What's the position with using them whilst moving at night at sea? They'll light up as well as car headlights but are a fixed forward mounting.<br />Obviously they could be rather useful as long as I'm careful not to blind others, but are they legal?

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Running lights...what's legal?

Sorry, I cannot give advice on UK boat regulations, however i can give a boaters reaction. If you use these while docking or manuvering in tight places or for "short blasts" to light up something ahead you are trying to identify....no problem. If you feel that you need "headlights" while running at night, here are the drawbacks: 1) The light spill from these will cause you to lose your "night vision" and possbly make you somewhat blind while operating your boat. 2)Bright white light will make oncomming boats unable to see your running lights and will cause them to question your width or direction. 3) In some situations these lights could cause another boat to think that you are a stationary vehicle on a nearby road....not a boat crossing their path, while we all look out for a single beam spotlight....most boaters aren't ready for twin beam headlights.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Running lights...what's legal?

gotta hate two mile smelly tunnels..<br /><br />your laws an ours are two different laws..<br /><br />over here,, the USCG requires a red & green bow lite an a 360 deg.white lite at stern ..<br /><br />anything else is legal but optional.. <br /><br />the UK ain't known much for 'tunnels' of love',,,i reckon..

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Running lights...what's legal?

I’m not sure if there are differences in the nav light requirements between the two countries. The nav lights, their placement, visibility/angles, colors, etc are internationally defined. Perhaps the UK has its own laws regarding lights to navigate its canals. Btw, ‘Young Adam’ (with Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton) is a good movie about life on the barges that tool up and down those canals in the UK. The movie has some adult content that is not appropriate for children.<br /><br />Fwiw, international maritime law prohibits the use of any lights on a vessel if they interfere with or can be confused with the required nav lights. It’s ok to use searchlight and/or spot lights but you can’t use ‘headlights’ like you would on an automobile. I don’t believe the canals are subject to international laws.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: Running lights...what's legal?

Thanks- I guess the spotlights will have to be remounted onto swivel brackets then. I did think they'd probably be of more use pointing downward for use in shallow water close inshore at night anyway- if they illuminate the deck and water immediately around the boat and are only used for slow running close inshore then they shouldn't be a problem.