Lights and day shapes - pop quiz round 2 -

[Tomfoolery]

I do sail in the oceans EXCLUSIVELY . . .

Well then, here's a nice tricolor/anchor/strobe light unit for just over $100. Uses just the two wires of the anchor light, but by switching it on and off, you can cycle between anchor (the default), tricolor, and strobe (for emergencies).

http://store.marinebeam.com/smart-led-t ... 3-tri-cmb/

I have no idea what the quality is, but I came across it and immediately thought of you.

[BOAT]

Thanks,

I have a wind sensor up there right now with not much room for anything else except maybe a small drone type camera. And did you hear the comments from NiceAft, sailboatmike, and DaveC426913? They said the big boats will ignor my lights anyways and run over me! This makes me think I need a better plan.

That was why I asked about the radar - At the end of a nice day of sailing we were tying up at one of our favorite restaurant docks here in Oceanside and I noticed a couple about our age in an X boat tied up a littler further down - I walked up to their boat and they told me they were visiting from Phoenix, Arizona; So of course, I invited them onto our boat. I noticed a RayMarine radar dome on top of their aft mast arch and asked about it when they were on board 'boat' and they told me they had sailed from San Francisco to Los Angeles out to Catalina back to Oceanside and were on their way to San Diego Bay!!! (Holy Crap!) So I immediately understood the usefulness of a radar considering they were sailing in Bay Area Waters and also in some really busy shipping lanes.

This has always made me thing that maybe it might be better to install AIS or RADAR (or both? ) on the MAC is your really serious about not getting run over by a big ship??

I would like someone with radar on their MAC to start a thread someday to teach the rest of us if it's a replacement for AIS? Or if it makes boating a night much safer, and so forth. Would a camera on the mast be better???

I need edumacation (I asked Highlander about a radar unit I saw and when he looked at the link he said I would microwave fry nuke my brain and genitals if I installed it on 'boat', so I am sort of left confused on the subject).

[Rackman]

If you're not anchored you're still underway...display the same running lights...

[Tomfoolery]

This has always made me thing that maybe it might be better to install AIS or RADAR (or both? ) on the MAC is your really serious about not getting run over by a big ship??

Well, our small boats are very small targets for radar, so I would consider them invisible for the purposes of being seen and not run over at night (or during the day, for that matter). So AIS would be a good thing to have if sailing across shipping lanes or where there is much likelihood of being run over by a big ship, I would think. That's assuming it's both sending your location, and reading the location of other vessels with AIS.

And radar would certainly increase the visibility of other vessels, especially large ones. Staying the hull out of their way is usually a smart way to sail. They seem to get real big real fast.

So having both would seem to make sense, though that won't be cheap. But that's not remotely in my area of experience (as it were ), so others would be better to discuss that with. I do see plenty of sailboats with radar, of course, including the antenna mounted on an arch instead of the front of the mast. But what would be suitable for an I couldn't guess.

[BOAT]

But that's not remotely in my area of experience (as it were ), so others would be better to discuss that with. I do see plenty of sailboats with radar, of course, including the antenna mounted on an arch instead of the front of the mast. But what would be suitable for an I couldn't guess.

Well, if Tomfoolery does not know about something I SURELY will not know enough to make a sound decision. I need some help.

I thought the idea if radar was it would allow me to see other boats at night - is that how it works? AIS is great too, actually better because it tells you what kind of boat your looking at, their speed, course - and their phone number so you can call them up and ask them if they plan on running over you. (I think they call it MMSI). But most other small boats do not transmit AIS so you will still run into those if your not looking.

Should I start a new thread asking for advice?

I think I will add AIS to 'boat' because it's SO easy - it's just a black box you put between the radio and the antenna and it sends the stuff right to the backbone cables that all the plotters are using - that's easy peasy.

Radar? That sounds harder - and I don't want to microwave my brain (there is not much of it left) so I need advice on that. I will be sailing a lot at night starting in about 2 years so this is sort of important.

[Tomfoolery]

Should I start a new thread asking for advice?

That would make sense. And i would search for existing threads on the subject, too.

[Highlander]

Mark / Tom No need to start a new thread on this Radar subject I already did , for our boats u wanna go with a 3D or the newer 4D which gives a little more graphic display & longer range than 3D & then there is the newer Raymarine Quantum Radar dome which I bought with a new Raymarine MFD eS98 GPS/Depth/Fish finder/Radar multi display or overlap display , they all produce less Radiation than ur Cell Ph. so can b mounted safely just above ur Bimini on a small arch , the raymarine radar unit uses the least batt power but the 4D unit,s usually have 2 speed ranges which gives them a little more longer distance range , just depends what suites ur needs most here,s the link I started earlier this yr
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 15#p322502

Cheer,s J

[BOAT]

Okay, John - I will go back and read the entire post - I think I remember some of it - (especially the part where you said my brains would melt if I turned on the radar) - and if I still have questions I guess prepare for that thread to reappear on the home page!

[Highlander]

Okay, John - I will go back and read the entire post - I think I remember some of it - (especially the part where you said my brains would melt if I turned on the radar) - and if I still have questions I guess prepare for that thread to reappear on the home page!

Yes mark that was for the old generation or commercial units , check out the newer 3D/4D or Quantum units for smaller Pleasure craft
J

[Tomfoolery]

If you're not anchored you're still underway...display the same running lights...

No sails up, no engine running, displaying red/green sidelights plus white masthead (steaming) light, and white stern light.

What happens when another boat is coming at you, and sees the green with white over it from up to 10 pts to your starboard side? That would make the other boat the stand-on vessel, with an obligation to maintain speed and course (per the COLREGS, but only up to a point), and you're the give-way vessel but you don't change course or speed as you're obligated to do because your engine isn't running and you're just drifting?

From behind to 6 points either side of center, the other vessel sees a white light, so moving or not (could be an anchor light), the other vessel is burdened.

Not saying you're wrong. It's just that it's not as simple a question as it seems.

[NiceAft]

Tom,

As much as regulations try to cover all possible scenarios, common sense is expected from every captain. Sometimes you have to go above and beyond what is considered the norm.

Me, I would have every every light I could, illuminated, and a powerful handheld at hand, in case a vessel was getting too close. I would rather be alive and defending myself in court, than maimed or dead because someone either did not see or understood my position.

Ray

[BOAT]

Anchoring is a whole different animal.

To be honest - If I am not in an anchorage at night I want to be moving. There are a few times we will see people anchor along the coast here off shore from any harbor or anchorage just pull up a mile from shore and toss out an anchor for the night (sometimes they are fishing, sometimes they are just tired). But it's very rare - I can see 50 miles of coast in either direction and I might see a boat at anchor maybe twice a year - it's very rare. Most people anchor in a bay or harbor or anchorage, not along the shore on the three mile line where boats travel up and down the coast.

I suppose you could anchor in the lanes - (I never do) - but then to me that's like sleeping on the railroad tracks: you know a train will come sooner or later and your just hoping you wake up before it comes.

[Tomfoolery]

Anchoring is a whole different animal.

Yes it is, but in this case, you're not anchored - you're just drifting, enjoying the view, fishing, or whatever. What lights do you burn? Assume you're not in the middle of a narrow channel or shipping lane, though that probably doesn't make any difference other than having a death wish or not.

[BOAT]

If your not at anchor then I would assume your still at the helm ready to make a move at any moment - that's a really big difference from a boat at anchor.

I hoist an anchor light when I am at actually ON AN ANCHOR out in a bay or offshore or in a primitive place like the Sea of Cortez, (any bay where there could be folks coming and going during the night). I have the light there just to let others know I am there - but I am still afraid because I see boats come in at night and ram other boats all the time in harbors and bays. Now, most of you probably have favorite lakes and waterways that are fairly abandoned at night and don't worry much and that's a great thing, but here in California there is a bit of a population problem. People show up almost anywhere. That's why I like to sleep at night on a commercial mooring like Avalon or Two Harbors or if a slip is available that's always my first choice. My last resort is to anchor. But when I do, there are a few things I do:

Number one: I anchor as SHALLOW as I possibly can with all the boards up - this keeps any large boats AWAY from me and limits the degrees of the compass that another boat can approach me from 360 to 180. (Less horizon to watch)
Number two: I anchor with white lights on the mast and NO lights on the waterline (I don't want anyone to get the idea that I am underway or on the helm). The steaming light that comes with the boat is okay, but I also hoist another battery light up the mast to make sure my lights can be seen 360 degrees.

Aside from doing a watch, that's about all I can do and all I have ever done - and yes, on at least three occasions I have been nearly run over when at anchor and a couple times where people ran into my lines.
- so it's always something that makes me nervous. I avoid it when possible. If I were a lake sailor I would probably use the beach a lot.

I don't see a problem with having the spreader lights on at night if your at anchor (as long as they are white lights) but I am not well educated on this stuff like Tom is.

[Baha]

Not a lot of takers, but here's another one anyway.

Boating at night, engine off, no sails, nobody actually at the helm - just drifting. A common thing to do around sunset and a little later where I am, by the way.

Q; What light(s) should you display?

Are you in a channel? Are there other vessels around? You need streaming light, and red/green bow lights, and a white stern light. Since you are able to maneuver, and are choosing to drift, I don't know of a legal light combination to go with that.