Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
meislandbill@yahoo.com
anchor light
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Dale W.
Re: anchor light
My trusty brass anchor light has been with me for the last 3 boats. I don't remember brand etc.
The cautions,
- it gets hot. Solution: a carbiner from the climbing store adds the distance needed to keep things cool.
- it soots up. Solution: keep your wick trimmed and positioned.
- it goes out. Solution: even though you only need to fill it occasionally, get in the habit of topping it off every third night or before you start using it after a long layoff.
I usually just hang it from the boom. But, as you have me thinking, there's nothing to prevent me from clipping the carbiner around the backstay and also attaching a halyard and raising it a bit.
I've got other lights, but it's nice to look out and watch it glow.
majortest@earthlink.net
The cautions,
- it gets hot. Solution: a carbiner from the climbing store adds the distance needed to keep things cool.
- it soots up. Solution: keep your wick trimmed and positioned.
- it goes out. Solution: even though you only need to fill it occasionally, get in the habit of topping it off every third night or before you start using it after a long layoff.
I usually just hang it from the boom. But, as you have me thinking, there's nothing to prevent me from clipping the carbiner around the backstay and also attaching a halyard and raising it a bit.
I've got other lights, but it's nice to look out and watch it glow.
majortest@earthlink.net
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Randy Roorbach
Re: anchor light
Check out this site, I have been coveting an anchor light by Weems and Plath but I need a boat to hoist it on...Try searching on Google for better prices. They look really nice and functional too.
R Roorbach
CT
Anchor Lights
Solid Brass, Polished and Lacquered
5" & 6" models are hoistable and are provided with guide eyelets
Oil Capacity, 4" 4.25 oz. 5"& 6" 10 oz.
Burn Time, 4" & 5" +/- 40 hours, 6" +/-30 hours with Weems & Plath lamp fuel
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 20312
Burner: Use #20000
Wiring Kit for 8201/E: Use: #E-26
# 8611/O 4" Anchor Light $ 174.95
# 00567 Chimney for 8611/O Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 00005W
Burner: Use #5111 $ 13.95
#8604/O 5" Anchor Light, Oil $ 194.95
#8604/E 5" Anchor Light, Electric $ 204.95
# 060130 Chimney for 8604 Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 00006W
Burner: Use #33110
110V Wiring Kit for 8604E: Use E-26 $ 13.95
# 8603/O 6" Anchor Light $ 224.95
# 20211 Chimney for 8603 Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 20311
Burner: Use #33110 $ 13.65
http://www.cgedwards.com/Weems/lamps.html
R Roorbach
CT
Anchor Lights
Solid Brass, Polished and Lacquered
5" & 6" models are hoistable and are provided with guide eyelets
Oil Capacity, 4" 4.25 oz. 5"& 6" 10 oz.
Burn Time, 4" & 5" +/- 40 hours, 6" +/-30 hours with Weems & Plath lamp fuel
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 20312
Burner: Use #20000
Wiring Kit for 8201/E: Use: #E-26
# 8611/O 4" Anchor Light $ 174.95
# 00567 Chimney for 8611/O Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 00005W
Burner: Use #5111 $ 13.95
#8604/O 5" Anchor Light, Oil $ 194.95
#8604/E 5" Anchor Light, Electric $ 204.95
# 060130 Chimney for 8604 Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 00006W
Burner: Use #33110
110V Wiring Kit for 8604E: Use E-26 $ 13.95
# 8603/O 6" Anchor Light $ 224.95
# 20211 Chimney for 8603 Anchor Light
Spare Parts:
Wick: Use # 20311
Burner: Use #33110 $ 13.65
http://www.cgedwards.com/Weems/lamps.html
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Randy Roorbach
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Tom
Re: anchor light
All the downsides that Dale mentions are valid and trimming the wick doesn't keep them from sooting up and blowing out in big winds. I solved the problem by wiring the oil light for lightbulbs or LEDs. You can use white LEDs or incandescent bulbs from Radioshack. Two on a card for about a buck and a half. 12 volt and 70 milliamp draw (virtually no draw to run your battery down) I put a cigarette blug adapter on the end and just plug it in when it's time to use it. I put an Aladdin cleat on the backstay high enough to be above the cabin top so that it's visible all around and then I hang the lantern on the cleat with a pelican hook. Doesn't soot up, doesn't blow out, doesn't need triming or kerosene and if you already have an oil anchor light, your total investment would be less than 10 dollars for the wire, blug, and bulbs. $15 if you use LEDs. AND it's ten times brighter than the oil lamps.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
TomCambria@mindspring.com
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Johnny MacArthur
Re: anchor light
I've been using the same W&P anchor light for almost 20 years on 3 boats. It doesn't soot up if I don't turn it up too much, and keep the wick trimmed. It has *never* blown out. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I used to hang it from the backstay on the other boats, but now use the staysail stay. I put a small snapshackle on the top bail, to hook it to the stay, raise it a little with the halyard, and bungee the bottom bail down to the staysail boom to a point near the staysail tack, to keep the light from swinging. Avoid too much down tension on the bottom bail. It is a salty kind of ritual, and goes well with our kind of boats. Technically, the light should be forward on the boat.Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
Johnny MacArthur
CD-30 "Stork"
Taos, NM & San Carlos, Mex.
jmacNOSPAM@laplaza.org
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Larry DeMers
Re: anchor light
Guys,
While an anchor light hung from the boom end is romantic and harkens back to times when this was done widely, I feel strongly and with just cause, that this is a poor policy to be promoting. Allow me to explain a bit:
That kerosene or paraffin powered lamp is probably not legal from a brightness standard.
It simply cannot be seen 360 degress if it is mounted on the tail end of a boom, and no amount of wishing will make it so.
It probably cannot be seen at two miles or more, which is the required visibility that an anchor light should have, according to the CG.
If it is mounted high in the forepeak area, or high up on the backstay and has 360 vis. then that objection would be removed.
If it had a sufficiently large wick area to cause the light to be bright and unmistakeable at 2 miles, then I would remove that objection.
If it was mainatined and built to withstand winds so that it was not blown out occasionally, and that the owner religiously trimmed the wick and filled the resevoir daily, assuring to his best ability that the lamp would not be shut down at night then I would remove that objection.
Here is my experience with these dim lamps:
Sailing at night, under radar, from Bayfield Wisc. to Stockton Islands' Presque Isle Anchorage, a distance of around 20 miles. Under sail we had the anchorage in view with the radar, and could clearly see 6 or so other boats scattered over the 3-4 mile long anchorage field. I picked our spot where we would anchor safely and approached it. On radar, I noted a blob return from that spot but could see nothing in front of us at all. Since it was a moonless night, about all that could be made out were indistinct dark shapes here and there, which generally matched up with the radar echos.
Finally, I saw a smnall white light ahead and closer to shore, which I figured must be the blob that I see on radar, so satisfied, we continue into the anchorage. All of a sudden, the loom of our navigation lights mounted on the bow rail reflected off of a large sailboat, dead ahead..15 ft. away at most, and we were still traveling at 3 kts.
I put the helm over hard to port, and our starboard side passed not 10 ft. away from this guy. He had a damnable kerosene lantern hung on a lanyard from the backstay, about 6 ft. off the deck. It was horribly dim and yellow.
I had seen this light earlier, but totally assigned it to a dying campfire on shore, directly behind this unlit boat by about 300 ft. The 'blob' return that we had seen on radar WAS this guy afterall, and the white light we also saw and assigned to this blob? That was a smaller powerboat, close in shore, with his white anchor light out. It was a coincidence that he was in line with the larger sailboat, so they appeared to be one image on radar.
This happened perhaps 4 years ago now, and it still shakes me up recalling it.
If you listen to anyone else in all your sailing life..listen to this. We almost hit that boat at right angles. While the owner thought that he was doing his traditional best hanging a salty little korean knockoff anchorlight on his backstay, he was in total violation of the required visibiliity of an anchor light. If we had hit the guy, it would have likely ended my time on the water, resulted in a law suit which we would have won according to the CG, and could have resutled in injuries to either party.
This boat was a 40ft. Hinkley out of Madeline Island, and we had the opportunity to talk with the owner two years later, on Isle Royale, when we met up with him and his 'secretary' in Chippewa Harbor. I recounted this story, then revealed to him it was his boat we almost hit. He was a tad taken aback, sputtered a few things then sat down and looked fairly serious and said.."really?"
He was sleeping in the cabin that night (as it was hot out and the vberth was too closed up for him), on the port side settee, right where we would have struck the boat.
The boat is worth probably $750k..certainly is gorgeous enough to garner that kind of price tag. So he had used a cheap knockoff of a trawler lamp as his anchor light, that cost him maybe $50. What he stood to lose was far more valuable than that...considering life and property.
Use a proper anchor light located at the mast head so that it can be seen 360 deg. That IS where everyone is looking for a light...and no, they Do Not look like stars unless you are without your glasses or common sense...or have never seen a night sky before.
Be careful out there,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
demers@sgi.com
While an anchor light hung from the boom end is romantic and harkens back to times when this was done widely, I feel strongly and with just cause, that this is a poor policy to be promoting. Allow me to explain a bit:
That kerosene or paraffin powered lamp is probably not legal from a brightness standard.
It simply cannot be seen 360 degress if it is mounted on the tail end of a boom, and no amount of wishing will make it so.
It probably cannot be seen at two miles or more, which is the required visibility that an anchor light should have, according to the CG.
If it is mounted high in the forepeak area, or high up on the backstay and has 360 vis. then that objection would be removed.
If it had a sufficiently large wick area to cause the light to be bright and unmistakeable at 2 miles, then I would remove that objection.
If it was mainatined and built to withstand winds so that it was not blown out occasionally, and that the owner religiously trimmed the wick and filled the resevoir daily, assuring to his best ability that the lamp would not be shut down at night then I would remove that objection.
Here is my experience with these dim lamps:
Sailing at night, under radar, from Bayfield Wisc. to Stockton Islands' Presque Isle Anchorage, a distance of around 20 miles. Under sail we had the anchorage in view with the radar, and could clearly see 6 or so other boats scattered over the 3-4 mile long anchorage field. I picked our spot where we would anchor safely and approached it. On radar, I noted a blob return from that spot but could see nothing in front of us at all. Since it was a moonless night, about all that could be made out were indistinct dark shapes here and there, which generally matched up with the radar echos.
Finally, I saw a smnall white light ahead and closer to shore, which I figured must be the blob that I see on radar, so satisfied, we continue into the anchorage. All of a sudden, the loom of our navigation lights mounted on the bow rail reflected off of a large sailboat, dead ahead..15 ft. away at most, and we were still traveling at 3 kts.
I put the helm over hard to port, and our starboard side passed not 10 ft. away from this guy. He had a damnable kerosene lantern hung on a lanyard from the backstay, about 6 ft. off the deck. It was horribly dim and yellow.
I had seen this light earlier, but totally assigned it to a dying campfire on shore, directly behind this unlit boat by about 300 ft. The 'blob' return that we had seen on radar WAS this guy afterall, and the white light we also saw and assigned to this blob? That was a smaller powerboat, close in shore, with his white anchor light out. It was a coincidence that he was in line with the larger sailboat, so they appeared to be one image on radar.
This happened perhaps 4 years ago now, and it still shakes me up recalling it.
If you listen to anyone else in all your sailing life..listen to this. We almost hit that boat at right angles. While the owner thought that he was doing his traditional best hanging a salty little korean knockoff anchorlight on his backstay, he was in total violation of the required visibiliity of an anchor light. If we had hit the guy, it would have likely ended my time on the water, resulted in a law suit which we would have won according to the CG, and could have resutled in injuries to either party.
This boat was a 40ft. Hinkley out of Madeline Island, and we had the opportunity to talk with the owner two years later, on Isle Royale, when we met up with him and his 'secretary' in Chippewa Harbor. I recounted this story, then revealed to him it was his boat we almost hit. He was a tad taken aback, sputtered a few things then sat down and looked fairly serious and said.."really?"
He was sleeping in the cabin that night (as it was hot out and the vberth was too closed up for him), on the port side settee, right where we would have struck the boat.
The boat is worth probably $750k..certainly is gorgeous enough to garner that kind of price tag. So he had used a cheap knockoff of a trawler lamp as his anchor light, that cost him maybe $50. What he stood to lose was far more valuable than that...considering life and property.
Use a proper anchor light located at the mast head so that it can be seen 360 deg. That IS where everyone is looking for a light...and no, they Do Not look like stars unless you are without your glasses or common sense...or have never seen a night sky before.
Be careful out there,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
demers@sgi.com
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Richard Hill
Re: anchor light
I really don't get this facination with oil lamps. I know of two anchored sailboats that have been run down by barges, resulting in loss of life for the sailors. Why in the world would you NOT want to have a BRIGHT, legal light?! If you're going to cruise, you need sufficient battery capacity for lots of things, and an anchor light isn't that significant. Read Larry's words and heed. Do the right thing and put in a legal 32 point light high and forward. Forget about hanging temporary lights - use a permanent fixture and it's hassle free.Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
captrahill@comcast.net
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Ed Haley
Re: anchor light
FWIW, I agree 100% with Larry.
I have an oil lamp that I use in my cockpit for ambiance and lighting purposes but it never replaces the need to keep a proper anchor light (at the top of the mast) on while at anchor or even at a mooring. I don't know how many times I've been told that it's not necessary to put on the anchor light because we were in a designated anchorage or mooring site but I put on the anchor light anyway. Why? The purpose of an anchor light should be viewed from the prespective of other boaters. The light is to be visible to them for safety reasons. It should be (as required) visible for 2 miles. The idea is to help other boaters from hitting you in the middle of the night preventing injury or damage. Why would anyone compromise safety? If someone hit your boat in the middle of the night and you had a kerosene lamp lit for an anchor light you would be liable in a lawsuit.
Don't get me wrong, I use an oil light all the time in the cockpit. It looks nice and warm on a cozy evening. But there's a proper anchor light lit on the top of the mast as well. Why wouldn't a sailor do otherwise? I just can't figure it out. Most have one but fail to turn it on. Amazing.
Ed Haley
s/v Mokita
CD330 #1
Kingston, ON
(about to be on the hard in Clayton, NY)
eghaleyNOSPAM@twcny.rr.com
I have an oil lamp that I use in my cockpit for ambiance and lighting purposes but it never replaces the need to keep a proper anchor light (at the top of the mast) on while at anchor or even at a mooring. I don't know how many times I've been told that it's not necessary to put on the anchor light because we were in a designated anchorage or mooring site but I put on the anchor light anyway. Why? The purpose of an anchor light should be viewed from the prespective of other boaters. The light is to be visible to them for safety reasons. It should be (as required) visible for 2 miles. The idea is to help other boaters from hitting you in the middle of the night preventing injury or damage. Why would anyone compromise safety? If someone hit your boat in the middle of the night and you had a kerosene lamp lit for an anchor light you would be liable in a lawsuit.
Don't get me wrong, I use an oil light all the time in the cockpit. It looks nice and warm on a cozy evening. But there's a proper anchor light lit on the top of the mast as well. Why wouldn't a sailor do otherwise? I just can't figure it out. Most have one but fail to turn it on. Amazing.
Ed Haley
s/v Mokita
CD330 #1
Kingston, ON
(about to be on the hard in Clayton, NY)
eghaleyNOSPAM@twcny.rr.com
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Michael Berry
Re: anchor light
Larry,Ed Haley wrote: FWIW, I agree 100% with Larry.
I have an oil lamp that I use in my cockpit for ambiance and lighting purposes but it never replaces the need to keep a proper anchor light (at the top of the mast) on while at anchor or even at a mooring. I don't know how many times I've been told that it's not necessary to put on the anchor light because we were in a designated anchorage or mooring site but I put on the anchor light anyway. Why? The purpose of an anchor light should be viewed from the prespective of other boaters. The light is to be visible to them for safety reasons. It should be (as required) visible for 2 miles. The idea is to help other boaters from hitting you in the middle of the night preventing injury or damage. Why would anyone compromise safety? If someone hit your boat in the middle of the night and you had a kerosene lamp lit for an anchor light you would be liable in a lawsuit.
Don't get me wrong, I use an oil light all the time in the cockpit. It looks nice and warm on a cozy evening. But there's a proper anchor light lit on the top of the mast as well. Why wouldn't a sailor do otherwise? I just can't figure it out. Most have one but fail to turn it on. Amazing.
Ed Haley
s/v Mokita
CD330 #1
Kingston, ON
(about to be on the hard in Clayton, NY)
Ed brings up a situation that probably needs consideration. Anchoring in a desegnated anchorage or moorage area. Many times I have arrived in a bay where the locals moor their boats and I simply anchored out. I was fortunate one time to have the USGS anchored not 500 yards away. Many of the boats did not have an anchor light, a few had a sensor so their lights did come on and some did not come on at all. It was my guess that the perpmanantly moored boats in this bay pretty much set the precedence. The Coast Gaurd did nothing.
It would be my question then would be of the legality.
Michael
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Bill Goldsmith
LED Anchor lights
Agree with Larry, Richard. I am keeping an eye on the development of white LED technology. Currently, Deep Creek Designs has a white LED array for a masthead anchor light, but it is about $150. The LEDs draw next to nothing and last indefinitely. They probably use less energy than an oil lamp. (Speculating here).
When the price inevitably drops as the technology gets ramped up, I am convinced LED will be the way to go for most nav lights.
Bill Goldsmith
goldy@NOSPAMbestweb.net
When the price inevitably drops as the technology gets ramped up, I am convinced LED will be the way to go for most nav lights.
Bill Goldsmith
Richard Hill wrote:Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
I really don't get this facination with oil lamps. I know of two anchored sailboats that have been run down by barges, resulting in loss of life for the sailors. Why in the world would you NOT want to have a BRIGHT, legal light?! If you're going to cruise, you need sufficient battery capacity for lots of things, and an anchor light isn't that significant. Read Larry's words and heed. Do the right thing and put in a legal 32 point light high and forward. Forget about hanging temporary lights - use a permanent fixture and it's hassle free.
goldy@NOSPAMbestweb.net
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Larry DeMers
Re: anchor light
Michael,
The CG has made the statement (in error I believe) that an anchor light is not necessary in designated anchorage areas. Now designated anchorage areas are shown with the little anchor symbol on your chart..can't find one? Right..that's cause they are almost all gone now. There are very few designated anchorage areas where no light is required, and the whole practice is foolish anyway, since boats *will* be moving around, anchoring and dinghies will be moving about too. So all of the reasons that would require you to use an anchor light in any anchorage hold true in a designated anchorage as well..only they remove the requirement for some reason. Also be aware of the old chart syndrome. What may have been a desiganted anchorage 10 years ago, may have been changed the year after you purchased that chart. So you may not actually be as immune from the regs as you believe.
Look, it is a matter of self-preservation and the quest for uninterrupted sleep at night that we properly light our little lights up top the masthead. That requirement superseeds the governments thinking on this matter as far as I am concerned. Think visibility to others as Ed says..it is the one criteria that matters here. Be seen..and hope that the folks in that approaching boat are wise enough to know what to do with the information.
As for legality, the CG has the last word, and if an unlit boat was in a designated anchorage and was hit, they would not have the legal troubles I believe, as you would if you were in any other area anchoring out without a light, or with an inadequate one. It should make no difference, but it seems to. Common sense is a variable afterall.
Just think about self-preservation and you will be led to the right decisions.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
demers@sgi.com
The CG has made the statement (in error I believe) that an anchor light is not necessary in designated anchorage areas. Now designated anchorage areas are shown with the little anchor symbol on your chart..can't find one? Right..that's cause they are almost all gone now. There are very few designated anchorage areas where no light is required, and the whole practice is foolish anyway, since boats *will* be moving around, anchoring and dinghies will be moving about too. So all of the reasons that would require you to use an anchor light in any anchorage hold true in a designated anchorage as well..only they remove the requirement for some reason. Also be aware of the old chart syndrome. What may have been a desiganted anchorage 10 years ago, may have been changed the year after you purchased that chart. So you may not actually be as immune from the regs as you believe.
Look, it is a matter of self-preservation and the quest for uninterrupted sleep at night that we properly light our little lights up top the masthead. That requirement superseeds the governments thinking on this matter as far as I am concerned. Think visibility to others as Ed says..it is the one criteria that matters here. Be seen..and hope that the folks in that approaching boat are wise enough to know what to do with the information.
As for legality, the CG has the last word, and if an unlit boat was in a designated anchorage and was hit, they would not have the legal troubles I believe, as you would if you were in any other area anchoring out without a light, or with an inadequate one. It should make no difference, but it seems to. Common sense is a variable afterall.
Just think about self-preservation and you will be led to the right decisions.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Michael Berry wrote:Larry,Ed Haley wrote: FWIW, I agree 100% with Larry.
I have an oil lamp that I use in my cockpit for ambiance and lighting purposes but it never replaces the need to keep a proper anchor light (at the top of the mast) on while at anchor or even at a mooring. I don't know how many times I've been told that it's not necessary to put on the anchor light because we were in a designated anchorage or mooring site but I put on the anchor light anyway. Why? The purpose of an anchor light should be viewed from the prespective of other boaters. The light is to be visible to them for safety reasons. It should be (as required) visible for 2 miles. The idea is to help other boaters from hitting you in the middle of the night preventing injury or damage. Why would anyone compromise safety? If someone hit your boat in the middle of the night and you had a kerosene lamp lit for an anchor light you would be liable in a lawsuit.
Don't get me wrong, I use an oil light all the time in the cockpit. It looks nice and warm on a cozy evening. But there's a proper anchor light lit on the top of the mast as well. Why wouldn't a sailor do otherwise? I just can't figure it out. Most have one but fail to turn it on. Amazing.
Ed Haley
s/v Mokita
CD330 #1
Kingston, ON
(about to be on the hard in Clayton, NY)
Ed brings up a situation that probably needs consideration. Anchoring in a desegnated anchorage or moorage area. Many times I have arrived in a bay where the locals moor their boats and I simply anchored out. I was fortunate one time to have the USGS anchored not 500 yards away. Many of the boats did not have an anchor light, a few had a sensor so their lights did come on and some did not come on at all. It was my guess that the perpmanantly moored boats in this bay pretty much set the precedence. The Coast Gaurd did nothing.
It would be my question then would be of the legality.
Michael
demers@sgi.com
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Larry DeMers
Re: LED Anchor lights
I was one of the big detractors for LED anchor lights..the Davis magic light as an example. Well, a friend was aboard DLM the other weekend, brought with him a little key fob that had a LED light on it.Holy Cow..that thing was incredibly brite! I could not believe it. So much so in fact, that I got the multi-meter out to measure current draw thru the battery compartment of the little lite. It drew an incredible .020A or 20 mA~! Now parallel 10 of these things in a ring and then concentrate on the lensing for the assembly, and you might have something that *Will* work out for an anchor light..and at a couple hundred mA's. Right now, my Hella light is a 20W light that draws 1.85A. It is visible for 5 miles (I do what I preach -usually! heh). I will reduce that wattage to 10W next summer, to save battery life and recharging time..but that will still be 900mA's vs. maybe 200mA's with the LED variety. Not a bad tradeoff already, and it should improve as time goes forward.
So I am off my bandwagon about LED anchor lights..I have seen an example of the brite (CHIME process LEDS), with a focused beam, and it is absolutely astounding in it's briteness.
To that point, I have noted in the catalogs, a direct replacement for the incandescent lamps, with a LED array..handbuilt apparently, but still a product. These may be the way to go for those on a current diet. Expensive, but apparently effective (lord, they are brite).
I would be interested in any independant research or studies on these lites, and their visibility numbers.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
demers@sgi.com
So I am off my bandwagon about LED anchor lights..I have seen an example of the brite (CHIME process LEDS), with a focused beam, and it is absolutely astounding in it's briteness.
To that point, I have noted in the catalogs, a direct replacement for the incandescent lamps, with a LED array..handbuilt apparently, but still a product. These may be the way to go for those on a current diet. Expensive, but apparently effective (lord, they are brite).
I would be interested in any independant research or studies on these lites, and their visibility numbers.
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Bill Goldsmith wrote: Agree with Larry, Richard. I am keeping an eye on the development of white LED technology. Currently, Deep Creek Designs has a white LED array for a masthead anchor light, but it is about $150. The LEDs draw next to nothing and last indefinitely. They probably use less energy than an oil lamp. (Speculating here).
When the price inevitably drops as the technology gets ramped up, I am convinced LED will be the way to go for most nav lights.
Bill Goldsmith
Richard Hill wrote:Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
Richard Hill wrote:
I really don't get this facination with oil lamps. I know of two anchored sailboats that have been run down by barges, resulting in loss of life for the sailors. Why in the world would you NOT want to have a BRIGHT, legal light?! If you're going to cruise, you need sufficient battery capacity for lots of things, and an anchor light isn't that significant. Read Larry's words and heed. Do the right thing and put in a legal 32 point light high and forward. Forget about hanging temporary lights - use a permanent fixture and it's hassle free.
demers@sgi.com
-
Capt ED
Re: anchor light
Larry DeMers wrote: Do you hit Channel markers that don't have lights on them?
While an anchor light hung from the boom end is romantic and harkens back to times when this was done widely, I feel strongly and with just cause, that this is a poor policy to be promoting. Allow me to explain a bit:
That kerosene or paraffin powered lamp is probably not legal from a brightness standard.
It simply cannot be seen 360 degress if it is mounted on the tail end of a boom, and no amount of wishing will make it so.
It probably cannot be seen at two miles or more, which is the required visibility that an anchor light should have, according to the CG.
If it is mounted high in the forepeak area, or high up on the backstay and has 360 vis. then that objection would be removed.
If it had a sufficiently large wick area to cause the light to be bright and unmistakeable at 2 miles, then I would remove that objection.
If it was mainatined and built to withstand winds so that it was not blown out occasionally, and that the owner religiously trimmed the wick and filled the resevoir daily, assuring to his best ability that the lamp would not be shut down at night then I would remove that objection.
Here is my experience with these dim lamps:
Sailing at night, under radar, from Bayfield Wisc. to Stockton Islands' Presque Isle Anchorage, a distance of around 20 miles. Under sail we had the anchorage in view with the radar, and could clearly see 6 or so other boats scattered over the 3-4 mile long anchorage field. I picked our spot where we would anchor safely and approached it. On radar, I noted a blob return from that spot but could see nothing in front of us at all. Since it was a moonless night, about all that could be made out were indistinct dark shapes here and there, which generally matched up with the radar echos.
Finally, I saw a smnall white light ahead and closer to shore, which I figured must be the blob that I see on radar, so satisfied, we continue into the anchorage. All of a sudden, the loom of our navigation lights mounted on the bow rail reflected off of a large sailboat, dead ahead..15 ft. away at most, and we were still traveling at 3 kts.
I put the helm over hard to port, and our starboard side passed not 10 ft. away from this guy. He had a damnable kerosene lantern hung on a lanyard from the backstay, about 6 ft. off the deck. It was horribly dim and yellow.
I had seen this light earlier, but totally assigned it to a dying campfire on shore, directly behind this unlit boat by about 300 ft. The 'blob' return that we had seen on radar WAS this guy afterall, and the white light we also saw and assigned to this blob? That was a smaller powerboat, close in shore, with his white anchor light out. It was a coincidence that he was in line with the larger sailboat, so they appeared to be one image on radar.
This happened perhaps 4 years ago now, and it still shakes me up recalling it.
If you listen to anyone else in all your sailing life..listen to this. We almost hit that boat at right angles. While the owner thought that he was doing his traditional best hanging a salty little korean knockoff anchorlight on his backstay, he was in total violation of the required visibiliity of an anchor light. If we had hit the guy, it would have likely ended my time on the water, resulted in a law suit which we would have won according to the CG, and could have resutled in injuries to either party.
This boat was a 40ft. Hinkley out of Madeline Island, and we had the opportunity to talk with the owner two years later, on Isle Royale, when we met up with him and his 'secretary' in Chippewa Harbor. I recounted this story, then revealed to him it was his boat we almost hit. He was a tad taken aback, sputtered a few things then sat down and looked fairly serious and said.."really?"
He was sleeping in the cabin that night (as it was hot out and the vberth was too closed up for him), on the port side settee, right where we would have struck the boat.
The boat is worth probably $750k..certainly is gorgeous enough to garner that kind of price tag. So he had used a cheap knockoff of a trawler lamp as his anchor light, that cost him maybe $50. What he stood to lose was far more valuable than that...considering life and property.
Use a proper anchor light located at the mast head so that it can be seen 360 deg. That IS where everyone is looking for a light...and no, they Do Not look like stars unless you are without your glasses or common sense...or have never seen a night sky before.
Be careful out there,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
capted@aol.com
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Joe Sankey
Re: LED Anchor lights
This past Sunday as I was hauling in the storm anchor and generally getting Slow Dance ready to move back to the marina after our series of nasty storms, a gentleman rowed his dinghy by to say "hello". Turns out he is developing LED lights, and has set up shop at a marina near here. Would it be interesting to anyone following this thread for me to learn more about his efforts?
Joe Sankey
CD 30 Slow Dance
sankey@gulftel.com
Joe Sankey
CD 30 Slow Dance
Bill Goldsmith wrote: Agree with Larry, Richard. I am keeping an eye on the development of white LED technology. Currently, Deep Creek Designs has a white LED array for a masthead anchor light, but it is about $150. The LEDs draw next to nothing and last indefinitely. They probably use less energy than an oil lamp. (Speculating here).
When the price inevitably drops as the technology gets ramped up, I am convinced LED will be the way to go for most nav lights.
Bill Goldsmith
Richard Hill wrote:Bill wrote: Need some recommendations on a hanging anchor light (oil). Decided not to put on a masthead light...going with an anchor light on the backstay. Thanks. Bill
Richard Hill wrote:
I really don't get this facination with oil lamps. I know of two anchored sailboats that have been run down by barges, resulting in loss of life for the sailors. Why in the world would you NOT want to have a BRIGHT, legal light?! If you're going to cruise, you need sufficient battery capacity for lots of things, and an anchor light isn't that significant. Read Larry's words and heed. Do the right thing and put in a legal 32 point light high and forward. Forget about hanging temporary lights - use a permanent fixture and it's hassle free.
sankey@gulftel.com