Proper Display of Navigation Lights
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:21 am
Last night, July 4, 2021, I was sitting at the end of a dock about a half-mile south of a big fireworks display. Due to the time of year and the northern latitude, the sky does not get sufficiently dark for fireworks until 10:30 p.m.
Many boats came to watch the fireworks, presenting me with a sample of recreational power boats underway after sunset, and thus they should be showing proper navigation lights, that is, sidelights and masthead lights or combined sidelights and a white all-round light.
I did not record any numbers, but my impression was the majority—over half the boats seen—were not showing proper lights.
The most common deviation seen was boats underway showing only a white all-round light and no sidelights. Following as a close second was boats showing only a sidelight and no masthead or white all-round light.
A few notable deviants:
—a boat showing three white lights, with the height of the lights increasing from bow to stern, and no sidelights
—a boat showing two sidelights; at least the two were the same color
—boats whose sidelights projected too far aft, remaining visible long after the boat had passed by
—many boats with improper vertical separation between sidelights and white all-round; a minimum of one meter vertical separation is required
—a boat showing red, green, and white lights all-round with almost no vertical separation and separated horizontally by just inches
—sternlights coming from what appeared to a light bar lamp about 18-inches wide, illuminating the entire stern of the boat
Overall many recreational boats were seen significantly out of compliance with USCG required navigation lighting. Some of these boats were pontoon boats, which probably are seldom underway at night, or small runabouts, again probably seldom operated after sunset.
All in all, it was a rather disappointing display of required navigation lighting. The missing sidelight might be due to having the navigation light switch in wrong position. The missing white all-round lights might be due to failure to put up a pole lamp that is not permanently mounted.
I think—at least I hope—that every boat sold when new was equipped with proper navigation lighting.
To the perhaps 40-percent of the boaters whose boats appeared to be showing proper lighting, good for you. To rest of those boaters: check your navigation lighting.
Many boats came to watch the fireworks, presenting me with a sample of recreational power boats underway after sunset, and thus they should be showing proper navigation lights, that is, sidelights and masthead lights or combined sidelights and a white all-round light.
I did not record any numbers, but my impression was the majority—over half the boats seen—were not showing proper lights.
The most common deviation seen was boats underway showing only a white all-round light and no sidelights. Following as a close second was boats showing only a sidelight and no masthead or white all-round light.
A few notable deviants:
—a boat showing three white lights, with the height of the lights increasing from bow to stern, and no sidelights
—a boat showing two sidelights; at least the two were the same color
—boats whose sidelights projected too far aft, remaining visible long after the boat had passed by
—many boats with improper vertical separation between sidelights and white all-round; a minimum of one meter vertical separation is required
—a boat showing red, green, and white lights all-round with almost no vertical separation and separated horizontally by just inches
—sternlights coming from what appeared to a light bar lamp about 18-inches wide, illuminating the entire stern of the boat
Overall many recreational boats were seen significantly out of compliance with USCG required navigation lighting. Some of these boats were pontoon boats, which probably are seldom underway at night, or small runabouts, again probably seldom operated after sunset.
All in all, it was a rather disappointing display of required navigation lighting. The missing sidelight might be due to having the navigation light switch in wrong position. The missing white all-round lights might be due to failure to put up a pole lamp that is not permanently mounted.
I think—at least I hope—that every boat sold when new was equipped with proper navigation lighting.
To the perhaps 40-percent of the boaters whose boats appeared to be showing proper lighting, good for you. To rest of those boaters: check your navigation lighting.