Sail Lighter Upper

[wind_magic]

I'm curious ...

Do any of you mount any kind of spotlights, or other lights, on spreaders or on deck or anywhere, for the sole purpose of lighting up your sails and making your boat really visible in case of some kind of an emergency ? The obvious emergency ... about to be run down by something lots bigger than you are and they won't answer the radio, so you grab the spotlight and start flashing it across your sails. Does anyone have anything installed to kind of give you the option of lighting up your sails like that without grabbing the spotlight ?

Seems like an easy addition to a boat, maybe a light mounted near the transom that shines directly forward into the main mast with a wide beam, or one of those lights people use to light up the front of their houses (I never understood why anyone would want to light up the front of their house haha)

[tdw]

We do have a halogen deck light mounted under the spreaders and we keep some powerful torches around as well but the sad reality is that anything that has not seen you until a collision is imminent is probably not going to be able to change course quickly enough to avoid you. In a situation like you describe it's a matter of forgetting your right of way and do everything in your power to run away from them.

[Raggbagger]

Certainly spreader lights pointing down at the deck, the're great for lots of reasons. First of all they are nice to show whare you are to anything that needs to avoid you in many of the tight squeezes you can come upon for instance in the ICW and they will get a better idea of how to stay a safe distance from you (had some close passing tugs who appreciated the extra light). Secondly if your trying to change your sails at night on a
rough ocean I just feel safer with the deck flooded with light, plus I like the fact that whoever is at the helm at said time can see whats going on on deck
and keep an extra eye on you. Last of all its nice to show off your boat at the marina when you have guests coming aboard after dark. So yes certainly spreader lights I love em.However I wouldnt use them whilst running at night for any length of time the other craft that come across you may think your anchored.

[Hartley18]

We've got a light mounted in the deck just behind the anchor well that lights up the jib tell-tales (and the sail for some extra visibility). It's angled straight up behind some dark perspex so you don't get blinded or lose your night vision. We tried it on the weekend just gone - works a treat!

A word of warning when buying lights: Some of the cheap-rubbish LED nav lights on sale nowadays are so dim they can hardly be seen from a distance, so if you buy something like that on special, make sure you check them out at the marina after dark before mixing it with the cowboys..

--Cameron

[cardiacpaul]

try...
http://shop.sailnet.com/advanced_sea...spreader+light

[Freesail99]

Maybe a dumb question, but if your planning on using your spreader lights as a warning to light up your sails, where are you putting the lite switch ?

[speciald]

I have two 24v floodlights (like you see on off-road trucks) mounted on a stern pole. One faces forward & lights the boat and sails, the other aft that lights the transom. The switch is on the pedestal and the whole boat lights up when the switch is thrown, tough on night vision but imposible to miss us and useful in all deck emergencies. We also have three decklights on the mast for the foredeck but that switch is below

[sailingdog]

You need to be careful as not to aim the lights to blind other boaters... the last thing you want with another boat in close proximity is one with a captain and crew with no night vision.

[sailseahawk]

If you don't think you are being seen, flash your handheld spotlight toward the bridge of the ship, not on your sails...please flash it, don't hold it. You are using the light to get attention. I am a Naval Officer by profession, and I drive both ships and Helicopters. I have seen sailboats shine lights on the sails, both from the deck of the ship and from the air, and it is not as visisble as I would have hoped/thought. When someone flashes a light my way, frequently I will flash back, (if I have the time). Just like waving at each other. A few flashes are usually clear to me that it is someone trying to get my attention (here I am!) Don't flash like a strobe please, less we think it is a distress signal. Don't leave it on continuously, or I can't make out your nav lights and figure your course, size, etc. Shining lights onto a sail makes you look like a fishing/work boat with deck lights on. I am certain that some will comment negatively about shining lights onto the bridge of another ship. Sorry, but my opinion is based on my years at sea (haven't hit anyone yet!). I have yet to see a hand-held spotlight big enough to be more than an annoyance. Kind of like those flashing high-beams on motorcycles...they annoy me, but I am glad they have them so I don't hit them. When sailing, I have gotten numerous "thank-you's" on the VHF, and have never gotten a rebuke.
Remember that comming in and out of ports, or busy ship channels (like down the Chesepeake, Gibralter, etc) we are very busy, and don't reply to much. We are looking for anything CBDR. If you have good left/right drift (shifting relative bearing), ships will likely ignore you.
Spotlights on your deck do make it easier to spot you, but frequently mask the nav lights, making it harder to determine your heading.
BTW, if your are worried about submarines, leave your depth sounder on. Works like an acoustic strobe light.
Remember, if you think you are in danger of collision, do what you need to get the other vessle's attention. Concerns about nigh-vision, rules, etc, are small compared to the safety of your crew and vessel!

[sailingdog]

Thanks for that post Sailseahawk. Good to know.