SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Masthead light height

7K views 26 replies 11 participants last post by  btrayfors 
#1 ·
Is there a minimum height requirement for masthead lights. I have a 79 Cheoy Lee ketch (32') and noticed that all the other boats in the marina have their lights quite a bit higher than mine. Just curious. Thanks

David
 
#3 ·
No, a masthead light, under the Rules, is NOT a light atop the mainmast. It is a misnomer.

A masthead light is the light in the forward part of the vessel, along the centerline, which shows through an unbroken arc of 225 degrees so as to show light 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

On a sailboat, it is used only when under power or when motorsailing.

To my knowledge, it's height on the mast isn't critical, so long as it's considerably above the sidelights.

Bill
 
#4 ·
Thought that was the steaming light and the masthead light was the 360 degree anchor light.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Nope,

Per The Annapolis Book of Seamanship

"The masthead (steaming, bow) light, which when lit indicates that the boat is under power, is a white light located not at the top of the mast, as the name suggests, but partway down. (On small power vessels it may be placed at the top of a short vertical spar). On most sailboats it's about a third of the way down from the actual masthead. Showing over the same arc as the sidelights, it is turned on only when the boat is under power. "

The rule that I remember is that it must be "signifigantly" above the sidelights.

At the club that I sail with, the guy that owns the (50+) boats has started to move some of the steaming lights DOWN on the mast, so that he can replace them without having to climb the mast, or get a ladder.
 
#9 ·
Well thats just dumb, LOL.
What do they call the 360 degree anchor light on top of the mast than.
The Masthead head light.

Thanks for the clarification.
I'm still going to call them wrong. Steaming or Bow light and Masthead or anchor light makes more sense if you ask me. LOL
What do they (I) know!
 
#12 · (Edited)
"Well thats just dumb, LOL.
What do they call the 360 degree anchor light on top of the mast th[e]n.

You're gonna love this...:rolleyes:

Per The Annapolis Book of Seamanship (again)

"An all-around light is any light shining through 360°. An all-around fixed (not flashing) white light hung in the rigging or at the top of the mast indicates that the boat is at anchor. A flashing strobe light at the top of the mast warns off nearby ships."
 
#13 · (Edited)
A lot of people get these two lights confused. I teach with the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons and it becomes an issue for new and experienced boaters alike. I try to refer to the masthead light as a "Steaming Light". When I speak about the lights on the top of the mast I use the term "Masthead Light" for running lights and/or anchoring. Keeping them separate like this is easier.
 
#14 ·
I agree that the term, "masthead light", as used in the International and Inland Navigation Rules is misleading. It's very easy to mistake its meaning, since in general use the term "masthead" usually refers to the truck of the mast (its top). But, we didn't make the Rules :)

Further to my earlier post, the Rules actually do specify the height requirements for navigation lights, including the masthead light. The requirements are contained in Annex I, 33 CFR 84, and are basically the same for International and Inland waters. These are (for clarity in my words, not theirs):

For vessels 20 meters or more LOA: masthead light must be at least 6 meters above the hull (or not less than the vessel's breadth if it is more than 6 meters, but need not be higher than 12 meters).

For vessels between 12 and 20 meters LOA: not less than 2.5 meters above the gunwale.

For vessels less than 12 meters LOA: at least 1 meter higher than the sidelights.

Bill
 
#15 ·
While we are on the topic of Running /Navigation Lights. I should point out that it is a good idea to have two sets of navigation lights on a sailboat. The regular use of navigation lights at the bow and stern are great for close to shore use. The running lights at the top of the mast are not. If you are near towns etc. your top of the mast lights will tend to blend in with those on shore when viewed by another boat further away from your position. So if you got both, you can use the running lights at the top of the mast for offshore purposes or rough weather. Use the other set for close to shore work. Never use both at the same time however.
 
#16 ·
Ronbye,

I would respectfully disagree with your approach, since the use of the term "masthead light" for anything other than that specified under the International and Inland Navigation Rules is likely to be very confusing.

Further, the use of the term 'masthead lights' to refer to navigation lights or anchor lights atop the mast is even more confusing. Navigation lights generally refer to sidelights, sternlight, masthead light (for power-driven vessels, including sailboats under power). Only sailboats under 20 meters LOA are permitted to carry combined navigation lights (red-green-white) atop the mast.

Any size sailboat may carry an all-round red-over-green light atop the mast, but this is in addition to other navigation lights including the stern light, and sidelights. And, this light may not be carried if the vessel has combined navigation lights....only if it has the usual sidelights and sternlights mounted near deck.

It's all quite confusing at first, but there is a method to their madness....the light Rules do make sense, generally. But I and many others quibble about their choice of words :))

Bill
 
#18 ·
While we are on the topic of Lights

It bugs the crap out of me when I see people out SAILING at night with both the Steaming Light and the Anchor Light on.

The Steaming light is for Steaming and the Anchor Light is for anchoring, but people in my parts run with them both on ALL THE TIME. It drives me crazy. I don't know, I guess I'm kind of funny that way.
 
#20 ·
I totally agree that the term masthead mentioned in the Rules is misleading. That's maybe the reason why we in Europe use only the terms steaming light (on when under power) and anchor light (switched on when anchored off and gets dark). I'm only wondering why people sometimes keep both switched on as you suggest. Is that ignorance? What I have noticed is rather that people either forget to switch on the anchor light when anchored off (this may present a danger) or keep it on despite being moored at harbour by the pier. It seems that some sailors neglect navigation light safety. My explanation is that most are not used to (or avoid outright) night sailing!
 
#23 ·
Ronbye said:
No need to say "Sorry", this is a good discussion on a very important topic.
I recall learning in CPS that the masthead means the tricolour light (although the anchor light is at the "masthead", too). The steaming light is on when motoring. Now, while I am aware that you can have *either* the masthead or the deck level nav lights on when night sailing, I opt when motoring at night for the steaming lights and the nav lights. The masthead or tricolour light is on by itself while sailing only at night. Certainly, previous owners have labelled the panel switches as such.

Interestingly, I found on my old boat that switching to a heavier gauge of wire made a significant difference in brightness at the tricolour and steaming lights. In my new boat, which is larger, I have 25 W Perko nav lights on the side of the pilothouse rather than at the bow, and they are so freaking bright I have to be careful not to wreck my night vision when sailing from the aft deck binnacle. I can only see their reflected glow from inside the pilothouse, of course, but it did bring home to me how important the proper navigation light illumination can be.
 
#24 · (Edited)
OK, here's where it gets tricky.

Remember, under the International and Inland Navigation Rules a sailboat is a sailboat only when she is propelled by sail. The moment you start your engine, you become a motor-driven vessel, whether or not you still have your sails up.

While it's fine for a vessel under 20 meters to carry a combined "tricolor" at the truck of the mast as her navigation lights while sailing, it is NOT OK to use these in conjunction with a masthead or steaming light UNLESS that light is mounted at least 1 meter ABOVE the tricolor. A motor-driven vessel is required to carry sidelights, a stern light, and a masthead (or steaming) light mounted not less than 1 meter above the sidelights. See Annex I para (g) of the Rules.

This would mean that if you use a tricolor you'd HAVE to carry at least another set of sidelights mounted 1 meter or more lower than the masthead (or steaming) light.

In other words, the pattern of lights displayed by a motor-driven vessel (read sailboat under power or power and sail) should look like this from the bow:


...................O White



...O Green.........................O Red

(Ignore the dots...sorry, I don't know how to correctly position the text without them.)


As far as I know, there are no exceptions to this pattern for motor-driven vessels of the size we're talking about here.

Bill
 
#25 ·
The fact that this topic has provoked so much discussion goes a long way toward explaining why so many sailors have it wrong out there. When I used to run a towboat, I think that I saw as many wrong as right. Most common mistakes were steaming (in eastern Canada that is by far the most cmmon term for what is properly termed the masthead light) and anchor lights displayed/not displayed at appropriate times, burned out or missing lights (bloody confusing when a boat coming towards you is missing it's port or starboard light) and, unbelievably, no lights at all!

It really is worth educating oneself, checking lights and carrying spares, in the interest of being visible and having your orientation be clear to others on the water. If you lose a light while out there, be creative. A friend of mine who lost his port running light while we were out one night grabbed one of those red plastic beer cups (of which there just happened to be a few around) some electrical tape and a flashlight and rigged up a very serviceable light in very short order.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top