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Running lights

807 views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Don L 
#1 ·
More and more I am seeing boats coming into the anchorages after dark running both their tricolor masthead and deck mounted navigation lights. OK, so it may not be exactly legal and even though there is almost no traffic at night down here (most bareboat companies don't allow it), they really, really want to be seen. Cool.
But on at least 60% of these boats the masthead tricolor is as much as 20 degrees out of alignment! Now, I understand that these folks want to be seen, as mentioned above, but what good does it do to be seen if you are sending such confusing signals? A red, no white, no red aloft, a red forward on deck and a white steaming light. Or a red aloft and a green on deck (or vice versa) with a steaming light in between. Or my favorite, a red and green on deck and either a solid red or solid green aloft.
Even if you don't run both, all you with tricolors should check the alignment frequently, as these lights seem to become unaligned pretty easily.
 
#2 ·
As for running both, we are often guilty of this when coming into an anchorage at night because we were sailing with the tricolor and forget to turn it off when we switch on the steaming lights for motoring.

I'm having a difficult time understanding how a tricolor becomes misaligned by itself. I'd be more willing to believe that it started out that way. Maybe the ones that owner's self-modify to use LED's have stability issues?

Mark
 
#3 ·
Good call capta, and good timing. Just last weekend I noticed that my tricolor was way out of whack, 20 degrees or more. I'll go up to investigate this weekend.

I dont run both, but I prefer to run the tricolor becasue of better visibility and no reflections from the deck level stern light (I get a few reflections etc off of the BBQ and ladder)
 
#6 ·
I have a clue.

The bases have two pins, one high, one low, so they can only be put in one way. Theoretically you push down and turn the bulb and it is aligned. HOWEVER I have had the LEDs twist in inside the plug. So you push down and turn and the LED Turns more than the plug. It’s just a cheap pressed fitting, damn hard to get it right once it starts twisting.
 
#7 ·
I saw this just other night for first time. I will admit I was very confused for bit till I figured it out and glad I didn't come across in a channel needed my quick understanding.
 
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