Lights

[EmicMalta]

Hi, my dad has a small boat 13 ft and everyone is giving his advice for the safety equipment, like 2 life jackes, flours, navigation light and so on. Apart that ifits all set up, there is just some placeleft from these 13ft, for the lights,can one give more idea what is needed.

We installed the navigation lights (red and green), then they said a white one on the back (done too) and now they said another one on the highst point of the boat that can be seen by 360 Deg.


Can some one say which light as needed pls?



Now with all this complications I think its more danger then before.

[camkev]

For a 13 foot boat you dont need a white light in the middle emic.will check for you and will let you know what is needed.

[EmicMalta]

thanks Kevin

[fisheye]

This is a link that will take you to the safety at sea booklet, Maltese version. lights regulation are at page 7. http://www.mma.gov.mt/pics/safetyatseaguidemaltese.pdf

[EmicMalta]

It looks like just white light somewhere on the boat. Not necessary the red and green light. Things that cannot understand well. Every one use to say this and that and at the end this only say just some with light 

Lot of those fishing boats can get 6 knots at their max.

[shanook]

for a 13ft boat u need a white light at the back (by regulations i stand to be corrected as this is when i had mine). BUT and thats a big but if i were u i would have a white light that can be seen 360deg. Its not the first time that i am doing 12knots going out fishing and out of nowhere u suddenly come up on a small boat that is not showing any light because i either came up abreast or ahead.
its not how fast u go but how fast the others can see u, to either stop or change course.

[EmicMalta]

this boat goes only for klamari by the cliffs (max 60mtr out ) so no boats for sure. I agree with safety regulations but ecesive things I do not like them

[poor catch]

Although I stand to be corrected, as far as I am aware the following applies :-

I believe that since the boat is only 13ft LOA, you would satisfy legal requirements with just a single allround white light .

Power driven boats less than 12 m LOA apart from port and starboard nav lights are only required to show an all round white light.
In other words, they can substitute the white stern light and masthead light for an all round white light placed above sidelights. Port / starboard light can  be a combined green / red light or separate light fitings.

Keep in mind that a small boat lying low in the water is hardly visible at sea ( or rather NOT VISIBLE ). White lights tend to blend in with land based light shining in the background. 

It would be safer to opt for a full set of lights - ie all round white and port / starboard lights.

Port and starboard lights would help other boats determine your direction of travel making it easier for other boats to keep a safe distance.

Also keep in mind that when at anchor an all round white light should be shown. Possibly applicable when drifting too ?

Keep in mind that it is much safer out there if you can be seen .... irrespective of whether you are hugging the coast or in open water.

Hope the above helps. 

[shanook]

Emic dont say no boats, i was heading for some klamari fishing nearer to Wied iz zurrieq and this guy with an 8ft boat with oars without any lights and believe me i nearly rammed him. lucky for him i was doing 6knots and came to a halt with a bit of astern power.

[ramio]

As Shanook is telling you, better be safe. The ideal is an allround light as high as possible.

[skip]

If you fit a sternlight (white) which is around 145 degrees or so then you need to have a masthead forward facing white running light. The running light should be the highest visible light.

As the others have said, port/stb nav lights and a 360 degree white which can also double as an anchor light if you have in or a separate switch. Remember than port/stbd nav lights should only be on when you are underway. The reason being that otherwise it is assumed you are under power which can cause problems if you are drifting, as a bigger boat might assume you can move/correct course.

Ideally when fishing at night you display 360 degree 'Red over White' fishing by night only, but so far I haven't found anywhere even on the net that sells it as a single package. You have to buy a 360 white and 360 red (very hard to find) and do it yourself!

[blueskip]

Right on Skip! although the regulations say that a vessel fishing at anchor at night, should show 360 red over 360 white try & find such an animal! I have made one using a 36 LED inside a casing that used to be white, but I put red cellophane paper inside it to give the red colour! It would have been so much easier to mount a red over white off the shelf!
 

[bigboy]

Guys i did mine very easy. Bought 2 360 degree white lights and got some red glass paint and painted one of them. i then mounted them on a stainless steel pipe.

[EmicMalta]

Sure you are all saying the right thing, but all I needed is to get theinformation. Because 1st they said the nav lights, then the rear light, and now the 360deg. Personally I always liked to be in safe position but like this I can suggest for others what we need to have

thanks guys

[pupu]

i just finished basic seamanship course , told us nav light and one on the back is enough for boats less than 6m, for the law , but i suggest the astern light will be made at a high level,
1 to see what your hooking at night
2 when your stationary law says switch nav lights off so in that way your high rear white light will be seen 360deg and serve as an anchor light