Correct Nav Lights & How Do I Fit An All Round Light?

[james7]

I was talking recently with a few friends and was surprised that only one out of three of their boats had the correct nav lights for use between sunset and sunrise. None of them knew the correct present regulations. There was some confusion about the masthead light and an all round white light. I received a brochure last week with my boat rego papers which clearly outlined what you need displayed between sunrise and sunset. To see exactly what the rules are, go to the NSW Maritime web site and look in the Boating Handbook section.

Please make sure you are aware of what is required. I wouldn’t like to see any Raiders fined for ‘ignorance’. My boat is now out of action for any night or pre-sunrise fishing until I work out how to fit an all round light.

Have any of you fixed up an all round light to your boat where you don’t have a cabin or rocket launcher to fix it to? Below is my little 3.95 Stacer. How would you suggest I fit an all round light? Even if I could raise the stern light up to 1.2m, it still wouldn’t clear the canopy when it’s up. Any ideas?

Cheers

Peter

Below is some of the info from the NSW Maritime boating handbook:

Different Lights

All round white light: a white light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 360 degrees.

Masthead light: a white light placed over the fore and aft centreline of a vessel, showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees, and fixed to show from anywhere ahead, to just behind the beams of the vessel.

Sidelights: a green light on the starboard (right) side, and a red light on the port (left) side of a vessel. Each shows an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5 degrees, and is fixed to show from ahead, to just behind the beams of the vessel, on its respective side. On a vessel of less than 20 metres in length, the sidelights may be combined in one light unit, carried on the fore and aft centreline of the vessel.

Sternlight: a white light placed near the stern, showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135 degrees, fixed to show from behind the vessel.

Range of Visibility

Vessels 12 metres to 20 metres

• Masthead light – 3 miles

• Sidelight and stern light – 2 miles

• All round lights – 2 miles

Vessels under 12 metres

• Masthead light – 2 miles

• Sidelight – 1 mile

• Stern light – 2 miles

• All round lights – 2 miles

Placement of Lights

Navigation lights should be positioned so they are not obscured by the vessels superstructure or interfered with by deck lights.

Power Vessels Underway

Vessels under seven metres and less than seven knots

Powered vessels of less than seven metres in length, with a maximum speed of seven knots or less, shall exhibit a white light visible all round and if possible, separate and/or combined sidelights.

Vessels under 12 metres

i. Separate or combined sidelights;

a masthead light and a stern light; or

ii. Separate or combined sidelights and an all round white light

The masthead or white all round light shall be carried at least one metre above the sidelights.

[ETTY]

Water Police and NSW Maritime can now deregister boats on the spot for breaches of the law including navigation lights.....(from http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/04/2264759.htm)

This is pretty intense (but very good)....if you have a boat on a mooring and it gets deregistered say goodbye to your mooring!!!!

[brickman]

i have 2 lights 1 the same as yours and one 2.5 meters long and it clears the bimini

it's not a problem

gary

[james7]

i have 2 lights 1 the same as yours and one 2.5 meters long and it clears the bimini

it's not a problem

gary

Thanks Gary. I assume it's a telescopic type. How do you attach it? Does it fit into a rod holder? Do you then just attach it to the battery?

Cheers

Peter

[fisherboy]

i have 2 lights 1 the same as yours and one 2.5 meters long and it clears the bimini

it's not a problem

gary

same as my dad boats it has a short one about 50cm and a long one i think it is 2.1m and all we have to do to change it take the short one out and put the long one in

hopes this helps

fisherboy

[choad]

can anybody show a picture example please?

when did they change the rules? i thought the light rules varied for different boat lengths. it seems a bit odd that they'd crack down on some ambiguity in the legislation when the majority of runabouts don't have an easy solution.

[brickman]

as fisher boy said it's just a longer pole not telesopic just long fits in the same hole

i got the boat 2 years ago and was supplyed with the two

but i have found that under way at night with the clears on the short one is a bugger as you get all this refection

but the long one being hight there is very little reflection

should be a standard thing from the supplers i would think

if you would like some pics i will post them tomorrow night

cherrs gary

[gerg]

whitworths sell a removable teloscopic one however you will need to install the new base.

cheers, Greg

[johnno]

With a little time and effort you could have it fixed at low cost

[copafisher]

My 2004 Stacer bowrider has a removable long 2 part one that was supplied with the boat. You should be able to get one that replaces the one you have pictured if its the bayonet mount type. You may need to buy new light and mount. Try a Stacer dealer or give Huey a call.

[achjimmy]

My 2004 Stacer bowrider has a removable long 2 part one that was supplied with the boat. You should be able to get one that replaces the one you have pictured if its the bayonet mount type. You may need to buy new light and mount. Try a Stacer dealer or give Huey a call.

Yep i think this has beeen done before, the Stacer & Quintrex boats have a clever two piece that complies with the regs, others dont so just because your boat is new or near new do not expect it to comply. Personaly if i had a new boat that had been supplied inside the time frame the lighting regs have been around i would be discussing with the dealer how THEY are going to make my boat comply.

my 2c worth