sailboat mast head light

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Practical Sailor Tracks Down the Best LED Tri-color Light

Testers take a look at six bulbs and lanterns from the marine led navigation light market..

When it comes to navigation lights aboard sailboats, brighter is definitely better. And our latest tests of LED nav lights proved that more light can be made with less energy. In fact, we found that replacing a conventional incandescent bulb with a light-emitting diode (LED) of similar luminosity can result in up to a 90-percent savings in energy consumed over a given period of time.

Practical Sailor’ s previous evaluations of navigation lights (September 2005 and Jan. 15, 2002) were tests of tri-color

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

masthead lights, sidelights, sternlights, and all-around white lights.

For this review, we narrowed the test field and focused solely on LED tri-color navigation lights (sidelights and a stern light combined in a single fixture) because of the under-sail connotation. They are most often used when the engine is off and the alternator(s) is providing no energy boost to the battery bank. This is when miserly current consumption is most appreciated.

LED lights come in all sizes and shapes, and it has been their monumental improvement in efficiency that has made the technology so appealing to energy-constrained sailors.

In the past, the most popular means of meeting the U.S. Coast Guard’s navigation light requirements for boats under 65 feet (see “Nav Light Requirements,” below) was to use an Aqua Signal Series 40 tri-color lamp housing with its long-filament incandescent bulb. Its 25-watt energy appetite not only puts a significant load on the house battery bank, but it requires a heavier-gauge wire be run up the spar in order to avoid an energy-robbing voltage drop. Swapping out the incandescent bulb for an LED drops power consumption significantly and yields just as bright of a light. During a 10-hour night sail, this results in reducing current consumption from about 20 amp-hours down to a scan’t 2 amp-hours. This savings adds up, and the extra cost of the LED bulb or light will pay for itself in longevity and energy savings.

LED Evolution

Since the late 1960s, LEDs have followed a trend that amounts to almost a doubling of light output every 36 months. (If Wall Street had done the same, a $100 investment made in 1969 would today be worth over $500,000.)

Skipping all the esoteric physics and getting down to basics leaves us with one important concept to grasp: By passing a current through certain semiconductors (materials with only a few electron holes), the electron flow instigates photon release—or more simply put, light energy is emitted. Modern LEDs comprise an anode (+) and cathode (-) that meet in a tiny cup-like reflector that contains an “n” and a “p” layer of semiconductor material.

In order to achieve white or colored light, phosphor coatings are used. Another significant breakthrough was the prism-like lens and epoxy-sealed cavity that bundles up many of these semiconductors. The resulting “bulb” reflects and refracts the light energy produced, delivering a color-controlled beam. The plasma-like brilliance of a single-source light creates lens and reflector challenges that each light manufacturer has to deal

with. Some makers shape a single beam with lens elements while others use an array of multiple smaller LEDs.

What We Tested

Each of the six LED tri-color masthead lights we tested for this report took a different approach to implementing the LED technology. The test field included three LED lanterns and three LED bulbs.

From Orca Green Marine (OGM), maker of the top choice among tri-colors in the 2005 Practical Sailor test, we reviewed the latest USCG 2-nautical-mile approved tri-color. The other tested lanterns were self-contained tri-color/anchor light combos from Signal Mate and Lopolight.

Among the bulbs we tested was the Lunasea, a sealed, waterproof LED lamp comprising four green, six red, and six white LEDs. From the LED Shop in Queensland, Australia, we tested the Bay15D white LED bulb with 15 diodes. The supplier recommends its use as a low-consumption (2 watts vs. 25 watts) replacement bulb for the Aqua Signal 40 incandescent. The second sealed bulb we tested was from Dr. LED, and it is third-party certified to U.S. Coast Guard standards.

LED LANTERNS

Boat owners who don’t already have a masthead tri-color light, or who plan to replace an old one—hardware and all—would do well to consider an LED lantern.

Orca Green Marine

OGM Inc.’s USCG-approved (third-party tested) tri-color/anchor light (LXTA-12v) squeezes an amazing amount of light from a minimal amount of current (0.3 amps @ 12 volts-DC).

The well-sealed, nicely machined housing and large lenses keep the LEDs in direct line of sight, regardless of heel or the viewer’s proximity. Hard, anodized endcaps and Lexan outer lens elements form a tough, water-tight seal. Its internal

electronic components are potted in a dielectric sealant, and the lantern comes with a well-sealed pigtail connector.

The manufacturer claims a 50,000-hour full brightness LED life and offers a two-year warranty on the $340 lantern.

Testers’ main concern that arose during testing was that the OGM lantern produced the most RFI of all the gear we tested. Moving the handheld VHF radio to within 14 inches of the light obliterated radio reception.

Bottom line: The OGM lantern is the least expensive in its category, and it proved to be a well-made light. However, its RFI test results held it back.

This expensive, well-designed, and carefully manufactured LED tri-color/anchor light offers a multiple diode approach to illuminating each sector of coverage. The lamp’s geometry focuses individual LEDs in narrower beams and uses 36 to cover each colored zone and 44 in the white zone. In addition to adding redundancy with circuitry that allows individual diodes to fail without taking out the entire cluster, the design eliminated the hotspot inherent in tri-color lights that use single-point light sources for each sector.

This light offers a green that’s really green (see “Shades of Green,” page 14), a dead-ahead aspect with minimal overlap, and a crisp transition to the red zone. The Lopolight also sports a rugged, well-sealed housing that’s fully submersible.

Its current consumption is a tiny bit more than the most energy efficient in this group, but the value of having the light continue to work even if one or more diodes give up the ghost is a big plus.

At $689, the Lopolight was the most expensive product of all those we tested, but it also had the least RFI. It comes with a five-year warranty.

Bottom line: If quality construction and superior performance are your priorities—and cost isn’t a concern—the Lopolight will fit the bill. It gets the nod as Practical Sailor’s Best Choice.

Signal Mate

Signal Mate products are designed and manufactured by Maryland-based Kimberlite Assemblers Inc. The company sent us a pre-production version of its 2-nautical-mile tri-color lantern for testing.

The searing bright lantern scored high marks for energy efficiency. Its 0.3 amp draw at 12 volts DC compared to some of the more expensive lanterns.

The Signal Mate incorporates a finned alloy base that functions

as a heat sink and houses the driver and diodes within a polycarbonate cylindrical tube. Its endcaps and electronics are sealed and bedded in Dow Tough Gel.

Its cylindrical shape makes it well suited for masthead mounting. The light output did not appear hampered at all by the unit’s comparably small lenses, even at varying angles of heel.

The design, with a single light source per sector, created a white hotspot, but from 50 to 100 yards away, it was undetectable. Hotspots, a bright white spot that occurs when a single-point white light source illuminates a colored faceted lens, are common to this design.

Just before going to press with this review, Signal Mate sent us its new production version of this lamp. Like the pre-production unit, the LED circuitry is enclosed in a polycarbonate cylinder, but it now incorporates O-ring seals and 3M 5200 adhesive to better cope with thermal expansion and contraction. Heat dissipation and RFI suppression have been improved, and the overall fit and finish have been raised a notch. The light is certified to USCG and American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)-16 standards.

Bottom line: The $359 Signal Mate tri-color is a cost-effective option with a good five-year warranty, and the new version boasts some necessary improvements.

The new breed of LED bulbs can add efficiency to those old Aqua Signal, Hella, and Perko incandescent nav lights that have been serving boats for decades. These plug-and-play conversions from incandescent to much more efficient LED technology are capturing market share, and the degree of this success has inspired Aqua Signal to come out with its own single-diode LED light and a new line of LED products. For those with older lamps such as the venerable Aqua Signal 40 tri-color, the following three bulb options represent good examples of what’s available in the realm of LED conversions.

The Dr. LED Polar Star 40 replacement bulb for the Aqua Signal 40 lantern comes with an interesting note. According to the Seattle firm, “a white LED should not be used behind colored lenses.” And to that end, its LED replacement bulb has three distinct color-enhanced sectors indigenous to the bulb itself. These are not stand-alone red, green, and white sectors, but instead are color-enhancing segments that ensure that red is red and green is a bright and deep shade of green. This reduced the bulb’s hotspot.

The bulb is designed in the U.S., made in China, and meets the 2-nautical-mile visibility, chromaticity, and other demands of the ABYC/USCG standards. It was the lowest current-consuming light in our test (0.1 amps), and though not the

brightest, it was visible and color recognizable at the 2-mile range.

Bottom line: Middle of the pack price-wise, this $50 current miser gets a Practical Sailor Budget Buy among LED bulbs for conversions.

Lunasea Lights

This well-sealed, wedge shaped, waterproof bulb uses separate LEDs for each color zone. The red sector held six LEDs, and the green four. Light-meter readings indicated that the red sector was a bit brighter than the green sector during tests. At distances beyond 100 yards, the discrepancy was not noticeable visually. Both segments could be seen at the 2-nautical-mile range.

This bulb seemed to only need a clear housing because of the excellent chromaticity match, but without being placed in a tri-lens housing, it had a rather large overlap of red and green. We noted that the red and green (bow-on aspect) covered an arc of more than 20 degrees. But by placing the tri-color lens over the bulb, the overlap was brought into an acceptable 10-degree range, creating a bright, very distinguishable tri-color light.

The Lunasea bulb was the only one in its group with the ability to keep shining even if one of the multiple diodes failed.

Bottom line: One of the brightest LEDs tested, the Lunasea light gets the Practical Sailor Recommended pick among bulbs for its top performance and lifetime warranty, the only test product to offer one.

Distributed by the Australia-based LED Shop, the white BAY-15D bulb we tested was a cluster of 15 diodes in pentagonal array of three vertical diodes per segment. This bright-white light makes a superb anchor light, and the LED Shop also recommends it as a replacement bulb for the Aqua Signal Series 40 tri-color light.

In our testing, it provided a bright red and green sector, but its colors were not as saturated as the color-specific bulbs by Dr. LED and Lunasea.

Testers’ biggest concern was the fact the bulb isn’t properly sealed. This does afford better heat dissipation, a key factor in LED longevity, but we prefer sealed bulbs.

However, the BAY-15D’s $27 price tag, its brightness and

minimal RFI make it a bargain as an anchor light bulb.

Bottom line: Although inexpensive and a good performer, the BAY-15D was held back by its lack of a good seal.

• Nav Light Requirements
• How We Tested
• Practical Sailor Value Guide: Led Tri-Color Masthead Lights
• Shades of Green
• View PDF Format

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Which version of the OGM was tested for this review?

It would be helpful if you added the part numbers of the specific product that you’re testing. For example, when I went to the Lopolight website, I couldn’t find the product you tested. I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t test any trilights with the strobe or flash function. Perhaps I’ll keep my 20-year old Hella.

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Mast head light confusion

Here is a question from a Student who posted it on Disqus. I felt it was important enough to post out here for public. Displaying correct lights on boats is important.

Could you please provide more of an explanation for the following: Although ‘steaming light’ is used extensively, this does not have a definition within the IRPCS [International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea], the correct definition being a masthead light.

If the tri-colour light can replace the stern and red/green pulpit light on a sailboat how can it be unacceptable to use the tri-colour light with mast head light? If you are under power you of course need your steaming light/ mast head light illuminated. So if you don’t have pulpit or stern lights aboard as you are using a tri colour light how can you do this?

Agreed – lights can be confusing at the onset. In this particular topic, sailors tend to get confused because they think  a mast is only on a sailboat. But, a mast head light is also used (and defined for use) on power boats. Take a look at this image shown in the rules. It shows a power driven vessel longer than 50 meters using two mast head lights.

A large Power vessel displaying two mast head lights.

Here is the definition of a mast head light in the rules:

(a) “Masthead light” means a white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

Note also that is does not say the light must be at the top of the mast.

For sailboats, a tricolored light is a light described by rule 25(b) in USCG Nav Rules. It is at or near the top of the mast and is for sailing vessels less than 20 meters in length. It is an optional alternative to having the lights down on the hull or pulpits. It faces a white light to the aft 135 degrees plus red from directly forward around to port 112.5 degrees and a green light directly forward and around to starboard 112.5 degrees. This makes up 360 degrees and meets the requirement for a sailboat sailing. When the sailboat turns on it’s engines it must also in addition to the white, red and green above, display a white light 225 degrees facing forward. You can name this light what ever you like but it must exist. These white “mast head” lights are also defined by the distance they must be seen by – it does not mean they have to be at the top of the mast. On power vessels they are typically at the top of the mast because that is what the mast is for.

Here is a sailing vessel under sail only with a tricolored light

Tri-colored lights on a sailboat

On a sailboat less than 50 meters in length, a mast head light (white under power light) can be just “up the mast” anywhere. It’s not part of the tri color. It is white and faces forward 225 degrees and is to be used when the sailboat is under power. You also might be confusing the term mast head light with the two all around red and green lights at the top of the mast. These are not mast head lights. They can be used in addition to the hull or pulpit mounted red green and white. The rules prevent a top of the mast tricolored light AND the two all around red and green at the top of the mast. This would create confusion and may be your source of confusion. i.e it is unacceptable to use the tricolored and two all around red and green lights. Again the mast head is white 225 deg forward facing to be used under power only.

Here is a vessel with the two all around red and green lights.

The Vessel sailing “on starboard” is utilizing the optional two all around red and green lights.

Here are the rules as stated: Rule 25 – Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars

(a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

(i) sidelights; (ii) a stern light

(b) In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length, the lights prescribed in Rule 25(a) may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.  [note this is the tricolored light]

(c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in Rule 25(a), exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by Rule 25(b).

I hope that helps.

I highly recommend that you complete our Navigation Rules Course . It is free for everyone.

International Rules for Prevention of Collision at Sea FREE Sailing Course

We also have a Paper Book that you should order and keep on your boat for reference.

The book is a stand alone excellent explanation of the Rules of the Nautical road and is a good and quick easy read. It has additional really cool features. Through out the book you will see QR Codes. When you scan any QR code with your mobile device, the book element comes alive and shows you animations and videos.

To get a QR Reader – 

For Android

Order the International Rules of Prevention of Collision at Sea Book from Amazon.

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Boat Masthead Lights

Whether you use your craft for water sports, fishing, or leisure cruising, it should be equipped with proper navigation lights to make sure it is safe and legal. Even if taking a boat out on the water after the dark is not your cup of tea, sometimes your afternoon water trip may turn into a night adventure. Besides, if you are a regular boater you will inevitably get caught in a rain or fog at some point. Obviously, inclement weather reduces visibility putting you at risk of having an accident with another vessel. That is why every craft is required to have navigation lights. The size of a boat determines what type of them should be used. To wit, masthead lights are required by all motorized boats that are longer than 39.4 feet.

They are white and installed at the front of a vessel. The arc of illumination is 225 degrees. They are combined with stern lights which are visible across 135 degrees to provide 360 degrees of visibility. When it comes to boats that are greater than 39.4 feet but less than 65.6 feet, they should be visible from at least three nautical miles away. For vessels which are less than 39.4 feet, the visibility range is two nautical miles. Keep in mind that they can be also equipped with an all-round light instead of a set of stern and masthead lights. Whatever size of your vessel, we have the right product for it in our selection. Our offerings are made by reliable brands including Sea Dog , Attwood , and many others.

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Sailboat Lights

Sailboat Lights can be confusing and usually need some explanation.

Common Questions:

Is the tri-color light all I need when under power?  Are the red and green lights at the top of the mast all I need?  Am I supposed to turn any of these off?  How then do I let others know I am under power?  If you are under power, you of course need your mast head light illuminated, correct? (As seen here on the left).  What if there are no pulpit or stern lights on your vessel?  Shouldn’t you always use your mast lights?  This is confusing!

Let’s talk it through:

Mast head lights can also be seen on power boats. Take a look at this image shown in the rules. It shows a power-driven vessel longer than 50 meters using two mast head lights.

Here is the definition of a mast head light in the rules:

A “Masthead light” means a white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

Note:  It does not say the light must be at the top of the mast.

What is the tricolored light for?

Well, it is at or near the top of the mast and is for sailing vessels less than 20 meters or 65.5 feet in length.   It is an optional alternative to having the lights down on the hull or pulpits.  The tri-color light at the top of the mast faces a white light to the aft 135 degrees plus red from directly forward around to port 112.5 degrees and a green light directly forward and around to starboard 112.5 degrees.

This makes up 360 degrees and meets the requirement for a sailboat sailing .

So, when the sailboat turns on its engines it must also, in addition to the tri-color light at the top of the mast , display a white light 225 degrees facing forward.  You can call this light whatever you’d like but it must exist.  Now these particular white lights that we preferably call mast head lights , shall be visible from 6 miles.  Note:  It does not mean they have to be at the top of the mast.  On power vessels they are typically at the top of the mast because that is what the mast is for.

Here is a sailing vessel under sail using a tricolored light.  There is no forward-facing white light, like in the upper picture, so we know it is under sail.

To clarify, on a sailboat less than 50 meters in length, a white under power mast head light can be just up the mast anywhere.  That is to say that it’s not part of the tri color.   It is white and faces forward 225 degrees and indicates a sailboat is under power.

Where the confusion lies:

You also might be confusing the term mast head light with the two all-around red and green lights at the top of the mast.  These are not mast head lights.  They can be used in addition to the hull or pulpit mounted red, green, and white.  A sailing vessel cannot display a top of the mast tricolored light AND the two all-around red and green at the top of the mast.  Above all, the mast head is white 225 deg forward facing to be used under power only.

Pictured, the Vessel on the left is utilizing the optional two all-around red and green lights.  Subsequently, this states that it is under sail or underway and not under engine power.

To further understand this picture, here are the rules as stated:

Rule 25 – Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars

(a) A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

(i) sidelights; (ii) a stern light

(c) A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in Rule 25(a), exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern permitted by Rule 25(b).

In Conclusion:

You can further investigate using the United States Coast Guards book on Navigation Rules…  NavRulesAmalgamatedwAnnexes.pdf (uscg.gov)

We are proud to discuss navigation lights in our Public Course please visit our Schedule any time.  We teach all of our classes live in a virtual setting

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Navigation Lights for Sailboats (And How To Read Them)

Last Updated by

Capt Chris German

June 15, 2022

Navigation lights on a sailboat can be confusing. If you understand the reason behind why they are the way they are however, they can make a lot more sense.

At their heart, sailboats are really just a power boat and as such must adhere to all power boat rules such as navigation lights. Other times however, a sailboat is classified in a special category. They have a set of additional lights they CAN show as an option, but are not always required to do so.

That’s about as clear as mud if you ask me and I contend that that is where the confusion about lighting a sailboat begins.

Just because you can show a light to identify yourself in times of low visibility, does not mean you have to and then we add in a little sibling rivalry between power and sail and things get downright adversarial when it comes to navigation and the night.

Table of contents

The USCG says You’re a Power Boat Whether You Like It or Not

Much to the consternation of many a sailor who has earned a commercial license to drive their sailboat, when you received your credential from the USCG it says you are a master of steam and power across the top with no mention of wind as a source of propulsion.

It is not until you read the back pages of your little red book that feels like a passport and looks like a US Sailing credential, that you will see the term “sail auxiliary”. That is because most of the time the U.S. Coast Guard knows that you are primarily reliant on your mechanical power to propel your vessel.

It's a sad thing, but the days of commercially viable sail boats are done and all but the most select few even have sails let alone use them as their primary power source. All sail boats by law are powerboats, but not all powerboats are sailboats.

Navigation Lights for a Power Boat

As a power boat, you are required to show certain lights and have been required to do so before power was even invented. 

In the days of man powered vessels like the viking ships who relied on oars while in close quarters to power their vessels, they needed to show other boats, friend or foe, where they were by showing lanterns in the dark to identify themselves. As you know, it is a time honored rule among all the nations of the world both past and present, that you must avoid a collision at all costs while at sea and even the viking knew that you should not run into things.

By lighting the front and back of your boat, you could warn other boats of your presence as well as identify which way you were heading. As such there is a very specific rule in the Code of Federal Regulations Number 46 (CFR46 by common name) that spells out with detail how many, the color, the luminosity or brightness, the angle of visibility and the location of all of the lights required for navigation on every single boat, seaplane, submarine and other nondescript vessel conceived by man to date that they must show while underway in reduced visibility.

And there is no flexibility in the rules.

As such a power boat, and by extension all sailboats, MUST, without question show one green light on the starboard bow and one red light on the port bow and one all around white light or lights while operating in reduced visibility. These lights should shine at all 360 degrees of visibility with the bow lights shining at an angle of dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam and the stern lights shining 225 degrees dead aft. A forward facing masthead light that is white in color shall shine forward to comply with the directive that all vessels must carry an all around white light. For more read here .

As you can see, there isn’t much wiggle room when it comes to lights that must be shown.

Sailboats get a little flexibility with lights

Sailboats however, are a little different when they are in fact sailboats, which is only when you are entirely reliant on the wind for power and in no way reliant on any mechanical or manual means of propulsion. And for good reason.

Back in the day when men were men and sailboats were wooden, fire was a major concern. Sails were coated with wax and other flammable substances and the wood on boats was saturated with oils and grease. Even the ropes were plant materials saturated with oils to keep them pliable and strong.

Add those highly flammable substances to a parching environment like the sea and you had what was essentially a giant floating tinderbox.

Then tell that giant floating tinderbox that they need to identify themselves to the world at large at night using oil lamps with flames because batteries and lights were not invented yet. It didn't take very long or very many ships burning to the water line for the Governments to say to the sailboats, you get to do things a little different.

As such, sailboats are given special dispensation when it comes to lights aloft. They don't have to show an all around white light in their rigging because no one wanted to set their rig on fire with oil lamps 60 feet up in their rig.

However, when a sailboat takes their sails down such as when they are powered or at anchor, they must resume the display of an all around white light or lights aloft. That became a real challenge with aluminum masts and the disappearance of rat lines on the shrouds because there was no easy way to climb the rig and check the bulbs up the mast on a regular basis. 

Red over Green Sailing Machine

I have no idea where the history of this particular light comes from, but if you ever take a deck exam with the USCG, you better remember this mnemonic. An all around red light over an all around green may be displayed on a vessel during times of reduced visibility to indicate that a vessel is operating under sail power alone. 

I won’t even speculate on how or why they came up with this particular light configuration, but if you want to use these lights as a sailing vessel, you can do so, but that means that you will need three all round lights at the top of your mast, an all around white, an all around red and an all around green, just in that order.

The red over green is to be displayed in addition to the running lights or the red and green bow lights with the 225 degree stern light. As always, when the motor comes on, so does the steaming light or the forward facing white light that is also usually about ¾ of the way up on your mast to complete the requirement of an all around white light that indicates a power vessel.

What is a “steaming light” and why are you mentioning it now?

Most sailboat electrical panels will have a switch that is labelled “steaming light” and it will only come on when your anchor light is off. This is probably the most confusing part of sailboat navigation lights so if you are confused about this, you're in good company as most people are. 

A “steaming” light is named thusly, going back to the days of steam powered sailboats where when they fired up their boilers and doused the sails, they became a power boat once again. There aren’t too many steam powered boats, let alone steam powered sailboats, but the name stuck and it is a vestige of a bygone era.

Either way, when you fire up your motor, you turn on your “steaming light” and that locks out the all around white light which is used for anchoring to minimize the number of switches on your panel and reduce the number of wires in your mast. The fewer wires, the less chance of something not working or becoming disconnected.

The steaming light and the anchor light both go up the mast, but you can’t use an all around white light while using the 225 degree stern light at the deck level because to other boaters you would look like you have two white lights from the stern and that would be confusing.

The anchor light is used exclusively for anchoring while the steaming light is used to indicate you are a power vessel while underway.

As to why I am mentioning it now in the article, is because this would have blown your mind if I started with this subject cause it can be really confusing stuff.

Aspect Recognition with Lights

Remember when I said earlier that lights can help you tell others which way you are heading as well as tell you which way other boats are heading? That is called the aspect of the vessel and the USCG tests you on this for your deck exam as well. 

Knowing that the bow lights go 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on both sides or 112.5 degrees on each side, and the stern light faces 225 degrees aft for a total of 360 degrees of visibility, you can tell a lot about where a boat is heading and who has the right of way.

One thing that's easy to remember is red means stop and if you see a vessel's red light, it means stop as you are the give way vessel and approaching the other vessel from his port side. Conversely it works with green as well as that means you are approaching from the other vessel's starboard side and you are the standon vessel.

If you see a red and green light equally low on the horizon, that means your heading dead on into another vessel's path and conversely if all you see is a white light low on the horizon, it means you are overtaking another vessel power or sail, we don’t care because it is an overtaking situation. However, any time you do see a white light aloft in addition to the red and green bow lights, you know you are encountering a power boat.

Then there are angular approaches as well, where you see white and red or white and green light low on the horizon. You know in that case you are seeing a portion of the bow lights and stern lights from the side approaches of a vessel. Based on which direction those lights are heading, you can deduce which way that boat is going in relation to your boat.

So put it all together and you see a green light and a white light low on the horizon with a red over green light aloft, you know that you are approaching a sailboat that is traveling to your port and that might make you the standon vessel. That is of course, if we didn’t concern ourselves with windward and leeward and port tacks and starboard tacks, but that is a discussion for another article. So stay tuned when we talk about sailing rules and the right of way. But for now, do good, have fun and sail far.

Related Articles

Capt Chris German is a life long sailor and licensed captain who has taught thousands to sail over the last 20 years. In 2007, he founded a US Sailing-based community sailing school in Bridgeport, CT for inner city youth and families. When Hurricane Sandy forced him to abandon those efforts, he moved to North Carolina where he set out to share this love for broadcasting and sailing with a growing web-based television audience through The Charted Life Television Network.

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Port, Starboard, Stern, Anchor, Tricolour, Bicolour, Masthead. We have all the navigation lights you need, many in LED as well as traditional halogen.

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Lights and shapes

Definitions

• Masthead light means a white light placed over the fore and aft centreline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225° and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.
• Sidelight means a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side each showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 112.5° and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5° abaft the beam on its respective side. In a vessel of less than 20 metres in length the sidelights may be combined in one lantern carried on the fore and aft centreline of the vessel.
• Sternlight means a white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135° and so fixed as to show the light 67.5° from right aft on each side of the vessel.
• Towing light means a yellow light having the same characteristics as the sternlight.
• All-round light means a light showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 360°.
• Flashing light means a light flashing at regular intervals at a frequency of 120 flashes or more per minute.

Colour legend

Power-driven vessel underway

A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit:

• a masthead light forward;
• a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one; except that a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so;
• sidelights;
• a sternlight.

Sailing vessels underway and vessels under oars

A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

In a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres in length the lights may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.

A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights, exhibit at or near the top of the mast, where they can best be seen, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower green, but these lights shall not be exhibited in conjunction with the combined lantern.

4 lights configurations sailing

A sailing vessel of less than 7 metres in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed above, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed in this Rule for sailing vessels, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Sailing and Motoring

A vessel proceeding under sail which has her engine running shall exhibit, forward where it can best be seen, a conical shape, apex downwards. She shall exibit lights according to a power-driven vessel.

A vessel at anchor shall according to Rule 30 (a) (b) exhibit where it can best be seen:

• in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;
• at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in Rule 30(a)(i), an all-round white light.

A vessel aground shall according to Rule 30 (d) exhibit the lights prescribed in Rule 30(a) or (b) and in addition, if practicable, where they can best be seen;

• two all-round red lights in a vertical line;
• three balls in a vertical line.

A power-driven vessel when towing shall exhibit:

• two masthead lights in a vertical line. When the length of the tow, measuring from the stern of the towing vessel to the after end of the tow exceeds 200 metres, three such lights in a vertical line; Rule 24 ;
• a sternlight;
• a towing light in a vertical line above the sternlight;
• when the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres, a diamond shape where it can best be seen.

Towing an inconspicuous, partly submerged object

An inconspicuous, partly submerged vessel or object, or combination of such vessels or objects being towed; Rule 24 (g) , shall exhibit:

• if it is less than 25 metres in breadth, one all-round white light at or near the forward end and one at or near the after end except that dracones need not exhibit a light at or near the forward end;
• if it is 25 metres or more in breadth, two additional all-round white lights at or near the extremities of its breadth;
• if it exceeds 100 metres in length, additional all-round white lights between these lights so that the distance between the lights shall not exceed 100 metres;
• a diamond shape at or near the aftermost extremity of the last vessel or object being towed and if the length of the tow exceeds 200 metres an additional diamond shape where it can best be seen and located as far forward as is practicable.

Pushing from ahead or towing alongside

When a pushing vessel and a vessel being pushed ahead are rigidly connected in a composite unit they shall be regarded as a power-driven vessel and exhibit the normal lights.

A power-driven vessel when pushing ahead or towing alongside, except in the case of a composite unit; Rule 24 (c) , shall exhibit:

• two masthead lights in a vertical line;

A vessel or object being towed shall exhibit:

• Provided that any number of vessels being towed alongside or pushed in a group shall be lighted as one vessel,
• a vessel being pushed ahead, not being part of a composite unit, shall exhibit at the forward end, sidelights;
• a vessel being towed alongside shall exhibit a sternlight and at the forward end, sidelights.

Fishing – Trawling

A vessel engaged in fishing, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit only the lights and shapes prescribed below; Rule 26

A vessel when engaged in trawling, by which is meant the dragging through the water of a dredge net or other apparatus used as a fishing appliance, shall exhibit:

• two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
• a masthead light abaft of and higher than the all-round green light; a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such a light but may do so;
• when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed hereh, sidelights and a sternlight.
• when shooting nets, white light over white light (Flag Z by day);
• when hauling nets, white light over red light (Flag G by day);
• When nets are caught on the bottom, red light over red light (Flag P by day).

Trawling in span

When pair trawling, each vessel shows searchlights on water aiming forward ( Flag T by day); Rule 26 (f) (b)ǂ(2)

Fishing, other than trawling

A vessel engaged in fishing, other than trawling , according to Rule 26 (c) shall exhibit:

• two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
• when there is outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light or a cone apex upwards in the direction of the gear;
• when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed here, sidelights and a sternlight.

Purse seining

Purse Seiners will exhibit two all-round yellow lights in a vertical line, flashing alternately; Rule 26 (f) 3ǂ(iii)

Constrained by draught

A vessel constrained by her draught / draft may, (and not “shall”!) in addition to the lights prescribed for power-driven vessels, exhibit where they can best be seen three all-round red lights in a vertical line, or as day sign a cylinder, Rule 28

Not under command

A vessel not under command, sometimes knows as a NUC N ot U nder C ommand." aria-label="Illumination" data-bs-original-title="NUC"> vessel, shall according to Rule 27(a) exhibit:

• two all-round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen;
• two spherical shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen; and
• when making way through the water also normal sidelights and a sternlight (not shown in the examples below).

Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre

A vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre, sometimes knows as a RAM R estricted in her A bility to M anoeuvre." aria-label="Illumination" data-bs-original-title="RAM"> vessel, except a vessel engaged in mine clearance operations , shall according to Rule 27(b) exhibit:

• three all-round lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white;
• three shapes in a vertical line where they can best be seen. The highest and lowest of these shapes shall be balls and the middle one a diamond;
• when making way through the water, also a masthead light or lights, sidelights and a sternlight

Dredging or underwater operations

A vessel engaged in dredging or underwater operations, when restricted in her ability to manoeuvre; Rule 27(d) , shall exibit

• two all-round red lights or two balls in a vertical line to indicate the side on which the obstruction exists;
• two all-round green lights or two diamonds in a vertical line to indicate the side on which another vessel may pass; and
• when at anchor (or not making way), the lights or shapes prescribed in this section instead of the lights or shapes prescribed in Rule 30

Small diving vessel

A vessel engaged on pilotage, according to Rule 29 , duty shall exhibit:

• at or near the masthead, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being white and the lower red;
• when underway, in addition, sidelights and a sternlight; as shown in the example below.

Hovercraft, hydrofoil ferry

An air-cushion vessel when operating in non-displacement mode shall, besides a masthead light forward, (plus a masthead light abaft if longer than 50 m) sidelights and a sternlight, exhibit an all‑round flashing yellow light (faster than 2 flashes per second). Rule 23(b)

Also a hydrofoil ferry or high speed catamaran when acting as ferry is often allowed under local regulations to exhibit an all-round flashing yellow light.

Minesweeper

A vessel engaged in mine clearance operations shall in addition to the lights prescribed for a power-driven vessel, or to the lights or shape prescribed for a vessel at anchor, exhibit three all-round green lights or three balls. One of these lights or shapes shall be exhibited near the mast head and one at each end of the fore yard. These lights or shapes indicate that it is dangerous for another vessel to approach within 1000 metres of the mine clearance vessel. Rule 27(f)

See all chapters

Course overview Chapter 1 – Positions Chapter 2 – Nautical chart Chapter 3 – Compass Chapter 4 – Plotting and piloting Chapter 5 – Plotting and piloting – Advanced Chapter 6 – Tides Chapter 7 – Tide prediction Chapter 8 – Currents Chapter 9 – Navigation aids Chapter 10 – Lights and Shapes

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Marine Solar Masthead Light

• Product Description

The light may become one of the following four lamps.

If you want the light to have more than one function,the four functions of light can be combined and selected by an IRC.

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Solar mast head lights

• Thread starter Blane
• Start date Apr 12, 2013
• Hunter Owner Forums

WE are all trying to save power on the hook. Has anyone tried a solar light on the mast head? If so is there anyway to turn it off when at the dock?  

Stu Jackson

Any anchor light should have an I/O at the electrical panel, regardless of how it is powered. Many solar lights have their own built-in daylight switches, assuming you have an I/O wired in anyway. Many skippers have used LED anchor lights with solar lights in the cockpit in addition. Your boat, your choice. Good luck. The trick is simply finding out what's on the market. If you do a search on LEDs on this or any other forum, you'll be reading for weeks. There was a post here last week about LEDs that included lots of links to LED providers.  

gettinthere

We bought our masthead LED anchor light from Cruising Solutions. It has a photo sensor to shut off at dawn and on at dusk. Works great, USCG approved.  

Hello Below

Mulf said: Rule 22 - Visibility of Lights The lights prescribed in these Rules shall have an intensity as specified in [ Section 8 ] of Annex I to these [ Regulations | Rules ] so as to be visible at the following minimum ranges: (c) In vessels of less than 12 meters in length: (i) a masthead light, 2 miles; (ii) a sidelight, 1 miles; (iii) a towing light, 2 miles; (iv) a white red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles. (v) a special flashing light, 2 miles. Click to expand

Consider the following: using an led anchor light powered by the batteries and a separate solar panel attached to the batteries reduces the power by using led and you get power over and above that required to power the light. Solves 2 problems at the same time.  

Bob 04 H260

Mulf said: There are requirements for the visibility & strength of all navigation lights (portion of rule 22 below). However, from what I can see, there is no such requirement for a light used only as an anchor light (portion of rule 30 below). So, if you are going to use it as both, whatever light you do must comply. If only at anchor you just need to be sure you can be seen. Mulf From: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent#rule22 Rule 22 - Visibility of Lights The lights prescribed in these Rules shall have an intensity as specified in [ Section 8 ] of Annex I to these [ Regulations | Rules ] so as to be visible at the following minimum ranges: (c) In vessels of less than 12 meters in length: (i) a masthead light, 2 miles; (ii) a sidelight, 1 miles; (iii) a towing light, 2 miles; (iv) a white red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles. (v) a special flashing light, 2 miles. Rule 30 - Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground (a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen: (i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; (ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light. Click to expand

Don Crowther

I've been looking at this site for an anchor light. http://www.bebi-electronics.com/owl.html  

gettinthere said: We bought our masthead LED anchor light from Cruising Solutions. It has a photo sensor to shut off at dawn and on at dusk. Works great, USCG approved. Click to expand

Scott B said: Is this the one. Does it stay on all night? One problem with solar is not lasting throught he night. Looks very interesting. http://cruisingsolutions.com/dusk-to-dawn-automatic-photocell-led-anchor-light-bulb/ Click to expand

Thanks for the responses. My concerns were turning the light out while at the dock. I'll be the only boat with the masthead light on. On the other hand that has some positives if you get loaded and trying to find your slip.  

Bob 04 H260 said: Scott, I think this just an LED bulb that replaces the bulb in your existing masthead housing, so not a solar powered unit but probably draws so little current it would be negligible. Bob Click to expand

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