Nav lights, opinions please

[fund razor]

I have a 28 foot brave. The prior owner had some paint and glass work done and in the process... some lighting was removed. I believe that it had a bow combo (red and green) light and an all around mast light, like pic p22d.

I have had boats that were set up like pic p22b, with the stern light working with the mast light so that there was less glare for the driver. This is my preference, so I will be changing the 360 degree 2nm light for a 270, I think it is.

On the issue of the port (red) and starboard (green) would you install a single light in each side at midships, or would you just go with a single combo light at the bow? (I had this on the last boat)

I assume that there were anchor line "keepers" on the bow too.... otherwise the anchor line would rub on the edge of the boat. (pic 200a1)

[fund razor]

Maybe if I can find a smallish pop up for the bow... that would work.

[fund razor]

I am leaning toward a single pop up bow light. Doing some searches, and that seems like the way.

Along the way I found a cool "how-to" with a couple tricks for the install.

http://www.wakesiderides.com/viewArticle.php?id=151

[fund razor]

Looks like a good price for the stainless model:

http://www.cpperformance.com/detail.aspx?ID=3478

[Airpacker]

mine are mid ship and I like em that way.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

You need separation between the red/green and white lights. If you do a combo bow light you can do the split white like the pic on the right. The single white behind you has a tendency to blind you. I prefer the split white for running at night.

[MarylandMark]

Maybe if I can find a smallish pop up for the bow... that would work.

1st thing that popped in to my head!

[Chris]

On the Cig, I'm going with the pop-up bow. I would have preferred to put them in the deck cowling but it has the aluminum race fairing and you can't hide them from behind (without making something obvious)

For 360 white, I'm going with one of those powered mast deals. It retracts flush so it's not obtrusive. Lights aren't a big deal for me. I prefer to be docked, showered and eating a nice dinner by sunset. When I night-boated more, I made up a little piece of plastic sheet with a clip. It went right on the mast below the light. It shielded my eyes from the light, but allowed clear view of it.

[fund razor]

I prefer the split white for running at night.

Me too. I run mostly in the day, but our season is so short and I work days, so sometimes I will do an afternoon-evening run and a few times I have ended up in the dark.

I have ended up driving other guys boats home in the dark though.

[Sydwayz]

Trick used to sell a pop up like the one offered by CP, but it had LEDs in it.

You need to find one that is spring loaded to stay up, and has a latch to keep it down.

I have the one above like CP offers, and it has a 'notch' that you pull the light up into. The problem is such that if you take a nice little landing, the light falls down.

This would be the one that I would go with:
http://www.monstermarinestore.com/pr...=1044&incat=50

[kvogt]

I'm in the middle of re-doing my boat as well and plan on changing my lighting. I was thinking of going the same direction as Chris but can the powered mast 360 degree light be mounted behind the driver. I was thinking of mounting it on the step ledge forward of the rear cleat so it would not shine in my eyes. Is that legal?

Kris Vogt

[OBNOXUS]

Trick used to sell a pop up like the one offered by CP, but it had LEDs in it.

You need to find one that is spring loaded to stay up, and has a latch to keep it down.

I have the one above like CP offers, and it has a 'notch' that you pull the light up into. The problem is such that if you take a nice little landing, the light falls down.

This would be the one that I would go with:
http://www.monstermarinestore.com/pr...=1044&incat=50

Thats the one I use,,,,, I like it as it installs with a circular hole,,,, not a cutout like the other style

[MarylandMark]

I have ended up driving other guys boats home in the dark though.

I've had (pre-arranged most of the time) my boat driven home more than a few times by friends. The LOVE the remote controlled arch lights on my ride!!

[fund razor]

I'm in the middle of re-doing my boat as well and plan on changing my lighting. I was thinking of going the same direction as Chris but can the powered mast 360 degree light be mounted behind the driver. I was thinking of mounting it on the step ledge forward of the rear cleat so it would not shine in my eyes. Is that legal?

Kris Vogt

I believe that this is within the standards. I have seen it alot on smaller boats, but I think that all vessels under 20 meters are ok.

[fund razor]

Trick used to sell a pop up like the one offered by CP, but it had LEDs in it.

You need to find one that is spring loaded to stay up, and has a latch to keep it down.

I have the one above like CP offers, and it has a 'notch' that you pull the light up into. The problem is such that if you take a nice little landing, the light falls down.

This would be the one that I would go with:
http://www.monstermarinestore.com/pr...=1044&incat=50

That is a good point. Thanks Brian.

[BDiggity]

I am planning to add the Livorsi ellipticals http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/rigging1.htm#elliptical on each side of the Cafe's fairing. I originally wanted a pop up for up front, but wanted a motorized one.

Would there be an issue w/ this setup since the mast light mounts at the front of the fairing?

[old377guy]

I'm in the process right now of re-doing my navigation lights because I do a fair amount of night cruising and am annoyed with the masthead light(glare) above my windshield. Since my Scarab is just a bit under 12 meters I can go with a single all-around white light which I will place near the stern. (I'll decommission my transom mounted stern light). I'm mindful of the regulation that states that the all-around white light must elevated 1 meter -39.6 in. above the forward (red/green) light. Taking into account the rake of my boat, my mast will likely be 48+ inches. I'll just keep the pole in the cabin and pop it in the socket after dusk. - Ok, I'm refering to the aluminum "light pole"

[Scarab KV]

I am planning to add the Livorsi ellipticals http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/rigging1.htm#elliptical on each side of the Cafe's fairing. I originally wanted a pop up for up front, but wanted a motorized one.

Would there be an issue w/ this setup since the mast light mounts at the front of the fairing?

I would think so. White needs to be behind your forward navs. Things would be pretty confusing for other boats. Too many out there at night that think they know what they're doing. No need to make it any harder for them.

[ChiefApache]

Ours are also mid-ship and prefer them there vs the bow.

Last year we took our nav light and removed it from the windshield (hard to see if it's dusk or you're out at night), and we put in a pop up LED 360 on the transom. We talked about the electric nav light, but we have the manual and it works great for us.

We are so happy with the nav light being located in the back of the boat, and the mid-ship lights allows you to see if a light is burned out easier than the bow lights.

[fund razor]

Ours are also mid-ship and prefer them there vs the bow.

Last year we took our nav light and removed it from the windshield (hard to see if it's dusk or you're out at night), and we put in a pop up LED 360 on the transom. We talked about the electric nav light, but we have the manual and it works great for us.

We are so happy with the nav light being located in the back of the boat, and the mid-ship lights allows you to see if a light is burned out easier than the bow lights.

Does it cast too much glare into the cockpit? Mine is all white.

Also... I would be afraid of becoming invisible when bow up in waves from the perspective of a vessel that I am overtaking but not yet able to get alongside. They may not see side lights, or the stern light. I thought that if I did a bow light for port/starboard signaling, and a mast as high as possible it would help. My paint job will make it very hard for someone to get a sense of the size of the boat. It is almost navy camo.