No Lights!

[webmaster]

We were on the Mount Washington's Dinner Cruise Friday night and were shocked to encounter 2 different sailboats, under full sail, without a single light visible.

The first time we noticed the Mount put their spotlight on the boat and flashed it on and off. When the spotlight was off the boat was completely invisible in the dark. With other boats around that night it was really scary to watch and many on the Mount were watching and talking about it.

About a half hour later and many miles up the lake we saw the blue lights of a MP boat moving in our general direction and then noticed that it was pulling up to another sailboat under sail with no lights on. We couldn't tell what happened then but we were stunned to see this twice in one night. I guess it's possible they were the same boat but the locations seemed too far apart.

We considered that the boats may have had a power failure but wouldn't you then have someone on deck waving a flashlight until you got to shore? Do sailboats usually carry battery powered nav lights for backup?

Other than that it was a beautiful night to be out on the lake and the full moon rising was incredible. The cruise ended at the Weirs just as the fireworks began.

[Phantom]

and now I know how Sum-r-Breeze actually could have been "Standing" next to you !

Wasted joke in the other thread !

.

[Barney Bear]

We had a similar experience on a rainy fall night several years ago. On our way out to East Bear Island, we encountered a sailboat with no lights on. Our navigation lights reflected off its sail just in time for us to alter our course. Like the Mount, we gave him a full blast of our one-had mile searchlght to indicate the serious nature of the situation.

[LIforrelaxin]

People just don't seem to understand how seriously important the navigation lights are.... I have seen many issues this year... Boats seem to turn them off like a joke, and then turn them back on a few minutes later....I have seen boats totally with out lights.... And in my experiences they have all been power boats....

As for Sailboats, they are required to have working Navigation lights... Period....

[fatlazyless]

..... As for Sailboats, they are required to have working Navigation lights... Period....

No, I do not think this is the rule. Believe that sailboats without a motor such as an 11'11" sailboat that also has oars are required to have a white light, visible all around for a distance of two miles, and the red/green bow, and white stern lights are optional but not required.

Sailboats under 12' do not get registered as long as they do not have a motor.

How about a 16' sailboat without a motor? It needs to be registered, but needs just a single white light, visible all around for two miles, and nav lights are optional.

[wifi]

Thank goodness, The Mount, has radar working, and they look at it.

[ITD]

I think there are a few people who rely on the "big lake" theory to avoid collisions, very, very foolish.

[DBreskin]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

How about a 16' sailboat without a motor? It needs to be registered, but needs just a single white light, visible all around for two miles, and nav lights are optional.

The single white all-around light IS a navigational light. Red/green lights may not be required.

[ursa minor]

This is one of my pet peeves, I've posted on our near miss from last year before. I see way too many boats out without proper lights these days, usually it's no stern light. Let's hope we don't have another tragic accident because of casual attitudes. Please check those lights before you leave the dock if you're going to be out after dark.

[Rich]

And people think I'm crazy for having radar on my boat and running it at night.

Things like this scare me, not to mention that almost every jet ski I see doesn't have any lights at all. I know most are back before dark, but some are caught out there too late.

In case you want to know, Radar doesn't always see tiny boats.

[Kamper]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

... sailboat that also has oars are required to have a white light, ...

All boats traveling at night are required to show the appropriate lights for their type.

The rule for manually powered boats is a handheld light. Due to a clerical error, I took the course twice and both instructors advised an all-around light is satisfactory as well for craft like row-boats, canoes and kayaks.

[Top-Water]

Originally Posted by Kamper

All boats traveling at night are required to show the appropriate lights for their type.

The rule for manually powered boats is a handheld light. Due to a clerical error, I took the course twice and both instructors advised an all-around light is satisfactory as well for craft like row-boats, canoes and kayaks.

Saf-C 403.16 Lights on Non-Power Boats.

(a) Boats propelled by oars, paddles or other human or natural device except sails, operated on any public water, shall, between sunset and sunrise, display one white light in a conspicuous position, so placed as to show all around the horizon.

(b) Any other type of non-motorized vessel, when propelled by sail alone, shall carry only the combined light or separate side lights as appropriate to its class. Additionally, one white light at the stern so constructed that it shall show an unbroken light over an area of the horizon of 12 points of the compass so fixed as to show the light 6 points from right aft on each side of the vessel.


One of those laws / statues that could really benefit with a rewrite. The current law and and handbook are confusing at best. Can't see how a hand held or flash light is what was intended but often interpreted as such.

Maybe should read something like this??

(a) Boats propelled by oars, paddles or other human or natural device except sails, operated on any public water, shall, between sunset and sunrise, display one white light in a fixed conspicuous position, so placed as to show a steady unbroken light over an area of the horizon of all points of the compass

[Kamper]

^

Works for me