Marine Patrol and navigation lights

Airwaves · 08-08-2007, 09:37 PM

I figured I'd bring this up since I witnessed an incident involving an MP boat a couple of hundred yards from my beach when I was up at the lake recently. The MP apparently responded to a boat that was disabled. I saw him coming with his blue light, I could see his all around white light, but I didn't see any red or green lights.

I thought I must have missed them when he was coming into the bay but the more I looked at the action the more apparent it became that he did not appear to be running with his navigation lights, just the white all around and the blue.

I figured that was odd, so I checked out some of the photos on the forum and ran across this pic and I see the blue, but I don't see any navigation lights. (it's really the only pic I found close enough or clear enough to be able to say one way or another)

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...php?photo=1017

Anyone else notice this or was he just at a very bad angle and I couldn't see them from a couple hundred yards?

jrc · 08-09-2007, 09:57 AM

If a boat like that has lights it would probably have a bicolor on the tip of the bow (not visible in your photo) and a pole mounted all around.

It may be that some MP boats are not used at night and not equipped with lights.

NightWing · 08-09-2007, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airwaves

I figured I'd bring this up since I witnessed an incident involving an MP boat a couple of hundred yards from my beach when I was up at the lake recently. The MP apparently responded to a boat that was disabled. I saw him coming with his blue light, I could see his all around white light, but I didn't see any red or green lights.

I thought I must have missed them when he was coming into the bay but the more I looked at the action the more apparent it became that he did not appear to be running with his navigation lights, just the white all around and the blue.

I figured that was odd, so I checked out some of the photos on the forum and ran across this pic and I see the blue, but I don't see any navigation lights. (it's really the only pic I found close enough or clear enough to be able to say one way or another)

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...php?photo=1017

Anyone else notice this or was he just at a very bad angle and I couldn't see them from a couple hundred yards?

That particular model boat has the bow lights mounted on a short pole that plugs into a socket on the bow. It wasn't mounted in the photo. The stern light wasn't mounted either.

JTA · 08-09-2007, 10:19 AM

The boat that is pictured may have a plug-in short mast for the front lights as well as the rear. My aluminum Starcraft has it that way. I can pretty much guess that all the MP boats have lights as you never know what might happen. Most of these guys are ex Boy Scouts, so "be prepared" applies.

Kamper · 08-09-2007, 11:03 AM

A combo light might be located just in front of that strobe on the bow. It could be over-powerred by the strobe making it inadequate (imo) since it isnt visible over the prescribed distance.

This could explain the scenario you observed or the MP could have forgotten to rig or activate the bow lights.

Airwaves · 08-09-2007, 09:26 PM

I want to say the MP boat involved was a Defender Class. I could be wrong, it was a couple of weeks ago.

I did see a pic of a Defender Class the MP has in the forum's gallery that didn't appear to have the red/green combo light or separate lights on the starboard/port side of the wheelhouse. I have dial up and couldn't find it for this post.
(Defender Class is the USCG designation for the rigid hulls)

As I said, I may have missed them, but when the rescue began it was dusk and when it ended it was completely dark and even after the Blue was turned off, I didn't see the nav lights, although at that point he/she was moving away from me so I may not have been able to see them.

Just curious to see if anyone else had noticed anything like this?

08-09-2007, 10:19 AM	#4
JTA Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 233 Thanks: 33 Thanked 25 Times in 21 Posts	Boy Scouts The boat that is pictured may have a plug-in short mast for the front lights as well as the rear. My aluminum Starcraft has it that way. I can pretty much guess that all the MP boats have lights as you never know what might happen. Most of these guys are ex Boy Scouts, so "be prepared" applies.

08-08-2007, 09:37 PM	#1
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	I figured I'd bring this up since I witnessed an incident involving an MP boat a couple of hundred yards from my beach when I was up at the lake recently. The MP apparently responded to a boat that was disabled. I saw him coming with his blue light, I could see his all around white light, but I didn't see any red or green lights. I thought I must have missed them when he was coming into the bay but the more I looked at the action the more apparent it became that he did not appear to be running with his navigation lights, just the white all around and the blue. I figured that was odd, so I checked out some of the photos on the forum and ran across this pic and I see the blue, but I don't see any navigation lights. (it's really the only pic I found close enough or clear enough to be able to say one way or another) http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...php?photo=1017 Anyone else notice this or was he just at a very bad angle and I couldn't see them from a couple hundred yards?

08-09-2007, 09:57 AM	#2
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	If a boat like that has lights it would probably have a bicolor on the tip of the bow (not visible in your photo) and a pole mounted all around. It may be that some MP boats are not used at night and not equipped with lights.

08-09-2007, 11:03 AM	#5
Kamper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Thornton's Ferry Posts: 1,296 Thanks: 67 Thanked 166 Times in 126 Posts	A combo light might be located just in front of that strobe on the bow. It could be over-powerred by the strobe making it inadequate (imo) since it isnt visible over the prescribed distance. This could explain the scenario you observed or the MP could have forgotten to rig or activate the bow lights.

08-09-2007, 09:26 PM	#6
Airwaves Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 1,153 Thanks: 9 Thanked 102 Times in 37 Posts	I want to say the MP boat involved was a Defender Class. I could be wrong, it was a couple of weeks ago. I did see a pic of a Defender Class the MP has in the forum's gallery that didn't appear to have the red/green combo light or separate lights on the starboard/port side of the wheelhouse. I have dial up and couldn't find it for this post. (Defender Class is the USCG designation for the rigid hulls) As I said, I may have missed them, but when the rescue began it was dusk and when it ended it was completely dark and even after the Blue was turned off, I didn't see the nav lights, although at that point he/she was moving away from me so I may not have been able to see them. Just curious to see if anyone else had noticed anything like this?