BYYB Forums

What kind of lighting is recommended or required for a small sailboat?  In Montana no lighting is required but then neither is registering a sailboat this size.  I intend to register and license the boat because I may sail other places then Montana.  Minnesota comes to mind.  I grew up there and still have friends (some even live on lakes) that I might visit.  The Midwest messabout that is talked about in another link might be something I would attend also.  Any suggestions or in the case of regulations that you have or know of would be great.

Red port, green starboard and white behind.  I like the masthead tri-light.  The regs depend on where you are.  Some places a flashlight shining on the sail when near others will do for smaller boats.  Some places you need to show an anchor light.  I never worry too much about an anchor light because I am usually in water too shallow to get run down, another good point about these craft.

How small are you talking about? 

first off, if you never sail at night you are not required to have lights. 

here is the rule:
A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule, 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.

see this link: Navigation Rules on line http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/...Rule25.htm

Generally though:

(a)    A sailing vessel underway shall exhibit:

sidelights;
a sternlight.
(b)    In a sailing vessel of less than 20 meters in length the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule may be combined in one lantern carried at or near the top of the mast where it can best be seen.

©Â    A sailing vessel underway may, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, 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 paragraph (b) of this Rule.

If you are under power the lights are the same for power boats.

Terry I looked into boat registration a bit when I was trying to decide what type of boat to build.    Montana regs. state Sailboats 12 feet long and longer and all motorboats and personal watercraft must be registered and numbered.    And I believe any motored craft regardles of length must be registered including just an electric trolling motors.  I've got a few weekends in on the Super Skipjack and I'm planning to register it. 

http://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/permits/boats.html

A cute little federal law can be exploited if desired. This law states that boats used for the sole reason to race, don't need to be registered locally. How cool, no numbers messing up the bow. You do have to have a valid racing association number displayed.

I've done this and it's helpful if your boat looks like it might be a racer, with some corporate sponsorship pasted to the flanks of the boat, though this isn't reguired. But, you will be hassled by every local harbor patrol officer you run across, until they get used to who you are. At some point, if you're out a lot, they'll suggest you're not "practicing" for a race as you've been telling them, but in fact out for a pleasure ride, which changes your situation. In most cases they recognized that I know more about the COLREG's and permitting requirements then they do and I go on my way, but some times you'll meet the real bonehead, bent of issuing you a ticket.

I talked to a Fish and Game guy at their office and he told me the boat I was building did not require any type of registration.  I think he got stuck on the part of the Triad being a row boat.  I explained it was sail, row or motor but he was adament.  I will get a registration for it though because it will prevent any "misunderstandings", allow for the boat to be insured and make moving it across state lines less of a hassel.

Speaking of insurance do you insure your boats and trailers or just depend on the liability coverage your trailer gets from you vehicle insurance?  According to a local State Farm agent any trailer is covered for liability (damage to others) by your auto policy but a boat or anything else on the trailer as wellas damage to the trailer would need a separate policy to be covered.

Well I know around here most small boats use a bow mounted red and green light and a stearn mounted white light,(bought usually at wallmart and very inexpensive).
As far as regs go Im not sure but it seems easy to do and very cheap. I have installed a bunch of them for my friends and I'll tell ya they are very simple to install.


Brian.

Greetings,

This is all you need for a mincup or triad ...



Bow ... http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/ele.../index.htm
Stern ... http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/ele.../index.htm

$50 total, done.

Remember to tell them you are a BYYB member.

For a Weekender or Vacationer, I would upgrad to something like Hella Marine's vertical mounting LED navigation lights, but the will set you back a few hundred dollars.



A top-shelf setup would be this combination masthead navigation / anchor light from Lopolight



but that little puppy will set you back about $400.  But that is as good as good gets.


In any case, what you are really interested in at night is to be seen so that you do not get run over by some idiot driving a power boat ( or maybe landing a sea plane  ).  You might consider mounting one of hella marine's LED deck flood lights on the back of the mast and pointing down so that it illuminates the cockpit and main sail and then turn on the light whenever anybody else is nearby.



Cheers,
Tom

Hey the fish & wildlife guy might be on to something. A well placed oarlock on your stern will satisfy the law, and give you the option to scull your sailboat/rowboat.

Greg

The Triad has two very noticable oarlocks.  It is called the Triad because the plans call for a motor well, oarlocks and of course the sail.  Registration isn't much money, will provide a form of identification and if I ever did get my well fed, easy keeper hind side to a Midwest mess about, or just to the lake region of Idaho, having it registered in Montana would make dealing with the authorities in those far off places easier.

I am sure I would still be accepted around the campfires, for a draught of rum, after a day of sailing, even if I registered my boat.  I know, I know... we be pirates an such but tis only the Kings share we be given when we pay the Gov'ner.  Ye want to keep your marques don't ye?  (All that and it ain't even talk like a pirate day!)