Anchor light alternative?

RobertB · Post by **RobertB** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:39 am

Has anyone considered installing a switch to turn off the R/G bow light and leave on the stern and masthead light to act as a 360 degree white anchor light?

I would like to avoid working a new wire the length of my mast or placing a light down low where it would keep me awake when sleeping in the cockpit (at night).

Post by **Russ** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:50 am

Technically, that might be legal. You need a white 360 at anchor.
However, my stern light it too bright and would keep me up at night.

Two mods that worked great for me. You can re-use the 2 wires to the steaming light. You only need to run a wire from the steaming to the top to mount an LED up there.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1490
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=453

Tomfoolery · Post by **Tomfoolery** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:50 am

Put an anchor light on a long cord with a 12V plug on the end, and hoist it part-way up with a halyard and tailing line, which also keeps it away from the mast. Only one bulb that way, too, and an LED would be even better.

That's what I do, and it also doubles as a steaming light when the mast is down. I use a piece of PVC pipe coupling, cut to block the back 135 degrees (where the stern light takes over), mounted to a board that straps to the mast, onto which the masthead/anchor light unit mounts. Two birds with the same stone.

robbarnes1965 · Post by **robbarnes1965** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:09 am

I use the masthead light, or haul up a 360 degree led lantern on a spare halyard up the mast. It depends where I am anchored and how well I want to be seen.

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:33 am

To Each His own.. I have enough STUFF, here and there already on my boat.. I didn't want another "thing" to deal with, store, look for ??
I mounted an LED Anchor Light at the top of the mast.. Took an hour.. DONE.. No wood hanging or strapped, no, go find it and raise it.. I step into the Cabin flip a switch ..... LED tell tale light.. says I am ON Dummy... I often prefer to spend a hour or two or more and have things Simple, Easy, Convenient, for YEARS to come.. To Each His Own..

THE CUSCUS · Post by **THE CUSCUS** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:56 am

Thats exactly how my boat is wired. Three switches, each working one light. One for R/G bow light (sailing & motoring), one for stern light (sailing only with bow ligth) and one for the 360 mast head light ( anchoring, or motoring w/ bow light). This is the easiest way to make it legal with the min amount of lights 7 wiring. Some will argue about the legality here, but read the regs closely and you will see its legal.

RobertB · Post by **RobertB** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:12 pm

RussMT wrote:Technically, that might be legal. You need a white 360 at anchor.
However, my stern light it too bright and would keep me up at night.

Two mods that worked great for me. You can re-use the 2 wires to the steaming light. You only need to run a wire from the steaming to the top to mount an LED up there.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1490
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=453

I have read the post about working conduit thru the foam filling before. One question I had is how do you make sure you do not damage the existing wiring inside of the mast? Especially if you cut teeth in the conduit?

Divecoz wrote:To Each His own.. I have enough STUFF, here and there already on my boat.. I didn't want another "thing" to deal with, store, look for ??
I mounted an LED Anchor Light at the top of the mast.. Took an hour.. DONE.. No wood hanging or strapped, no, go find it and raise it.. I step into the Cabin flip a switch ..... LED tell tale light.. says I am ON Dummy... I often prefer to spend a hour or two or more and have things Simple, Easy, Convenient, for YEARS to come.. To Each His Own..

I can cope with one hour - how did you run the wiring?

Sumner · Post by **Sumner** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:24 pm

Divecoz wrote:To Each His own.. I have enough STUFF, here and there already on my boat.. I didn't want another "thing" to deal with, store, look for ??
I mounted an LED Anchor Light at the top of the mast.. Took an hour.. DONE.. No wood hanging or strapped, no, go find it and raise it.. I step into the Cabin flip a switch ..... LED tell tale light.. says I am ON Dummy... I often prefer to spend a hour or two or more and have things Simple, Easy, Convenient, for YEARS to come.. To Each His Own..

I agree and you are legal. Anything less than the top of the mast is not going to be 360 degrees. You might feel good about it, but would you ever want to go to court with it and defend it even if the other guy was actually wrong when he ran into you?

THE CUSCUS wrote:Thats exactly how my boat is wired. Three switches, each working one light. One for R/G bow light (sailing & motoring), one for stern light (sailing only with bow ligth) and one for the 360 mast head light ( anchoring, or motoring w/ bow light). This is the easiest way to make it legal with the min amount of lights 7 wiring. Some will argue about the legality here, but read the regs closely and you will see its legal.

Yep, that is the way ours is wired and you have all of the light combinations like they should be.

I just can't see not spending the money to do this right. I also agree that the....

... one lone light at the top of the mast is not the best bet, but put it there and be legal and then put other lights down low that are cheap and easy to place. Ruth likes...

... Christmas lights

.

We spent $100 and got a good Coast Guard compliant light from a know supplier of marine lights and it only uses a couple watts....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... de-23.html

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links

Post by **Russ** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:32 pm

RobertB wrote:I have read the post about working conduit thru the foam filling before. One question I had is how do you make sure you do not damage the existing wiring inside of the mast? Especially if you cut teeth in the conduit?

There is only foam in the top (6-10') of the mast. You only need to cut a channel through that part. Once you break through the foam you are free and no longer need the "drill bit".
I didn't do this. I took an electricians fish tape and pushed it through next to the foam. Between foam and aluminum mast there was a small gap and then all the way down to the bottom of the mast and pulled the wire back up. Honestly, I didn't have to go all the way down, but couldn't get the wire pulled through the hole for the steaming light.
I pulled a string with it that I used to pull my VHF antenna wire and WiFi Cat5 cable.

Used the same thru deck fitting. Same 2 wires to the panel. At the panel, I installed a DPDT switch and now I have anchor/steaming switch. Works great.

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:13 pm

Install Mast Top Anchor Light... Two Versions ..
Version #1. Have My X wife stand with her chest against bottom of mast with mast in Horizintal Position....

You stand at what is now top of mast.. You aim my 4 band Speargun down mast.. Let fly.. use string to pull wire down mast Discard X wife into canal..let her add spear to the rest of my stuff she took

I used 2 - 10' pieces of 1/2 PVC .. I cut one end so as to have teeth in it.. Kind of drilled / sawed my way through foam .. blew foam out with shop vac?? Left pipe in for future race way..
Actually I like version #1 the best

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:37 pm

Elimenating the ex wife seems reasonable...but I too used a nylon fish tape and pulled the wire up from the bottom of the mast. I changed out the two pin plug with a four pin and added a DPDT lighted switch to keep the steaming light separate from the anchor light.. I did it this way so I could save a circuit breaker for the stereo I installed. The anchor light took about an hour from start to finish; it looks good and works even better. You can find it in the mods titled Anchor light posted on 6/14/2012 in the category Anchoring.

Aloha,
Ron and Cindy

Obelix · Post by **Obelix** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:09 pm

Hi Ron,
Do you have a part# and source for the 4-pin plug and receptacle

Thanks
Obelix

Ixneigh · Post by **Ixneigh** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:09 pm

Although legal you need a light at eye level. Something bright. I have some blue led lights and an all around white 2mile led on the mast support. Not legal but highly visible. I also use a hanging anchor light. It swings a bit and stands out from the shore lights but not as much as those blue LEDs do.

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:11 pm

I got mine at west marine .. they don't show it on line anymore , but doesn't mean they don't still carry them.. But here is another source
http://boats.wholesalemarine.com/index/ ... 204*%20pin I believe the Female socket will slip right into your chromed brass housing ...

Obelix wrote:Hi Ron,
Do you have a part# and source for the 4-pin plug and receptacle
Thanks
Obelix

Obelix · Post by **Obelix** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:41 pm

Hi Divecoz,
Thank you for the prompt reply

Obelix

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