masthead anchor light sailboat

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Combination Masthead and White All-Round (Anchor) Light

Certified For Use on Sail or Power Driven Vessels Under 20 Meters (65.6 ft.) in Length

Product Description

• Vertical Mount
• Black Polymer and Chrome Plated Zinc Alloy Top
• Black Polymer Base
• Polymer Adapters for Flat or "V" Type Mount, Contains Notch for Through-Base Wiring
• Fold-Down Adjustable Angle
• 3-Mile (USCG 3nm) Certified

Technical Information

Ordering Information

Dealer Pkg. 5 Cards 1 Piece per Card	OEM Bulk Pkg. 50 Pcs.	Ship Wt. Carton Lbs. DP/OEM Bulk
1184DP0CHR	1184000CHR	4.3/31.0

Instructions & Resources

Product Notes

: 0071DP0CLR : 0278DP0WHT : 1158DP0BLK : 1054DPACHR : 1054DPBBLK : 1144A00BLK

Related Products

Fold Down Combination Masthead/White All-Round Light - Horizontal Mount

Fold Down Combination Masthead/White All-Round Light

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Cancer and reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

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Boat Masthead Lights

Whether you use your craft for water sports, fishing, or leisure cruising, it should be equipped with proper navigation lights to make sure it is safe and legal. Even if taking a boat out on the water after the dark is not your cup of tea, sometimes your afternoon water trip may turn into a night adventure. Besides, if you are a regular boater you will inevitably get caught in a rain or fog at some point. Obviously, inclement weather reduces visibility putting you at risk of having an accident with another vessel. That is why every craft is required to have navigation lights. The size of a boat determines what type of them should be used. To wit, masthead lights are required by all motorized boats that are longer than 39.4 feet.

They are white and installed at the front of a vessel. The arc of illumination is 225 degrees. They are combined with stern lights which are visible across 135 degrees to provide 360 degrees of visibility. When it comes to boats that are greater than 39.4 feet but less than 65.6 feet, they should be visible from at least three nautical miles away. For vessels which are less than 39.4 feet, the visibility range is two nautical miles. Keep in mind that they can be also equipped with an all-round light instead of a set of stern and masthead lights. Whatever size of your vessel, we have the right product for it in our selection. Our offerings are made by reliable brands including Sea Dog , Attwood , and many others.

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Navigation Lights for Sailboats (And How To Read Them)

Last Updated by

Capt Chris German

June 15, 2022

Navigation lights on a sailboat can be confusing. If you understand the reason behind why they are the way they are however, they can make a lot more sense.

At their heart, sailboats are really just a power boat and as such must adhere to all power boat rules such as navigation lights. Other times however, a sailboat is classified in a special category. They have a set of additional lights they CAN show as an option, but are not always required to do so.

That’s about as clear as mud if you ask me and I contend that that is where the confusion about lighting a sailboat begins.

Just because you can show a light to identify yourself in times of low visibility, does not mean you have to and then we add in a little sibling rivalry between power and sail and things get downright adversarial when it comes to navigation and the night.

Table of contents

The USCG says You’re a Power Boat Whether You Like It or Not

Much to the consternation of many a sailor who has earned a commercial license to drive their sailboat, when you received your credential from the USCG it says you are a master of steam and power across the top with no mention of wind as a source of propulsion.

It is not until you read the back pages of your little red book that feels like a passport and looks like a US Sailing credential, that you will see the term “sail auxiliary”. That is because most of the time the U.S. Coast Guard knows that you are primarily reliant on your mechanical power to propel your vessel.

It's a sad thing, but the days of commercially viable sail boats are done and all but the most select few even have sails let alone use them as their primary power source. All sail boats by law are powerboats, but not all powerboats are sailboats.

Navigation Lights for a Power Boat

As a power boat, you are required to show certain lights and have been required to do so before power was even invented. 

In the days of man powered vessels like the viking ships who relied on oars while in close quarters to power their vessels, they needed to show other boats, friend or foe, where they were by showing lanterns in the dark to identify themselves. As you know, it is a time honored rule among all the nations of the world both past and present, that you must avoid a collision at all costs while at sea and even the viking knew that you should not run into things.

By lighting the front and back of your boat, you could warn other boats of your presence as well as identify which way you were heading. As such there is a very specific rule in the Code of Federal Regulations Number 46 (CFR46 by common name) that spells out with detail how many, the color, the luminosity or brightness, the angle of visibility and the location of all of the lights required for navigation on every single boat, seaplane, submarine and other nondescript vessel conceived by man to date that they must show while underway in reduced visibility.

And there is no flexibility in the rules.

As such a power boat, and by extension all sailboats, MUST, without question show one green light on the starboard bow and one red light on the port bow and one all around white light or lights while operating in reduced visibility. These lights should shine at all 360 degrees of visibility with the bow lights shining at an angle of dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam and the stern lights shining 225 degrees dead aft. A forward facing masthead light that is white in color shall shine forward to comply with the directive that all vessels must carry an all around white light. For more read here .

As you can see, there isn’t much wiggle room when it comes to lights that must be shown.

Sailboats get a little flexibility with lights

Sailboats however, are a little different when they are in fact sailboats, which is only when you are entirely reliant on the wind for power and in no way reliant on any mechanical or manual means of propulsion. And for good reason.

Back in the day when men were men and sailboats were wooden, fire was a major concern. Sails were coated with wax and other flammable substances and the wood on boats was saturated with oils and grease. Even the ropes were plant materials saturated with oils to keep them pliable and strong.

Add those highly flammable substances to a parching environment like the sea and you had what was essentially a giant floating tinderbox.

Then tell that giant floating tinderbox that they need to identify themselves to the world at large at night using oil lamps with flames because batteries and lights were not invented yet. It didn't take very long or very many ships burning to the water line for the Governments to say to the sailboats, you get to do things a little different.

As such, sailboats are given special dispensation when it comes to lights aloft. They don't have to show an all around white light in their rigging because no one wanted to set their rig on fire with oil lamps 60 feet up in their rig.

However, when a sailboat takes their sails down such as when they are powered or at anchor, they must resume the display of an all around white light or lights aloft. That became a real challenge with aluminum masts and the disappearance of rat lines on the shrouds because there was no easy way to climb the rig and check the bulbs up the mast on a regular basis. 

Red over Green Sailing Machine

I have no idea where the history of this particular light comes from, but if you ever take a deck exam with the USCG, you better remember this mnemonic. An all around red light over an all around green may be displayed on a vessel during times of reduced visibility to indicate that a vessel is operating under sail power alone. 

I won’t even speculate on how or why they came up with this particular light configuration, but if you want to use these lights as a sailing vessel, you can do so, but that means that you will need three all round lights at the top of your mast, an all around white, an all around red and an all around green, just in that order.

The red over green is to be displayed in addition to the running lights or the red and green bow lights with the 225 degree stern light. As always, when the motor comes on, so does the steaming light or the forward facing white light that is also usually about ¾ of the way up on your mast to complete the requirement of an all around white light that indicates a power vessel.

What is a “steaming light” and why are you mentioning it now?

Most sailboat electrical panels will have a switch that is labelled “steaming light” and it will only come on when your anchor light is off. This is probably the most confusing part of sailboat navigation lights so if you are confused about this, you're in good company as most people are. 

A “steaming” light is named thusly, going back to the days of steam powered sailboats where when they fired up their boilers and doused the sails, they became a power boat once again. There aren’t too many steam powered boats, let alone steam powered sailboats, but the name stuck and it is a vestige of a bygone era.

Either way, when you fire up your motor, you turn on your “steaming light” and that locks out the all around white light which is used for anchoring to minimize the number of switches on your panel and reduce the number of wires in your mast. The fewer wires, the less chance of something not working or becoming disconnected.

The steaming light and the anchor light both go up the mast, but you can’t use an all around white light while using the 225 degree stern light at the deck level because to other boaters you would look like you have two white lights from the stern and that would be confusing.

The anchor light is used exclusively for anchoring while the steaming light is used to indicate you are a power vessel while underway.

As to why I am mentioning it now in the article, is because this would have blown your mind if I started with this subject cause it can be really confusing stuff.

Aspect Recognition with Lights

Remember when I said earlier that lights can help you tell others which way you are heading as well as tell you which way other boats are heading? That is called the aspect of the vessel and the USCG tests you on this for your deck exam as well. 

Knowing that the bow lights go 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on both sides or 112.5 degrees on each side, and the stern light faces 225 degrees aft for a total of 360 degrees of visibility, you can tell a lot about where a boat is heading and who has the right of way.

One thing that's easy to remember is red means stop and if you see a vessel's red light, it means stop as you are the give way vessel and approaching the other vessel from his port side. Conversely it works with green as well as that means you are approaching from the other vessel's starboard side and you are the standon vessel.

If you see a red and green light equally low on the horizon, that means your heading dead on into another vessel's path and conversely if all you see is a white light low on the horizon, it means you are overtaking another vessel power or sail, we don’t care because it is an overtaking situation. However, any time you do see a white light aloft in addition to the red and green bow lights, you know you are encountering a power boat.

Then there are angular approaches as well, where you see white and red or white and green light low on the horizon. You know in that case you are seeing a portion of the bow lights and stern lights from the side approaches of a vessel. Based on which direction those lights are heading, you can deduce which way that boat is going in relation to your boat.

So put it all together and you see a green light and a white light low on the horizon with a red over green light aloft, you know that you are approaching a sailboat that is traveling to your port and that might make you the standon vessel. That is of course, if we didn’t concern ourselves with windward and leeward and port tacks and starboard tacks, but that is a discussion for another article. So stay tuned when we talk about sailing rules and the right of way. But for now, do good, have fun and sail far.

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Capt Chris German is a life long sailor and licensed captain who has taught thousands to sail over the last 20 years. In 2007, he founded a US Sailing-based community sailing school in Bridgeport, CT for inner city youth and families. When Hurricane Sandy forced him to abandon those efforts, he moved to North Carolina where he set out to share this love for broadcasting and sailing with a growing web-based television audience through The Charted Life Television Network.

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• Navigation Lights

LED Tri-Color and All-Around Anchor Navigation Stack Light

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Product Description

Specifications:

• 10-30VDC, low EMI design
• Current draw of <0.50A @ 12VDC
• Brass / hardened plastic construction
• Easy mounting with four (4) screws, not included
• Red/Green/White LEDs for maximum transmissivity
• Sharp sector separation
• High-Output LEDs exceed USCG visibility requirements for boats up to 60'
• 8" height x 3" diameter

This combination tri-color / all-around anchor navigation light for sailboats is a great and economical LED solution to freshening up the top of your mast.   The tri-color's LEDs lower the wattage by 80% while providing a brighter output than traditional 25W incandescent stack lights.

Why add a tri-color?

It substantially increases the distance at which your boat can be seen at night.   Under the USCG/COLREG rules, a tri-color is optional while under sail, and provides a significant benefit in terms of visibility when cruising.  It is highly recommended for cruisers and folks who venture offshore at night. 

What is included?

Included is the tri-color/anchor stack light pre-fitted with replaceable Marinebeam LED bulbs.  Up top is a partitioned tri-color LED bulb, and a 360 degree LED anchor light bulb.  The bulbs are wired separately, and are controlled by using a single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) type switch (not included).  A photocell anchor light is optional.

What is the photocell option?

The photocell option allows automatic dusk-to-dawn operation, which give you the flexibility to leave the boat in the daytime with the assurance that the anchor light will come on automatically at dusjk as the sun sets.  It also automatically turns off the anchor light at dawn, so you don't need to remember to do it.   This is all accomplished with the addition of a photocell sensor on the anchor light LED.   The dusk-to-dawn function is enabled only for the anchor light.  The tri-color is still switched manually.

Try it risk-free!  If you are not 100% satisfied, our 30-day money back guarantee offers you a risk-free test.

Product Videos

Custom field, product reviews, write a review.

1 Review Hide Reviews Show Reviews

Posted by Clay on 4th Sep 2016

The tri-color light blends together rather than form distinct color changes at 112.5°, 112.5°, and 135°. I had to make a blind on the inside of the light fixture to keep the colors separate, and a blind for the outside to make the color changes more distinctive. The photocell on the anchor light only works when the sun is low on the horizon, otherwise the tri-color light blocks the photocell and causes the anchor light to turn back on.

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sku: N3-TRI-CMB

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sku: N1-112-RGN

Led bi-color navigation light.

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Anchor Light Requirements

USCG anchor light requirements for inland waterways.

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The Inland Rules have specific requirements as to anchor lights. That rule is quoted below, as is the USCG site reference.

A 360-degree white all-around masthead light with two-mile visibility normally fulfills this requirement for most pleasure boats, but familiarize yourself with and follow the rule. Wire gauge, length of wiring, connections and battery condition can affect a light's performance. Follow manufacturer's instructions to ensure compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations. If you have one of the newer LED anchor lights, it may not be as bright as earlier lights. Be sure that the manufacturer specifies in writing that it meets USCG requirement.

Displaying a proper anchor light when anchored at night isn't merely a matter of law. It's a matter of safety for you and others. Even if the boat is in a known or designated anchorage area, dinghies and other boats may be traveling in that area and will need to know the location of your boat. People have been severely injured and killed because a skipper decided that he'd not burn an anchor light.

Following is Rule 30 of the Rules found here .

Rule 30 - Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

(c) A vessel at anchor may , and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.

(d) A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule and in addition, if practicable, [Inld] where they can best be seen;

(i) two all-round red lights in a vertical line;

(ii) three balls in a vertical line.

(e) A vessel of less than 7 meters in length, when at anchor not in or near a narrow channel, fairway or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the shape prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule.

(f) A vessel of less than 12 meters in length, when aground, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed in subparagraphs (d)(i) and (ii) of this Rule.

(g) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special anchorage area designated by the Secretary, shall not be required to exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule. [Inld]

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Extra Anchor Lighting

Masthead anchor lights often aren’t enough in crowded anchorages..

When summer comes, a dozen or more sparkling white lights will adorn every popular anchorage. Visible from miles away, they promise to provide good warning to approaching boats that something is anchored there. In practice, they have manifold shortcomings. They all look alike, distance is impossible to gauge, and they can be difficult to distinguish from stars and shore lights. Fast-moving dinghies and runabouts often overlook them, since they are far above the driver’s sight line.

The basic rules for anchor lights were written in 1846-1850. The United Kingdom led with the Steam Navigation Act of 1846, and the US followed soon after. Electric lamps had not been invented, confusion with background lights was a minor concern, and a single lantern was considered enough. But is it now?

COLREGS states in Rule 5 (long before we get to the description of lights in Rule 30) that we must maintain a watch. There is no exemption for smaller vessels or while at anchor. Since this is impractical for the cruising sailor, and because nighttime harbor collisions are unfortunately common, taking additional steps in the form of supplemental lighting seems prudent.

OBSERVATIONS

When entering a harbor or any area that might have anchored boats, watch out for a relatively bright star that is moving in relation to the others. That’s a mast light indicating a boat. And if you are approaching that boat, the motion will be even less obvious. Once you learn how difficult this can be on a moonless night, you will understand our call for supplemental lighting.

Our opinion is that anchoring in an active harbor requires lighting both high and low. A masthead anchor light can be lost in the cloud of anchor lights and stars. An anchor light placed lower can be lost against the background of street lights and porch lights. So while the lower light could be a second anchor light product—COLREGS 30 (a) says it can be—an area light may better serve the purpose by illuminating the deck and super structure. COLREGS 30 (b) says you may display additional work lights, and we think you should.

A powerful spreader-mounted deck light may be too much, disturbing your neighbors. In principle they are focused downward, but some light up the whole harbor.

Cabin lights generally impart a glow to the whole boat, making the outline clear, but you can’t sleep with them on. Allowing for tinting and curtains, they are generally visible for only ¼- to ½-mile, depending on intensity. Cockpit lights draw mosquitoes to the companionway; if you leave cabin lights or the cockpit light on and go to shore for dinner, you may return to a cabin full of the pests. Put the screens in before you leave. Sometimes we set a light on the pulpit to draw them away from the companionway. Don’t forget radio interference. LEDs require current regulation, which is most often accomplished by a combination of resistors and rapid switching of the power using transistors. If the voltage drop is sufficient, this will cause radio frequency interference. Most interference is contained within the boat’s own power system, where it interferes with your radio and instruments, but it can also radiate a short distance.

Lights that show an FCC or USCG approval have been tested for radio frequency interference (RFI). In our testing, the RFI of low-voltage solar lights, which lack the approval of either agency, are too low to be a problem. At a minimum, scan that full range of VHF frequencies after installing any new lighting.

No flashing or strobe lights, please. This is reserved for signaling distress and can annoy your neighbors.

SOLAR PATHWAY LIGHTS

Designed for lighting footpaths ashore, these cheap lights intrigued us. Most solar pathway lights claim 8-hour run time, but all the ones we have used go dim after 4-6 hours and wink out well before first light. The solar panels are really tiny. Although they require only a few watt-hours to recharge the battery, they need at least 4-6 hours of full sun for best results.

Units we tested in broken shade usually fully recharged, but those in deep shade often winked out hours earlier. Likewise, overcast and rainy days can slightly reduce run time.

Swapping the factory NiCads (0.600 Ah) for lithium rechargeables (2.3 Ah) seemed like a good idea. Fully charged, they kept the lights on for two nights, but then failed to recharge because they require a higher charging voltage than the factory NiCads, more than the solar panel puts out. Also note that not all lithium batteries are rechargeable, and not all lithium rechargeables are 1.5V (some are 3.2V).

Don’t overdo it. Decorative lighting and strips can obscure your functional navigations lights. Observe your boat from all directions with all the lights on. Are the basic navigation lights clearly visible and the course of the boat obvious? Any supplemental or decorative lights that could interfere with clear recognition of your functional navigation lights must be turned off when underway.

Boats on moorings. For moored boats, we’d install enough built-in solar panels to run a conventional masthead anchor light through the main battery system.

Although there are photocell systems that will turn lights off during the day, a low-draw LED anchor light draws little more than the sensing circuit, so you can just leave it on. We don’t fully trust the durability of any of the solar pathway lights, so we would install one additional anchor light down low, with a separate switch.

For anchoring while aboard, or for a short hiatus away from the boat, a few of the Hampton Bay Silver Pathway Lights should make your boat easy to find and will make it more visible.

Technically, anchor lights are not required for boats under 23 feet (7 meters) in length, but to leave your boat unlit at anchor or mooring is risking trouble. Light your boat, even if it’s just a dinghy.

SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTS

There are literally hundreds of possibilities, so we’ll discuss only a few, highlighting what we do and do not like (see also PS May, 2011 “ Portable LED Rail Lights ” )

MANTUS SNAP ON LIGHT

Initially, we thought this was a bit pricey for a battery-powered light, but over time we realized it filled the roles of several products, a good thing on a smaller boat.

On the high setting, it is as bright as most cockpit lights and will run for 16 hours. Switched to either low or red, it spreads an even light that does not compromise night vision, perfect for reading charts or tidying up underway. Clamped to a high railing, it meets the candela basis of a USCG anchor light; we’ve confirmed this on the water. It makes our F-24 easier to find when return from a mid-night kayak trip.

It makes a good non-glaring bilge worklight; we’ve dropped it in the water enough times to confirm that it’s waterproof. Clamped to the pulpit it makes a bow worklight, though we would use a head lamp for most night deckwork. It even has an SOS flasher setting. Although it does not meet the standard for an eVDSD (Electronic Visual Distress Signal), it will supplement other signaling means (see PS June 2021, “ Distress Flares Go Electric ”).

Finally, it is rechargeable by USB, and now that most of us have a port somewhere on the boat, it will always be charged without lugging around another charger.

Bottom line: Recommended as a small boat supplemental and a non- USCG emergency anchor light.

HAMPTON BAY PATHWAY LIGHTS

Most pathway lights direct the light downwards, toward your feet, with little escaping to the sides. They light up the cockpit a bit, but you can’t see them from a distance. Hampton Bay Silver Pathways lights, on the other hand, direct the light horizontally, perfect for viewing from a distance.

Though not as well focused as an anchor light, the mere 15 lumens output was clearly visible at 1-mile and very nearly meets the 2-mile anchor light visibility standard. The low profile allows them to be slapped on any flat surface with self-adhesive Velcro. We love the price, but unfortunately they only run 4-6 hours, meaning they will protect you from late arrivals and wee hour drunks, but will not stay lit until first light.

Bottom line: This is our Budget Buy for supplemental lighting. Do not expect the light to be on at 2 or 3 a.m. in the morning.

EMERGENCY ANCHOR LIGHTS

Our search for temporary lights took us into the realm of temporary lights designed specifically for anchoring, and claiming to meet one or more marine specification.

DAVIS INSTRUMENTS MEGA LIGHT

Many small boat sailors use this as their primary anchor light, hanging it in the rigging. It is has a 15-foot cord.

The Mega-Light is still available with the original incandescent bulb (0.3 amps), and with that lamp installed, performs the same as it did in prior testing. We measured the bright beam width at +/- 8 degrees, and long distance visibility seemed enough to meet the standard.

However, on the newer LED lights, with a factory-installed LED bulb, the center of the bright beam is about 30 degrees above the horizon if mounted with the base down (and 30 degrees below the horizon if suspended from the base). In the areas outside this narrow bright band of light (within +/- 5 degrees of the horizon), the light is less than 10 percent of the required brightness. Although quite bright, the LED emits upwards instead of radially like the incandescent lamp does.

The LED also sits about 1/4-inch lower in the housing. When tilted 30 degrees, the lamp aligns with the fresnel lens and becomes much brighter. In practice this means that if it is suspended as suggested by the maker, the light is really only visible within 50-100 feet of the boat, with most of the beam being directed skyward.

Our experience offers an important lesson for DIY sailors looking to save some amps by swapping to a different bulb than the one specified. Navigation lights are only approved with the specific lamp that was used for approval testing—no changes allowed.

Another thing that bothers us is the cigarette lighter plug, but it’s not Davis Instrument’s fault that we have such an impractical industry standard. We’re hoping the boating industry moves to a better standard, perhaps the DIN 4165 Powerlet- style (see PS August 2021, “Watertight Connectors”).

Bottom line: The non-LED version is Recommended, but the LED version has a limited beam angle that restricts visibility. There are better low-draw options for deck level lighting.

TECNIQ TOWER LIGHT

Although intended for permanent installation, this USCG-compliant light is tiny, dirt cheap, and could easily be adapted to a rail clamp or other temporary mounting. The diameter is a perfect match for 2-inch PVC pipe, something we learned when installing one on the mast of our F-24. Because it is so low profile, we needed a short vertical extension to clear the wind instrument housing, a short stub of pipe boosted it just enough and gave us a place to hide the splices. Very low power draw and low price make it an outstanding choice for secondary low level anchor light for a boat kept at a mooring.

Bottom Line: Recommended for permanent installation or to make a custom plug-in.

ESAFETY S6LS SOLAR MARINE LANTERN

An improved version of the solar pathway lights, the S6LS has enough battery capacity to last 60 hours, getting you through a stretch of cloudy days. A local marina installed these on the outlying pilings several years ago, and we can see them at 2-miles, just about the same time the USCG fixed lights marking the harbor entrance come into the clear view.

Esafety also makes a slightly version (S8LS, 2-mile vis, 72-hour life, $85), suitable for a boat on a mooring. Too bad neither is USCG approved as an anchor light.

Bottom Line: Recommended for supplemental lighting and as an anchor light for moored boats that lack adequate battery power.

LANAKO SOLAR POSITIONING LIGHT

The solar power has clear advantages for boats that live on a mooring. In addition to the all-around white light, it also can serve as a tricolor light, and an SOS strobe. A wireless remote control determines which mode it will show. The strobe does meet the USCG carriage requirement for a visual distress signal. It has a convenient rail clamp.

Bottom Line: Recommended for moored boats that lack battery power.

HOW BRIGHT?

Supplemental lights don’t need to meet a specific standard, but if you are shopping around it helps to understand the output claims—usually expressed in lumens and candela.

A lumen is a measure of total light output in all directions, without focusing. Candela is the intensity of the light within the focused beam, which can be anything from a hemisphere in the case of an area light, down to a narrowly focused beam. If a light emits evenly in all directions it takes about 12.6 lumens of light emission to create 1 candela of intensity. An anchor light, on the other hand, with a beam focused into 6 degrees vertically and 360 degrees horizontally, can produce as much as 2 candela per lumen if the optics are just right, although the actual output is typically closer to 1 candela per lumen.

The 2-mile visibility requirement requires 4.3 candela. An unfocused area light will require 25-50 lumens to meet this standard. Garden lights are typically focused downwards, so the typical 10-lumen light will be visible for less than a mile. With less than perfectly adjusted night vision, PS testing suggests a few hundred yards is more realistic.

We performed additional visibility evaluation of the Mantus Snap-On Light and Hampton Bay Silver Pathway lights, photographing at distances up to 1-mile, calculating intensity, and measuring run time.

In the June 2021 article on electronic visual distress signalling devices, we reviewed the USCG standard. Four handheld products met the standard. None of the devices in this review meet this requirement. A flashing masthead light is not bright enough and does not have independent power supply that the eVSD

If you are considering an unfocused area light to serve as supplementary or backup anchor light, it should have an output of >50 lumens to approximate the visibility required for anchor lights. Be aware that any blocking or partial interference from cabin top structures will decrease visibility significantly.

SOS beacons, intended to be seen from many miles, require a very bright area light, approaching that of a flare. They are expected to be visible at 5 miles and clearly noticeable at a few miles. A blinking anchor light is not bright enough to meet the visual distress signaling standard and does not have its own power supply, which is required of a true eVSD.

WINCH MOUNT

The high point on our test boat’s superstructure is a cabin-top winch. We built a simple mount to keep a Hampton Bay Silver light level and secure from sliding off. We have a similar homemade winch mount we use for our camera.

The standard octagonal winch handle hole fits a 0.70-inch (17.8 mm) square about 1-inch long, and you can extend it as needed to clear low obstructions; we chose 2.5 inches as a compromise between visibility and stability. Teak is a good material; rot-proof, hard, and easy to work accurately.

The Hampton Bay Silver Pathway light was mounted to a 5-inch circle of ¾-inch wood with a counter sunk hole for the screw that secures it to the square winch adapter. (The camera mount uses the same size wood square, but is topped with the swivel portion of a cheap table-top tripod.) You can repurpose the socket of an old winch handle.

Alternatively, you can just place the light on the highest part of the cabin, secured by Velcro. We still recommend mounting the light to a disk of wood with screws, because this adds compression to the bottom plate and improves the weather sealing.

CONCLUSIONS

When we went ashore from our cruising cat, we’d leave the cockpit light on, and perhaps a few cabin lights. The cockpit light was not blocked by more than a few degrees in any direction and was quite visible, and the glow of cabin lights through the windows made the length and width of the boat obvious. If the anchorage was isolated, we’d turn off all but the anchor light at night, but if we expected late night traffic, we’d leave the cockpit light on for a bit of security. With our F-24, lacking an installed cockpit light or anything overhead to fasten it to, we clip a Mantus Snap-On Light to the stern rail. Both are about as bright as the anchor light, with the advantage of lighting up some portion of the deck as well.

What about emergency anchor lights? A plug-in light will do if the electrical system is still working, and generally it is. Turning on cockpit and cabin lights will work for a single night’s emergency. In the event of general electrical failure, a separate battery powered light also makes good sense. Locate it so that it is visible from all directions.

We’re not saying that supplemental lights are a substitute for a conventional USCG recognized anchor light. Not at all. You need that for compliance, because it is visible above shore lights, and because it is visible at a reliable distance. We’re saying that adding some light down low will make your boat easier to find and reduce the risk of things going bump in the night. Your fellow sailors will also appreciate the improved safety when navigating a crowded harbor at night.

VALUE GUIDE: SUPPLEMENTARY ANCHOR LIGHTS

BRAND	MANTUS	HAMPTON BAY	TECNIQ	ESAFETY LIGHTS	LONAKO	DAVIS
TYPE	Supplemental	Supplemental	Rechargeable Lithium	Emergency Anchor Light	Emergency Anchor Light	Emergency Anchor Light
MODEL	Snap-On	LED Silver Pathway Lights	Tower Anchor Light	Beacon Light S6LS	LNK-PL-RGW	Mega Light Utility
USCG APPROVED	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
LUMENS	7-140	15	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
HORIZONTAL BEAM	1.5-28 cd	3.5 cd	4.5 cd	8 cd	5 cd	5 cd
VISIBILITY (MILES)	1-3	2	>2	>2	>2	>2
VERTICAL ARC (OUT OF 90 DEGREES)	+90/-20 degrees	+30/-15 degrees	+6/-6 degrees	+10/-10 degrees	-12/+12 degrees	-12/+12 degrees
RUN TIME (HOURS)	16-156 hours	6-8	N/A	60 hours	10-12	N/A
CURRENT DRAW	N/A	200 mA	100 mA	N/A	N/A	23 mA
POWER SOURCE	Rechargeable via USB	Solar	Wired	Solar	Solar	Wired or cigarette plug
DIMENSIONS (W X H)	2.8" x 1.8" (plus clamp)	4.8" x 0.9"	2.5" x 1.2"	6.5" x 6.1	4.5" x 2.8"	1.9" x 2.6"
PRICE (EACH)	$69	$25 (4 pack)	$18	$156	$85	$54

Know the rules to prevent collisions and to avoid liability lawsuits.

All sailors should be familiar with the International COLREGS rule 30, which details the uniform requirements for ship lights. Below are excerpts of the important specifications with some italicized comments from our testers.

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 m in length may exhibit an allround white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

(c) A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.

Note that the anchor light does not have to be at the masthead, but rather where it can best be seen. The masthead is generally a good place, free of obstructions. The “where it can best be seen” requirement rules out very low locations, but there is no stipulation that it be placed high in the rigging or at the masthead, where it might be hard to see in a crowded anchorages. Note also that the placement and specifications for deck illumination lights is left open for the captain to decide.

Annex I provides additional detail that sailors are often less aware of:

9. Horizontal sector.

(b) (i) All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6°, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impractical height above the hull.

(ii) If it is impracticable to comply with paragraph

(i) of this section by exhibiting only one all-round light, two all-round lights shall be used suitably positioned or screened so that they appear, as far as practicable, as one light at a distance of one mile.

Practically speaking, this means that if a light is not mounted at the masthead, it must be above the cabin and canvas work, and it must be mounted about

10 times the mast diameter away from the mast to ensure that the mast will not excessively obscure the light. 10. Vertical sector.

(a) The vertical sectors of electric lights as fitted, with the exception of lights on sailing vessels underway, shall ensure that:

(i) at least the required minimum intensity is maintained at all angles from 5° above to 5° below the horizontal;

(ii) at least 60% of the required intensity is maintained from 7.5° above to 7.5° below the horizontal.

(b) In the case of sailing vessels underway the vertical sectors of electric lights as fitted shall ensure that:

(ii) at least 50% of the required minimum intensity is maintained from 25° above to 25° below the horizontal.

Because anchor lights are not used underway, they need not adhere to the sailboat beam angle requirement. Some lights we have tested met only the section (i) requirement of 5 degrees above and below the horizon, yet don’t indicate they are for powerboats only. These are hard to see when you get close to the boat, gradually dimming as you approach within 150-250 feet of the boat and under the focused band. Even sailboat lights with the broader beam angle dim when you get within a few boat lengths.

Additionally, this means that anchor lights that meet only part (a) vertical sector (5 degrees) must be mounted within a few degrees of plumb to avoid black-out zones. Even sailboat lights meeting part (b) appear dim when rigged out of plumb.

EMERGENCY LIGHTS

Cruise long enough and your anchor light will fail. The first night after the failure, anything that lights up the boat will help. Leave on the cockpit light, as well as deck lights and cabin lights, as needed to meet the intent of the rule (that the boat is visible from 2 miles away).

After that, a US Coast Guard approved anchor light is needed, as a matter of practicality and legality. In some areas local law enforcement target boats that lack a bright all-around light. If a boat collides with yours at night, attorneys could cite your inadequate lighting as an easy defense for their clients.

If you still have power, a plug-in emergency light will serve. The Davis Instruments Mega Light is probably the best known, or you can make your own from an inexpensive anchor light and a cord. Don’t string an emergency or supplemental light at an angle to get the required spacing from the mast. Don’t place it in an angled fishing rod holder. And no allowing it to swing free; it will appear to flash.

We’re not fans of cigarette plugs, which are not waterproof (see PS August 2021, “Waterproof Electrical Connectors”). Consider swapping the common cigarette plug for either an SAE 2-pin or DIN 4165 Powerlet-type plug.

To minimize maintenance, you can replace the masthead anchor light with a sealed LED unit. The bulb life is practically forever and corrosion is rarely a problem. Alternatively, you could find a new mounting location closer to the ground.

A dead battery or general electrical failure requires a portable unit, and low-draw LEDs and improvements in battery power have made these possible. The Mantus Snap-on Light is bright enough to meet the USCG requirements, and testers have used the Hampton Bay light on the transom of our kayak as a nighttime running light; it is bright, all around, flat for easy mounting with Velcro, and on the transom is out of the paddlers line-of-sight.

Many of the early solar powered garden lights converted for marine use with the addition of a plastic rail clamp turned out to be duds after a single season (see PS May 2011, “ Portable LED Lights ”). As prices for LEDs have dropped precipitously and the market for robust weatherproof garden lights has exploded, we’re seeing some terrestrial products that seem perfectly suited for use at sea.

Nevertheless, quality is highly variable in this category. This report looks at only a few of the many varieties on the market. We’ve tried several other types, but they weren’t worth the waste of ink. If you’ve found a reliable light that compares to what we have here, we’d be interested in hearing about it.

1. We built our own winch mount using a square wooden plug that fit neatly into the winch handle socket.

2. We also tried leaving it flat on the deck, secured by high strength hook and loop (Velcro) fasteners. This location made the light less visible at closer distances, but the main drawback was the vulnerability to being stepped on.

3. Although the solar charged Hampton Bay light is not specifically designed for marine use, it is meant for use outdoors, and its seals do a good job of keeping moisture at bay in the harsh marine environment.

4. We experimented by replacing the rechargeable NiCad batteries with rechargeable lithium ion batteries. They ran longer, but would not recharge fully on solar power.

MANTUS, www.mantusmarine.com

HAMPTON BAY, www.hamptonbay.com

TECNIQ, www.tecniqinc.com

ESAFETY, www.esafetylights.com

LONAKO, www.lonako.com

DAVIS INSTRUMENTS, www.davisinstruments.com

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I am really surprised that you did not include the Luci light in your choices. It is my go to option hanging on the davit at the back of our boat. It also doubles as a navigation light for the dinghy. It maintains its brightness thru the night and if it falls overboard it floats. Peter Clay

I love Luci lights have owned several but the hanging piece always breaks causing leakage way to quick. I actually sent my last one back after it lasted less then a month. If they fixed this issue I would buy a few of them to keep around.

I’d like to share my version of a supplemental solar powered anchor light. I bought what was back in 2018 listed as “the brightest solar path light” and modified it to hang from my port spreader by adding hanging wires of stainless steel seizing wire and a downhaul, and based on Practical Sailor’s recommendation that anchor lights should be blue to distinguish them from the white lights ashore, I made a cone out of blue plastic film from an art supply online source, and put that inside the clear plastic lens of the light. It shows up nicely from a distance when approaching the boat at night, and is certainly distinctive. The light is bright enough to light up the deck well enough at night to move about safely, although is not bright enough to do tasks. For that I still use a headlamp. Alas, that particular light is no longer being made, but the same idea could be applied to many other currently available lights. I’ve had to install new commonly available AA NiMH batteries twice since I started using it. They eventually poop out.

Hanging it from the spreader seems about ideal – high enough to be easily seen from a distance, but not so high as to blend in with shore lights.

I’d post a photo of the modified light, but your comment section doesn’t appear to allow that.

Another good lighting product is a lantern from luminAID ( https://luminaid.com ). The company makes various sizes of inflatable, floating lanterns which are solar charged. The light intensity can be varied and the shape makes the lantern easy to hang. I hang one from mid-boom and set it to illuminate most of the deck.

Another reason to buy from luminAID is they donate lanterns to people hit by disasters. In fact, you can buy and lantern and donate a lantern.

Mantus Rail light is the only way to go. They are rechargeable and last several days without charge and they go off automatically during daylight hours. Very robust and well made.

Most curious that the article did not include a kerosene lantern as an auxiliary, or primary, anchor light. They are a low tech solution that are utterly reliable. The only downside is the need for a supply of kerosene. My experience is that a few quart fuel bottles lasts an entire sailing season. It is a low tech solution worthy of consideration.

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Masthead Anchor Light

• Thread starter Kings Gambit
• Start date Jun 4, 2024
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Kings Gambit

My rigger installed an LED masthead anchor light in 2018. He’s not available to chat with. The light worked OK for a few years then it would not illuminate until several minutes to hr after switched on, and then remain on all night. Now, it does not illuminate at all. An intermittent short or wire corrosion up-top seems the best guess. But how would that symptomize the delay in coming on (illuminating) and then staying on? Putting off a trip up the mast until the last option. KG  

Don S/V ILLusion

What are we missing here? Does The on/off breaker switch not work? (Implied by your description it doesn’t shut off). May be bad breaker, intermittent breaker connection, intermittent connection at the light, the mast base, bad LED, etc…  

Don S/V ILLusion said: What are we missing here? Does The on/off breaker switch not work? (Implied by your description it doesn’t shut off). May be bad breaker, intermittent breaker connection, intermittent connection at the light, the mast base, bad LED, etc… Click to expand

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

Why Do LED Lights Delay Turning On? | ledlightplanet

Kings Gambit said: What I meant is that it stays on (instead of winking out) as long as the switch is on after a long delay in the light coming on after it is switched on. Click to expand

Stu Jackson

Is there a daylight/night time feature built into the light?  

Stu Jackson said: Is there a daylight/night time feature built into the light? Click to expand

It could be corrosion at the masthead, but check all accessible connections first, especially if you have a connector at the base of the mast. Check with a volt meter and ideally a test load.  

I'd be tempted to take a 12 Volt battery to the base of the mast connector and temporarily power the lamp from there to see if the results are the same. That could save a trip to the top to then find out the socket connections are just fine. Half measures and alligator clips can sometimes be a reasonable source of problem solving to those who may scoff at VOMs.  

LloydB said: I'd be tempted to take a 12 Volt battery to the base of the mast connector and temporarily power the lamp from there to see if the results are the same. That could save a trip to the top to then find out the socket connections are just fine. Half measures and alligator clips can sometimes be a reasonable source of problem solving to those who may scoff at VOMs. Click to expand

JBP-PA said: It could be corrosion at the masthead, but check all accessible connections first, especially if you have a connector at the base of the mast. Check with a volt meter and ideally a test load. Click to expand

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