For several years since the masthead tri-color was available (and I had some
money for one) I wired the boat with two separate running-light systems.
The tri-color I used normally at sea and when sailing if not in traffic or
confined areas and the deck-level plus the "steaming" light on the mast for
motoring and in restricted locations with traffic. If I am motoring or
motor-sailing at sea I continue to use only the tri-color, to be seen, since
to most ship traffic at sea, the 3-6 knots practically makes the sailboat a
fixed, essentially non-moving target. This combination offers the best
opportunity to be seen in all situations and meets the legal requirements.
If there are times when I'm not sure I am being seen, I will use the
spreader lights, at sea or in harbors and waterways. And there have been the
rare occasions where I've used the strobe (at sea illegally under
international rules) when running in fog. I'm not sure it was effective, but
I am here, and one night did run through a fleet of about 50 Soviet fishing
trawlers off the Oregon coast in the fog. (I didn't count them since I only
saw two, but the number came from the Coast Guard.)Then there was the almost
terrifying night along the coast off Shanghi where we ran through hundreds
of Chinese fishing boats-most running without any lights or maybe showing a
single low-wattage yellowish light bulb over their catch on deck. I think
that night I turned on every light I had on board!

Tom
MOONSHADOW






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Received on Thu Jan 12 07:30:28 2006