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Duncan Heenan Duncan Heenan is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 33
Default Colregs - flashing lights


"News f2s" wrote in message
...
Whilst traveling on the ferry from Cowes to Southampton after the firwork
display, I noted the frequent use of flashing lights on vessels under way.
Two categories stood out:

a. Fast ferries (not aircushion vehicles) used a rotating yellow strobe
above their masthead lights.

b. Several RIBS, mostly around 6m - 10m length, displayed rotating blue
strobe lights below their masthead lights.

So far, I was only aware that flashing lights were permitted for air
cushion vehicles (quite sensible, because they don't necessarily travel in
the direction they're pointing - so other navigators need to be aware of
this when interpreting their navigation lights), and for purse seine
fishing vessels working in close proximity. Otherwise, colregs seem to
forbid the use of flashing lights.

Does anyone know when or by what instrument the colregs were amended for
the Solent?
--
JimB
http://www.jimbaerselman.f2s.com/
Describing some Greek and Spanish cruising areas

I don't know by what instrument (if any) the colregs were amended for the
Solent, but the fast ferries have had yellow flashing lights for many years,
and the police have used blue flashing lights for many years too.