terry wrote:

Sailing mode: A trilight at top of mast visible (ignoring angle of
heel) comletely clear of sails can be seen in the appropriate
directions ...

I favor a tricolor, especially offshore, but at times a lower set of lights
for sailing can be helpful. Before the tricolor became popular, many people
did not take the time to "look up" and often missed sailboats nearby at
night, especially on bays and inshore waters. When I first fitted a
tricolor, I also rigged a DPDT switch for the sailing lights so
that "up" turned on the tricolor and "down" turned on the lower lights (r/g
at the bow and a white stern light). That way you could not make the error
of using both sets simultaneously.

Motoring. Trilight off. Operate a white anchor light physically above
the trilght and a red-green port-starboard lantern mounted at the
crosstrees about 6 to 7 feet below. White above red/green. sails will
be down.

I cannot be sure off the top of my head but there may be a requirement for
at least some fore-and-aft separation between the r/g and the "all-around"
white. It may be useful to check this in the regs. Certainly there is a
limitation on boat size with this setup.

Anchoring: If required, the single white light at top of mast.

The same comment above about tricolors may apply in your case to anchor
lights. Just about everyone uses a masthead anchor light at times, but in
harbor with dinghies buzzing around at night, there is a possibility that
some folks returning from festivities ashore may hit you because they once
again didn't "look up." One of those Davis low draw lights hanging low in
the rigging, either fore or aft, may be a good idea.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare