"otnmbrd" wrote in message
.net...


Lee Huddleston wrote:
snip
From what others have posted or e-mailed to me directly, the option is
pretty rare. But, if you were to see it again, because it is unusual
it probably would grab your attention. That is what I am trying to
achieve. Even if the observer didn't know what the lights meant, at
least he/she would recognize that something different was out there
and probably stay clear. And, of course, it is the big boys out there
that can do me the most harm. Professional skippers of large
commercial boats are more likely to know what the lights mean.

BG Most likely, they'll have the same reaction I remember having
....HUH? .... ohhhhhh ......Dang, don't see THAT too often.

When you saw the lights in use where you able to see how the lights
were installed? The biggest problem seems to be how to keep them from
being blocked by the mast. It has been suggested that two lights for
each color - one on each side of the mast - be used.

Was at night, not a good view. Would not recommend two sets of lights
....that could end up being confusing. Stick with the one set and try to
get the elevated to whatever degree possible and also away from the mast
to whatever degree possible. You will have some blind spots, but I would
try to make them astern, to whatever degree you could.



snip

If a skipper of another boat sees the red of my tricolor, for example,
he might conclude that he is seeing the starboard side of some vessel.

you mean the other stbd.

If he assumed that all other lights were working properly, he might
conclude that he was looking at a sailboat under sails. But a single
red light could be any number of other vessels with one or more lights
not properly functioning. If, on the other hand, he sees a red light
over a green light, there is only one type of vessel it could be - a
sailboat under sails. Also my thought is that two lights of two
different colors would be that much more visible.

All in all, correct, but the majority, will not be considering possible
extinguished lights, and usually in this case, if others are available,
it will be obvious that something is out of wack, but even so, you are
correct and again it's a question of how far you wish to go..... more
can definitely be better, but still keep a big flashlight handy to shine
on your sails (personal opinion ... it's about the best attention getter)

otn


I have seen these optional lights several times here in UK waters, but
always on big sail-training-type boats. They are certainly very distinctive
and seem to work well, otherwise you are basing decisions on the *absence*
of a white light. The 80' ketch I sail on has these lights on its main mast,
they are on a pair of struts that extend maybe 1 foot forward of the mast
which must give them coverage little better than the steaming light (the
'all round reds' for NUC are on the same struts). The boat is MCA inspected
annually, but I guess that since they are optional they are legal as long as
they are off! Some skippers use them, some don't.

Steve