On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 16:17:18 -0400, "Rob" wrote:



I believe that in Canada for a boat under 12m(?) that the steaming light and
stern light must separate lights but for boats under 12 m there can be a
single 360 degree light. This has resulted in many power boats being built
with a 360 degree anchor light at the top of the metal mast and a steaming
light on the front side of the mast and a stern light on the rear side just
below it. I do not believe that the lower two would appear any different the
single anchor light from a distance but one is legal and one is not.

For what it's worth: My boat's about 10 meters in length, and I use
the stern light and the port/starboard bow lights when underway at
night under sail AND the mast-top tricolour. I believe I could use
either, legally.

When I motor at night, I use the steaming light at the mast front just
beneath the spreaders, about four metres (13 feet or so) off the deck.
I customarily turn OFF the masthead light to reinforce my "powered"
status and just use the hull lights.

I have a separate, quite bright white 360 degree anchor light atop my
mast top tricolour, which I use when anchored at night, naturally. In
a pinch, I suppose it could be an "emergency steaming light", although
I would probably issue a "securite" call on 16 if I was motoring
through traffic with a busted steaming light.

Finally, I carry hurricane lamps that could be used as nav lights.
They are cheap Chinese jobs I use to illuminate the cockpit on social
evenings, but I carry spotlight "cels" in the appropriate colours to
make 'em into legal (excepting the range, maybe) nav lights. If they
fell in the lake, I wouldn't cry.

As the above shows, I believe in at least partial redudancy G.