Most of your questions are answered in the Nav Rules. I have a PDF version,
which I can't find online just now, but the rules are online in HTML format
on the Coast Guard site. Go to www.uscg.org, and click on Favorites. (Having
a hard copy is a good idea, and I think often a legal requirement.)

A short version, if I read them correctly, is that the red over green does
not replace but supplements the other, usual sailing lights, which then
cannot be a masthead tricolor. It doesn't deal specifically with
multi-masted boats that I can see. Visibility of sidelights has to be 1 mile
for boats under 12 metres and 2 miles if over. The details of luminosity
are given in an Annex.

Vertical separation is mandated at 1 metre for boats under 20 metres, and 2
metres if over.

Non-electric lights should have the same luminosity as electric lights "so
far as practicable."

How are lights not at the mast head made to shine "all around" - there must
be two lights, for and aft?

Charles

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"Lee Huddleston" wrote in message
...
... Since the red over green lights would be entirely optional,
you probably could get away with less separation but there probably is
a minimum separation to keep the lights from appearing to merge when
sighted at a distance. Anybody have any opinion on what the minimum
distance would have to be so that the lights would appear as separate
lights at say 2 nautical miles? The distance apart also complicates
the installation. One idea I had was to hoist two lanterns up to a
block on an upper spreader...signals might be necessary.

Since I already have a tri-color light at the peak of my mainmast, any
permanent extension above the peak would interfere with the visibility
of the tri-color (and its anchor light) when I chose to use it. Since
I have a mizzen mast, I have considered building an extension for the
peak of that mast...Thanks in advance for your advice and help.

Lee Huddleston
s/v Truelove
Bruce Roberts Mauritius 43
43 foot seel hulled, center cockpit, raised poop, cutter/ketch