Do you need an anchor light?

[Knot Waiting]

I have a 23' Cuddy and as of now it has a standard anchor light on the transom. I am looking to install a remote for the radio in that location since there is already a good size hole drilled. My question is: do you need that light back there? I have installed lights under the swim platform so I do have an illuminated transom if need be? Can I pull the light? Thanks for any advice you can offer. P.S. - Located in Wisconsin

 

[slasmith1]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

yes you must have a stern light for running at night it is required by the coast guard. as to an anchor light it is also a required piece of equipment if you are going to anchor out at night and that is a 360 degree white light.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

if you are never going to run at night or anchor at night then no, but since you mentioned lighting up the swim platform sounds like you will be running at night so yes you need one.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

Dang it. Thought I could skirt the law a little bit here. Oh, well. Guess its time to get brave and drill a new hole for the mount.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

you need one whether you plan on boating at nite or not. break down, the sun goes down, no one can see you.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

alot of guys run at night with only nav lights, why I don't know, I want people to see me....as far as possible.

 

[wellsc1]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

My opinion and maybe appealing to USCG too...

Safety first, install the anchor light.

I too have see folks running at night with just Nav lights, no aft light.

I have also seen folks anchored with both on and claim that's the way to do it, not just the anchor light. I think it's because they only have one switch position for all lights (nav and anchor light). I had to re-wire my used boat (bought locally) to separate nav from anchor light power. However they anchor, atleast I know their position.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

When operating at night it is really important to have and show the PROPER lights, and nothing extra (no extra 'accent' lighting). Showing additional or incorrect lights is like putting a couple of headights on the rear bumper of your car & driving down a busy interstate, (everyone will be thinking there is a car coming directly at them). There are no traffic 'lanes' or yellow lines out on the water and the only way to tell what othere boats there are and which way they are moving is by the lights they are showing.
The idea of leaving your red & green running lights on while anchored so that other people can better see you is wrong & dangerous. A boat coming in from your starboard side will see your green light and by law is obligated to hold course and speed, not knowing they are bearing down on an anchored boat. That other boat is required to hold course and speed up and to the point that it is apparent that the only way to avoid a collision is for it to take evasive action. When at anchor, only the anchor light should be showing.
Likewise when underway, the only way for other boats to tell what you are and which way you are moving is to have clear view of your navigation lights & not to have to sort them out from any accent lights, colored light strings etc.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

When operating at night it is really important to have and show the PROPER lights, and nothing extra (no extra 'accent' lighting). Showing additional or incorrect lights is like putting a couple of headights on the rear bumper of your car & driving down a busy interstate, (everyone will be thinking there is a car coming directly at them). There are no traffic 'lanes' or yellow lines out on the water and the only way to tell what othere boats there are and which way they are moving is by the lights they are showing.
The idea of leaving your red & green running lights on while anchored so that other people can better see you is wrong & dangerous. A boat coming in from your starboard side will see your green light and by law is obligated to hold course and speed, not knowing they are bearing down on an anchored boat. That other boat is required to hold course and speed up and to the point that it is apparent that the only way to avoid a collision is for it to take evasive action. When at anchor, only the anchor light should be showing.
Likewise when underway, the only way for other boats to tell what you are and which way you are moving is to have clear view of your navigation lights & not to have to sort them out from any accent lights, colored light strings etc.

Well said, I would have to agree with this. Safety first!

Should not be to hard to locate a good spot to drill the hole. Just check inside to be sure you are not drilling into anything and make sure you are above the water line!

Good luck!

 

[bekosh]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/docs/BoatingRegs.pdf
Pages 13 & 14.

Fire up that drill. The pucker factor goes away after the first hole.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

That's nothing, the real pucker factor is drilling a new item below the water line (ie: depth transducer) on the transom. Suck it up, and do it right.

Ian

 

[JoLin]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

My opinion and maybe appealing to USCG too...

Safety first, install the anchor light.

I too have see folks running at night with just Nav lights, no aft light.

I have also seen folks anchored with both on and claim that's the way to do it, not just the anchor light. I think it's because they only have one switch position for all lights (nav and anchor light). I had to re-wire my used boat (bought locally) to separate nav from anchor light power. However they anchor, atleast I know their position.

That's one of the scariest things I've seen posted! Nothing like running up the stern of another boat at night because there's no stern light, or holding course on an anchored boat in the dark because I see a green running light!

Holy cr*p!!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

I have an anchor light. Lots of them actually. Little blinky LED's all over my anchor keep the fish entertained when its on the bottom.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

the imporntant thing is having the light somewhere on the boat, and high enough so that you can see it when in front of the boat.

it has to he higher the the rise of the boat.

The more towards the stern the better, but it does not have to be sitting on the transom or anything.

some have them in the middle of the boat on the center console

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

The anchor light not being on while the NAV lights are doesn't help the guy coming from irectly behind you! He can't see red or green from behind, so he'll end up running right over the top of you. I will say that a lot of the boats I see at night that don't have the anchor light on actually have the light in place, but the connection on the removable anchor lights can be pretty finicky. Kinda of like trailer lights.

I which they were all like the cruisers which have the flush mount on the rear and a permanent 360-degree light on the windshield or archway to eliminate any connection problems or lost light fixtures.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

Several years ago I got busted for not having the proper lighting arrangement. My boat is a 27' cruiser. There is a transom light, one above the cabin door, and one on a mast that is on the front of the bridge. The one that is on the bridge lights up 260* towards the front of the boat. Then while anchored, there is another light in the same fixture on the bridge that comes on to give the 360* light for anchoring. This is the way the factory set it up, however some of the LEO's looked at it differently. They want to see a 360* light with the nav lights. My problem with that is when the rear light that is supposed to be used for anchoring is on, it blinds you while driving. I tried to explain the situation to the LEO, but he said no, the law requires a 360* light to be seen even while underway. To add insult to injury, he said the light needs to be above my bimini top. So I got a piece of tubing and extended the mast another 3' to extend above my top. He's happy and I'm out $150 with a lesson learned.

BTW, 12 years ago at the lake I use, a 24'er cut a small 14'er in half due to not having a stern light that was visible of 360*. The operator sat in a position that blocked the light from the 24'er. Both occupants of the 14'er didn't make it.

 

[David Greer]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

don't forget redundancy. Esp if youhave an older boat, get the battery powered running lights as a back-up. If not, and if your lights fail, at least strap down some flashlights. For small boats in remote areas, it is difficult, but important, to rig your lights so they also don't affect your night vision (which means you might have to run w/out dashboard lights).

 

[CaptNCamille]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

My feeling is that you should have all the lights required by the USCG and nothng else. The required lights are a uniform system of lights established over the years that we are supposed to be able to rely on. If your lights are different than what is required , approaching boaters might be unsure, or worse misinformed of your direction,speed and others factors including your size, whether you are towing another boat or barge, etc. The lights aren't decorative, they are there for a reason - safety.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

The only thing I would add is that at night most boating rules are off, by that I mean if I see a boat's green nav light I don't assume anything, they all get a wide berth, green/red or any other light. I boat about defensively as you can at night which means I throttle down quite a bit and don't trust anyone, even on full moon nights.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Do you need an anchor light?

I was gonna put something up onthis topic, I have been out 3 times this year, I night fish, and all 3 times I have come up on people without any lights on.

None of them were really close calls but it is pretty dumb to be out ant night with no navs on, they will flash a light to let you know they are there and then shut it off so you lose them, it is just dangerous.

Would you disconnect the tail lights on your car to hook up a stereo remote?