360 degree Stern Light

[viper1216]

I had my boat out for the first time at dusk this weekend. When I put my all round light in at the stern, I found out that the height of the light and the height of my bimini top in storage mode were exactly the same. So the light is visible to those approaching the rear of the boat, but it would be blocked from the front. Since I have the bi-color light up front, do I still need to have the stern light visible at 360 degrees? And if so, should I try to get a light that goes higher than the bimini top or one that is shorter and under it?

Thanks!!

 

[charleso]

Yes, it needs to be visible all the way around. It gives approaching boat operators a sense of your direction of travel.

 

[jbcurt00]

Yep ^^^ +1

 

[ahicks]

The lights are often mounted to the rear hoop of the bimini top frame.

 

[Mohawkmtrs]

...and have the light higher than the bimini top.

 

[southkogs]

The lights are often mounted to the rear hoop of the bimini top frame.

... ^^^^ this. Or you can also look for a light that fits your mount that is taller than the bimini. I'm surprised at how tall the one that came with my Bayliner is.

 

[gm280]

I too have to concur with all the others on this. IF you were ever in a situation where anybody got hurt or worst, you can bet your last dollar a lawyer would hang you high for that very reason. Believe it.

It have to be seen 360 degrees anything it is dark enough for lights to be on. And that light has to stay on even if you are anchored as well. Just the law.

 

[viper1216]

Ok, thanks for the info everyone. Figured it was required for 360 view and definitely want to be safe and legal. I found a light that is expandable up to 42" so now I just need to measure and see if that will work and it will be above the bimini.

 

[ajgraz]

My advice is go as tall as you can. There are one-piece and two-piece poles as much as 60"

Two benefits to putting the all around that high:
1. Doesn't blind you when you look backward.
2. Everyone from a kayak to a freighter can see it.

 

[viper1216]

So I was able to measure today and it was 56" from the socket to the top of my Bimini. 60" it is I guess.

 

[StingrayMike]

Using it as a navigation "running light" it should be fine. The stern light will not be seen by boaters coming at you from the front. It is used to show 135 degress of b the stern of the boat. The port and stbd lights cover the rest. If you see the stern light, you are coming up on the back of the boat, possible overtaking it or it is going away from you. Just do a search for boat navigation light arcs of visibility, that will give you a basic understanding of boat lighting. It especially will help at night when all you see are lights and no boat to see which way it is going.

defiently wont work for the 360 degrees which is required for anchoring.

there are numerous reasons the lights are designed that way, all for safety of boaters if they known and understand them

 

[viper1216]

Thanks for the info. Just out of curiosity, if the light is round and is 360 degree's how would it not be visible from the front while under way and not anchoring?

 

[southkogs]

Boat lighting requirements may vary from state to state, but they're pretty close all around.

Speaking from the state of TN - a boat under 30' may use a 360 degree lamp or a combination 135 degree lamp and 225 degree lamp while at anchor or underway. The 135 degree lamp may be on the stern of the boat as low as (roughly) the rub rail. If your boat uses the 135 degree stern lamp you must have a 225 degree lamp elevated and visible ... meaning you can see a white lamp from 360 degrees

Underway you need the red / green bow lamps.

 

[frantically relaxing]

not sure about all laws, but most stern lights are actually 2 lights, a front and a back-- whether law or not, and as Mike pointed out above, the forward facing light SHOULD NOT BE ON when underway- all you should seen from the front of your boat is red and green, and all you should see from the back is white. For one reason, with white and red/green showing from the front, you'll look like 2 boats to most boaters. Another issue is, depending on the brightness of the white light, it can wash out the nav lights making them hard or impossible to see--

The 360 white light should be used as an anchor light only...

 

[roscoe]

not sure about all laws, but most stern lights are actually 2 lights, a front and a back-- whether law or not, and as Mike pointed out above, the forward facing light SHOULD NOT BE ON when underway- all you should seen from the front of your boat is red and green, and all you should see from the back is white. For one reason, with white and red/green showing from the front, you'll look like 2 boats to most boaters. Another issue is, depending on the brightness of the white light, it can wash out the nav lights making them hard or impossible to see--

The 360 white light should be used as an anchor light only...

This may make sense with larger boats, like yours, but the majority of boats are smaller (12-21' ), and have just one all around stern light.

 

[southkogs]

This may make sense with larger boats, like yours, but the majority of boats are smaller (12-21' ), and have just one all around stern light.

.. and in Tennessee - according to our laws - you can use one of 3 configurations for your lights under 65'. At least one of those configurations gives you 360 white even under way. Dunno' what happens when I cross a line into Kentucky or Alabama ... but I don't really ever do that

 

[StingrayMike]

Not sure what states laws say ver batum, but they have to coincide with the Navigation Rules of the Road. This is the governing document that has all rules spelled out for different size boats. Rule 21 discusses definition of lights, Rule 22 discusses visibility range, Rule 23 discusses what lights you must display in any situation.
There are some " vessels under... meters MAY exibit......" so there are some differences that you can still comply with and be legal. You just need to know all the differences and see were you want to go..

Big thing is what size is your boat, and what lighting configuration can you run?
you might be ok with what you got.

 

[southkogs]

It meets rule 23 for the USCG to have a 360 degree light on the stern and red and green NAV lamps on the bow for boats under 12 meters.

 

[viper1216]

My boat is 18', and according to laws and regs, I can use a 360 degree all around and red/green up front.

 

[Fed]

Viper disregard posts 11 and 14, they are wrong.
At night you need a 360 degree all round white light or a combination of masthead light & stern light to give you the 360 degrees required.