Blue and Red bow navigation light

[TregoMark]

I have an old (1960ish) bow light with red and blue lenses. I know the current law dictates green and red, but is the old blue and red allowed? I suspect its only allowed on LE vessels, but I was hoping I could use my original light for my restoration.

 

[sasto]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Nice.....If she were mine I would put it on the shelf at the tiki bar. Going to be hard to replace that beauty.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

That's a fine looking old light and I'd use it for sure, I mean what's the odds that you're going to be out on the river at night, and the law man's going to check the color of the light and say something about it? He'll probably be too busy admiring your old boat to even think about the color. Tell him you're color blind and the thing looks green to you! Good Luck!

 

[garzilla]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

I'm pretty sure I've got the same light on my boat.....

Weird thing though, is it possible to have the lens in backwards??

My blue (green) light is on the left side of the boat (while driving).....I've yet to have it on the water so far, and being my first boat....I don't know any better....

I always thought "red, right, returning".....maybe I just made that up in my head though...


Thanks....and sorry to hijack!!!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Cool looking light.

How about putting a piece of clear yellow tape behind the blue lens, so it turns green when the light is on. I've seen yellow tape at auto parts stores before, it's for repairing broken tail lights.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

I'm pretty sure I've got the same light on my boat.....

Weird thing though, is it possible to have the lens in backwards??

My blue (green) light is on the left side of the boat (while driving).....I've yet to have it on the water so far, and being my first boat....I don't know any better....

I always thought "red, right, returning".....maybe I just made that up in my head though...


Thanks....and sorry to hijack!!!

Red light belongs on the port side. Your setup is dangerous.

Red-right-returning is the disposition of buoys when returning from sea. Keep red buoys to your right.

For the Nav lights, remember that Port Wine is Red, i.e., red nav light belongs on the port side of the boat.

My .02

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

You sure that's blue and not some kind of faded-out green? I would not go out without the proper colors showing, whatever may have been legal in the 60's. I just know that would wind up costing me violation $.

I like the yellow tape inside the lens idea, I say give that a shot.

 

[garzilla]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Thanks....definitely will be fixed by spring.

So, it has to be an upside down lens in there I'm thinking...

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

I'm pretty sure I've got the same light on my boat.....

Weird thing though, is it possible to have the lens in backwards??

My blue (green) light is on the left side of the boat (while driving).....I've yet to have it on the water so far, and being my first boat....I don't know any better....

I always thought "red, right, returning".....maybe I just made that up in my head though...


Thanks....and sorry to hijack!!!

port wine is red

 

[Fed]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Red-right-returning is the disposition of buoys when returning from sea. Keep red buoys to your right.

Well I never knew that, it's the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

[garzilla]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

See now that's what corn fuses me....i don't have a "sea" in illinois....i assume lake michigan would be it?

I plan on taking a boating course sometime over the winter though.......

We all know what they say about assumptions.........lol.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

See now that's what corn fuses me....i don't have a "sea" in illinois....i assume lake michigan would be it?

I plan on taking a boating course sometime over the winter though.......

We all know what they say about assumptions.........lol.

I can't say. Inland rules are different in many respects and I don't know them. Yes, you NEED to take a boater education course. Congrats on realizing that- too many don't.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Well I never knew that, it's the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere.

That's why I haven't sailed my 27'er from Long Island to Australia. Too confusing...

 

[TregoMark]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Thanks for the responses. It is definitely a blue lens - not faded. I'll try the yellow tape and see what that looks like. If that doesn't work, I'll just wire it up so the blue light flashes.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

If that doesn't work, I'll just wire it up so the blue light flashes.

Yep, that is sure to draw some attention to your boat

 

[Boatist]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

The red lens must be on the port side and green on starboard.
Both my boats the lenses can be chained from side to side.
Any accident at night or in reduced visibility you could be found at fault.
The light tells other boaters if they are the Stand On Vessel or the Give Way Vessel.

Law enforcement might not like the blue light that is reserved for them on the water.

Coast Guard Aux and US Power Squadron both have excellent Boating Safety and SeaManShip Classes.
They have short 9 week classes and 13 week classes, and you will learn a lot more in the 13 week class if you can find one.
My entire crew has passed at least one and I have Passed the Coast Guard Class 3 times and the Power Squadrons twice.
The longer Power Squadrons you buy a parallel rule and protractor. You must plot a manual course from point A to point B to point C then straight back to point A.
To pass course you have to be within 2 degrees on Compass and Arrival Time within 2 minutes, but they do not require you to compensate for wind in current in the test.

It is a good basic navigation class.

The classes are fun and a great way to keep up on changes in regulations.
The class have everyone form people just thinking about buying a boat to the old timer who has spent his entire life on a boat.
also people from lots of clubs and the party groups.
Fun classes.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Well I never knew that, it's the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere.

Quote from Canadian Coast Guards web site;

"For lateral buoys, the IALA Maritime Buoyage System divides the world into two regions, "A" and "B".

IALA Maritime Buoyage System (Buoyage Regions A and B, November 1980)

Within Region "B", which comprises all of North and South America, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines, starboard hand buoys are red and port hand buoys are green. Within Region "A", which includes the rest of the world, the application of these colours is reversed (i.e. red to port and green to starboard). Bifurcation buoys are similarly affected in that the predominant colour of starboard bifurcation buoys is red in Region "B" and green in Region "A" and that of port bifurcation buoys is green in Region "B" and red in Region "A". All other aspects of the IALA Maritime Buoyage System are the same in both Regions "A" and "B"."

 

[Fed]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Thanks for that Mike.
I wonder how it got to 2 opposite systems in the first place, crazy, you'd think they would try and standardize this stuff.

I remember reading years ago about a country that swapped what side of road they drove their cars on, they did it overnight or over the weekend.

Back to the water, if you're driving a boat what side of the channel do you drive on?
We drive our cars on the left and our boats on the right and to add to the confusion we give way to cars & boats on our right.

 

[mr 88]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Your lens was green when new. The sun rays have "changed" it to blue. Try a light coat of yellow spray paint on the inside of the lens,if you cannot find a replacement piece, that will give it the required green color.Did that on my 67 came out perfect.

 

[TregoMark]

Re: Blue and Red bow navigation light

Yellow turn signal tape from auto parts store - presto chango: