sailboat anchor lights

Navigation Lights for Sailboats (And How To Read Them)

Last Updated by

Capt Chris German

June 15, 2022

Navigation lights on a sailboat can be confusing. If you understand the reason behind why they are the way they are however, they can make a lot more sense.

At their heart, sailboats are really just a power boat and as such must adhere to all power boat rules such as navigation lights. Other times however, a sailboat is classified in a special category. They have a set of additional lights they CAN show as an option, but are not always required to do so.

That’s about as clear as mud if you ask me and I contend that that is where the confusion about lighting a sailboat begins.

Just because you can show a light to identify yourself in times of low visibility, does not mean you have to and then we add in a little sibling rivalry between power and sail and things get downright adversarial when it comes to navigation and the night.

Table of contents

The USCG says You’re a Power Boat Whether You Like It or Not

Much to the consternation of many a sailor who has earned a commercial license to drive their sailboat, when you received your credential from the USCG it says you are a master of steam and power across the top with no mention of wind as a source of propulsion.

It is not until you read the back pages of your little red book that feels like a passport and looks like a US Sailing credential, that you will see the term “sail auxiliary”. That is because most of the time the U.S. Coast Guard knows that you are primarily reliant on your mechanical power to propel your vessel.

It's a sad thing, but the days of commercially viable sail boats are done and all but the most select few even have sails let alone use them as their primary power source. All sail boats by law are powerboats, but not all powerboats are sailboats.

Navigation Lights for a Power Boat

As a power boat, you are required to show certain lights and have been required to do so before power was even invented.

In the days of man powered vessels like the viking ships who relied on oars while in close quarters to power their vessels, they needed to show other boats, friend or foe, where they were by showing lanterns in the dark to identify themselves. As you know, it is a time honored rule among all the nations of the world both past and present, that you must avoid a collision at all costs while at sea and even the viking knew that you should not run into things.

By lighting the front and back of your boat, you could warn other boats of your presence as well as identify which way you were heading. As such there is a very specific rule in the Code of Federal Regulations Number 46 (CFR46 by common name) that spells out with detail how many, the color, the luminosity or brightness, the angle of visibility and the location of all of the lights required for navigation on every single boat, seaplane, submarine and other nondescript vessel conceived by man to date that they must show while underway in reduced visibility.

And there is no flexibility in the rules.

As such a power boat, and by extension all sailboats, MUST, without question show one green light on the starboard bow and one red light on the port bow and one all around white light or lights while operating in reduced visibility. These lights should shine at all 360 degrees of visibility with the bow lights shining at an angle of dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam and the stern lights shining 225 degrees dead aft. A forward facing masthead light that is white in color shall shine forward to comply with the directive that all vessels must carry an all around white light. For more read here .

As you can see, there isn’t much wiggle room when it comes to lights that must be shown.

Sailboats get a little flexibility with lights

Sailboats however, are a little different when they are in fact sailboats, which is only when you are entirely reliant on the wind for power and in no way reliant on any mechanical or manual means of propulsion. And for good reason.

Back in the day when men were men and sailboats were wooden, fire was a major concern. Sails were coated with wax and other flammable substances and the wood on boats was saturated with oils and grease. Even the ropes were plant materials saturated with oils to keep them pliable and strong.

Add those highly flammable substances to a parching environment like the sea and you had what was essentially a giant floating tinderbox.

Then tell that giant floating tinderbox that they need to identify themselves to the world at large at night using oil lamps with flames because batteries and lights were not invented yet. It didn't take very long or very many ships burning to the water line for the Governments to say to the sailboats, you get to do things a little different.

As such, sailboats are given special dispensation when it comes to lights aloft. They don't have to show an all around white light in their rigging because no one wanted to set their rig on fire with oil lamps 60 feet up in their rig.

However, when a sailboat takes their sails down such as when they are powered or at anchor, they must resume the display of an all around white light or lights aloft. That became a real challenge with aluminum masts and the disappearance of rat lines on the shrouds because there was no easy way to climb the rig and check the bulbs up the mast on a regular basis.

Red over Green Sailing Machine

I have no idea where the history of this particular light comes from, but if you ever take a deck exam with the USCG, you better remember this mnemonic. An all around red light over an all around green may be displayed on a vessel during times of reduced visibility to indicate that a vessel is operating under sail power alone.

I won’t even speculate on how or why they came up with this particular light configuration, but if you want to use these lights as a sailing vessel, you can do so, but that means that you will need three all round lights at the top of your mast, an all around white, an all around red and an all around green, just in that order.

The red over green is to be displayed in addition to the running lights or the red and green bow lights with the 225 degree stern light. As always, when the motor comes on, so does the steaming light or the forward facing white light that is also usually about ¾ of the way up on your mast to complete the requirement of an all around white light that indicates a power vessel.

What is a “steaming light” and why are you mentioning it now?

Most sailboat electrical panels will have a switch that is labelled “steaming light” and it will only come on when your anchor light is off. This is probably the most confusing part of sailboat navigation lights so if you are confused about this, you're in good company as most people are.

A “steaming” light is named thusly, going back to the days of steam powered sailboats where when they fired up their boilers and doused the sails, they became a power boat once again. There aren’t too many steam powered boats, let alone steam powered sailboats, but the name stuck and it is a vestige of a bygone era.

Either way, when you fire up your motor, you turn on your “steaming light” and that locks out the all around white light which is used for anchoring to minimize the number of switches on your panel and reduce the number of wires in your mast. The fewer wires, the less chance of something not working or becoming disconnected.

The steaming light and the anchor light both go up the mast, but you can’t use an all around white light while using the 225 degree stern light at the deck level because to other boaters you would look like you have two white lights from the stern and that would be confusing.

The anchor light is used exclusively for anchoring while the steaming light is used to indicate you are a power vessel while underway.

As to why I am mentioning it now in the article, is because this would have blown your mind if I started with this subject cause it can be really confusing stuff.

Aspect Recognition with Lights

Remember when I said earlier that lights can help you tell others which way you are heading as well as tell you which way other boats are heading? That is called the aspect of the vessel and the USCG tests you on this for your deck exam as well.

Knowing that the bow lights go 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on both sides or 112.5 degrees on each side, and the stern light faces 225 degrees aft for a total of 360 degrees of visibility, you can tell a lot about where a boat is heading and who has the right of way.

One thing that's easy to remember is red means stop and if you see a vessel's red light, it means stop as you are the give way vessel and approaching the other vessel from his port side. Conversely it works with green as well as that means you are approaching from the other vessel's starboard side and you are the standon vessel.

If you see a red and green light equally low on the horizon, that means your heading dead on into another vessel's path and conversely if all you see is a white light low on the horizon, it means you are overtaking another vessel power or sail, we don’t care because it is an overtaking situation. However, any time you do see a white light aloft in addition to the red and green bow lights, you know you are encountering a power boat.

Then there are angular approaches as well, where you see white and red or white and green light low on the horizon. You know in that case you are seeing a portion of the bow lights and stern lights from the side approaches of a vessel. Based on which direction those lights are heading, you can deduce which way that boat is going in relation to your boat.

So put it all together and you see a green light and a white light low on the horizon with a red over green light aloft, you know that you are approaching a sailboat that is traveling to your port and that might make you the standon vessel. That is of course, if we didn’t concern ourselves with windward and leeward and port tacks and starboard tacks, but that is a discussion for another article. So stay tuned when we talk about sailing rules and the right of way. But for now, do good, have fun and sail far.

Capt Chris German is a life long sailor and licensed captain who has taught thousands to sail over the last 20 years. In 2007, he founded a US Sailing-based community sailing school in Bridgeport, CT for inner city youth and families. When Hurricane Sandy forced him to abandon those efforts, he moved to North Carolina where he set out to share this love for broadcasting and sailing with a growing web-based television audience through The Charted Life Television Network.

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Navigation Lights for Sailboats (And How To Read Them)

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Anchor Light Requirements

USCG anchor light requirements for inland waterways.

The Inland Rules have specific requirements as to anchor lights. That rule is quoted below, as is the USCG site reference.

A 360-degree white all-around masthead light with two-mile visibility normally fulfills this requirement for most pleasure boats, but familiarize yourself with and follow the rule. Wire gauge, length of wiring, connections and battery condition can affect a light's performance. Follow manufacturer's instructions to ensure compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations. If you have one of the newer LED anchor lights, it may not be as bright as earlier lights. Be sure that the manufacturer specifies in writing that it meets USCG requirement.

Displaying a proper anchor light when anchored at night isn't merely a matter of law. It's a matter of safety for you and others. Even if the boat is in a known or designated anchorage area, dinghies and other boats may be traveling in that area and will need to know the location of your boat. People have been severely injured and killed because a skipper decided that he'd not burn an anchor light.

Following is Rule 30 of the Rules found here .

Rule 30 - Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

(c) A vessel at anchor may , and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks.

(d) A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule and in addition, if practicable, [Inld] where they can best be seen;

(i) two all-round red lights in a vertical line;

(ii) three balls in a vertical line.

(e) A vessel of less than 7 meters in length, when at anchor not in or near a narrow channel, fairway or where other vessels normally navigate, shall not be required to exhibit the shape prescribed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule.

(f) A vessel of less than 12 meters in length, when aground, shall not be required to exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed in subparagraphs (d)(i) and (ii) of this Rule.

(g) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special anchorage area designated by the Secretary, shall not be required to exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule. [Inld]

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Yachting Monthly

Digital edition

Tried and tested: Anchor lights & where they should be fitted

Duncan Kent
April 26, 2020

Still relying on an old hurricane lamp at anchor? Duncan Kent tests the latest electric anchor lights

We range-tested the lights from a yacht moored off Calshot in Southampton Water Credit: Colin Work

Anchor lights have changed rapidly over the past few years, partly due to the shift from incandescent filament bulbs to LEDs.

In addition to navigation lights, another area important to all cruising sailors is visibility when anchored.

Some skippers just hoist an old oil-powered hurricane lamp up a halyard, others deploy converted solar garden lamps, but if you really want to avoid being hit in the early hours by a latecomer to the anchorage it’s surely best to ensure your anchor light is clearly visible from a good distance.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

Nowadays, the problem of high current drain from your boat’s lights should be in the past.

Modern LED ‘bulbs’ are rapidly overtaking the old, inefficient filament-type bulbs, proving to be equally bright – brighter in many cases – and with a fraction of their power demands.

Being nearly 10 times as power-efficient as standard filament bulbs, as well as considerably more resistant to vibration and impact, they appear to be the ideal solution for all sailing boat lights.

They can be left on without the worry of flattening the ship’s batteries, but also the wiring required to power them can be reduced in size, minimising weight aloft where masthead and steaming lights are situated.

Wiring them up

LEDs are wired in a similar way to filament units. Although they are polarity sensitive, most can be wired up either way and they will still work, thanks to integral diode correction circuitry.

At worst, they simply won’t light if you reverse positive and negative, until you swap the wires over.

It is worth mentioning at this point that if you intend to keep the same wiring and just change the lamp or bulb to a lower power LED type, the circuit protection fuse or breaker must remain the same value as it is there to protect the wiring, not the device.

Reliability and lifespan

Almost as important as low power consumption is reliability.

When a masthead bulb blows, someone has to change it – something few sailors are inclined to do at sea.

Being less vulnerable to the typical jarring the masthead is likely to experience in rough sea states, LEDs are far less likely to blow during a bumpy passage.

In fact, most of the top quality units are quoted as having a 50,000-hour lifespan! F

or this reason it’s not surprising they are currently quite a bit more expensive than the incandescent bulb types, but this is likely to change once LED navlights become the norm.

Changing bulbs to LEDs

Many boat owners have converted their incandescent navigation lights to LED by simply swapping existing filament-type bulbs with the equivalent LED clusters.

Early LEDs were not very powerful and therefore not necessarily visible over the legally required range.

Nowadays, however, with the integration of miniature voltage regulators, most decent-quality LED clusters can accept any voltage between 10v and 30v DC, whilst retaining full brightness, regardless of the battery condition or voltage fluctuation.

Top quality LED clusters are encapsulated in resin to prevent water ingress.

Though more expensive, it makes sense to fit this sort, particularly to a masthead-mounted unit, to avoid the climb to replace it.

Despite the longevity of LEDs, bulb replacement clusters suffer the same problems with dirty or corroded contacts as filament bulbs, so it’s a good idea to grease up their contacts with silicone grease before installing them.

How we tested the anchor lights

A man hanging a light in the fore triangle of a yacht

We hung the anchor lights in the fore triangle, but tested them individually

In this test we took a selection of typical modern anchor lights – a mix of masthead mounting and hoistable types – and tested their visibility from a mile away to see if the new LED types were genuinely as easy to see from a distance as the traditional filament bulb models.

Taking all the anchor lights out on the editor’s boat late one June evening, we picked up a buoy in Calshot Bay and hung the lights in the foretriangle of the yacht, around 2.5m above deck level.

At first we tried lighting five of them at once, to see if we could compare them together, but 150m away the light started to merge into one bright blob, so we reverted to testing each one individually.

Testing current of a light using an ammeter

Testing the current draw of each light using an ammeter

I set off across Southampton Water in our RIB, having set the boat as a mark on my GPS, so that I knew when I was exactly one nautical mile from the yacht.

Then, communicating via VHF radio, we lit each light and judged by eye as to how bright, white and clear to see they were – scoring them out of 10.

We did consider using a spot-beam analyser, but in the end the human eye is by far the most accurate detector of distant lights and, after all, that’s exactly what would happen in real life.

Later, back on land, we powered them up again to check their actual current consumption using an ammeter.

Where should an anchor light be fitted?

On the boom end, masthead or hung in the foretriangle? Colregs say you shouldn’t show more than one

Every time I go off for a week, or even a long weekend, I spend as much time as possible at anchor.

There’s something about being in charge of your own destiny that culminates in a night at anchor.

After a good day’s sail I often end up entering an anchorage after dark, picking my way through a forest of unlit masts and almost imperceptible hull silhouettes.

Most boats are poorly lit – if at all – and the few that are lit have an all-round white light at the top of their mast, which boatbuilders these days like to call an anchor light.

The masthead anchor light came about to make life easy for builders.

Wires have to go up to mast for a tricolour ( de rigueur for today’s small to medium-size cruisers), so why not take one more up for an all-round white ‘anchor’ light?

In the Colregs, Rule 30(b) simply states that for a vessel under 50m LOA ‘an all-round white light should be placed where best seen’.

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Traditionally, this always meant hanging it in the foretriangle. An anchor light at the masthead was never a consideration until a couple of decades ago.

Anyway, the purpose of the anchor light is not to satisfy regulations, but to enable your vessel to be seen by others so that they can take avoiding action.

Being keen to light up my rig or decks to an incoming vessel, rather than show a light 40ft up my mast where it often gets lost in amongst the jumble of shore lights surrounding many anchorages, I often hang mine from the stern end of the boom, raising it to ensure it is visible above the sprayhood.

This also serves as a useful cockpit light when eating al fresco on warm summer evenings.

However, there is a point to the old custom of hanging it in the foretriangle: it gives some indication of where your anchor cable is laid out, so that others can avoid snagging it when they drop their own hook.

This is particularly useful in crowded anchorages, where swinging room can be tight.

Anchor lights tested

Boatlamp portable anchor light .

A hoisting ring would have been useful

Most portable anchor/cockpit lights plug into a 12V socket, but this one comes with a choice of LED clusters and has an automatic dawn-to-dusk switch to save power when the sun is up but you’re not.

Boatlamp Portable Anchor Light

Both the standard 1.3W (6-LED) and the more power-hungry 3W, 15-LED version worked very well, and even the 1.3W model could be seen clearly from 1nm.

Current draw: 1.3W/46mA; 3W/115mA

Range: 1nm/2nm

Brightness: 5/10; 6/10

Price: From £27.50

Buy it now from eBay (UK)

Buy it now from eBay (US)

Hella Compact NaviLED 360 – Best on test

The unit has a five-year warranty

This light is fully sealed and has a heavy-duty, polyamide lens and UV-resistant, high-impact nylon housing designed to provide outstanding resistance to vibration and impact.

It is waterproof to IP67. Its 90mm diameter, round base can be black or white with three holes for mounting flat.

Hella Compact NaviLED 360

Prewired with a 1.3m cable, it operates over a wide voltage range, using electronics to ensure consistent brightness.

Its five-year warranty won’t cover faulty LEDs.

Current draw: 110mA

Brightness: 7/10

Price: From £101.70

Buy it now at Amazon (US)

Buy it now at eBay (UK)

Buy it now at eBay (US)

Hella NaviLED 360 pole-mount

Power draw matched the Compact version

Almost identical to the Compact with the same 1.3m lead, only it comes on a short (155mm high) aluminium pole with a two-hole, screw-down plastic base mount.

Hella NaviLED 360 pole-mount

The info and packaging claims a mere 1W consumption, but it drew exactly the same current as the 2W Compact and appeared to be equally as bright, so my guess is they are the same light just on a different mounting.

Price: From £125.80

Buy it now at Amazon (UK)

Mounts as an anchor light or a steaming light

The virtually bombproof Lopolight’s sophisticated circuitry regulates its output over time.

LEDs dim with age so a monitor counts ‘on’ hours and gradually increases current to compensate.

The Lopolight operates from 10-32v DC and power spikes are absorbed.

It uses top spec, 3mm LEDs in a UV-stable acrylic lens within a rugged, anodised aluminium housing. Electronics are sealed in epoxy.

Designed to masthead mount with a 750mm cable, it can be wired as a 360deg, a 225deg (steaming) light or both.

Current draw: 202mA

From: £443.02

NASA Supernova – Best value for money

A membrane equalises pressure on the seals

NASA Marine was one of the first to produce LED navlights, including the Supernova 2nm all-round white anchor light.

It has 32 high-efficiency LEDs to ensure minimal power consumption, which are encased in a tough, waterproof polycarbonate shell.

NASA Supernova

Each comes with a black-painted steel bracket that is designed to be bent to conform to the correct shape for your boat, which supports a simple clamp that tightens around the short pole supplied with the light.

A 250mm cable enters the unit via a clamp-sealed grommet.

Current draw: 189mA

Brightness: 6/10

Price: From £60.00

Navi Light 360

Our ‘most useful to have around’ winner

It’s AAA battery-powered, waterproof and floats light-side up. While not designed as a permanent anchor light, it’s a useful emergency all-round light, easy to use and well made.

A magnetic back and detachable panel allows it to be used in many ways, including on the head strap provided.

Navi Light 360

Its 16 powerful LEDs can be seen clearly from two miles as a steaming or stern light, or flashing.

We used it as a navlight on the RIB, and it was clearly seen a mile away – even in economy mode with four LEDs lit.

Duration: Full 15hrs; 4-LED 72hrs

Price: From £59.99

Buy it now from Amazon (UK)

Buy it now from Amazon (US)

Aqua Signal Series 40

A more traditional lamp for filament or LED bulbs

A larger lamp than the other units we tested, Aqua Signal’s Series 40 can be bought as either a masthead mount or a hoistable lamp.

It is supplied with a 10W incandescent bulb as standard, but easily took our bayonet fitting Searolf 30-LED cluster as a simple, direct replacement.

Aqua Signal Series 40

The lamp is robustly made and looks pretty tough, although it doesn’t claim to be completely waterproof.

Current draw: 1.4A

Price: From £82.95

Web: www.marathonleisure.com

Anchor Lights: the results

Every piece of kit Yachting Monthly tests is thoroughly examined against three key criteria

Performance: How well can they be seen over a distance of 1nm? Did they shine with a white or coloured light?

Power efficiency: How much power do they consume? Can you leave them on all night without flattening the batteries?

Value for money: Does the product’s performance justify its price-tag for the average cruising sailor?

All the anchor lights we tested were guaranteed to be visible from at least 2nm – the standard for a yacht up to 20m LOA.

With traditional filament lamps this roughly equates to a 10W filament bulb or a 3W LED cluster.

It’s not necessary to have a really bright light that can be seen for several miles – in fact it can often be misleading for vessels further offshore.

It’s really only when entering an anchorage that you’re interested to see where other boats are.

At no more than 200m a really bright light can be quite distracting to a newcomer to the anchorage on a dark night.

For this reason visibility up to one mile was all we sought.

It would be short-sighted not to choose an LED light for anchor duty, given their meagre power needs.

However, they are generally quite a bit more expensive than standard filament lamps, especially the sealed types.

* Yachting Monthly is not paid by manufacturers for our recommendations. If you click through and buy an item, we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer, at no cost to you. *

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Navigation Lights

You are required to display the appropriate lights at night or during times of reduced visibility.

Navigation lights are used to prevent collisions at night or in times of reduced visibility, and are an essential tool in keeping you and your vessel safe. Nav lights allow you to see other nearby vessels, and allow other vessels to see you.

Nav lights also provide information about the size, activity, and direction of travel. By understanding the characteristics of Nav lights, you can determine an appropriate course of action as you approach another vessel.

On any vessel, navigation lights have a specific color, (white, red, green, yellow, blue), arc of illumination, range of visibility, and location, as required by law and regulations. For the purposes of this course, we will concentrate on pleasure boats under 65 feet in length. Knowledge of navigation lights is important to a small-boat skipper for separate, but important, reasons.

You are legally responsible for displaying lights of the proper color, intensity, location and visibility on your boat.
Knowing the type and heading of another boat.

Legal Requirements

Vessels are required to show the proper navigation lights from sunset to sunrise in all weather conditions, good and bad. During these times, no other lights that could be mistaken for lights specified in the Rules of the Road can be displayed, nor any lights that impair the visibility or distinctive character of navigation lights, or interfere with the keeping of a proper lookout. The Rules also state that navigation lights must be shown in conditions of reduced visibility, and may be shown at other times considered necessary.

It's Your Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the owner/operator of a vessel that she show the proper navigation lights for her size and the waters in which she is operating. It is not the responsibility of the manufacturer, importer, or selling dealer. Many boats are delivered with lights that do not meet legal requirements with respect to technical characteristics or placement on the vessel. Remember also, that the angles of visibility must be met when the boat is underway-if your boat rides at a significant bow-up angle, take that into consideration when installing and/or checking your lights.

Navigation Lights for Powerboats

Power driven vessels underway shall exhibit a masthead light forward, sidelights and a stern light. Vessels less than 12 meters in length may exhibit an all around white light and side lights. Power driven boats on the Great Lakes may carry an all around white light in stead of a second masthead light and stern light combination.

Sidelights - Colored lights - red on port and green on starboard - showing an unbroken arc of the horizon of 112.5 degrees, from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on each side.

Combination lights - Sidelights may be combined in a single fixture carried at the centerline of the vessel.

Stern light - A white light showing over an unbroken arc of the horizon of 135 degrees, centered on dead astern.

Navigation Lights for Sailing

A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable, exhibit regular navigation lights, but if not practical, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Diving Lights

Another light display that you may see in resort areas, or waters that have wrecks or reefs, is the night diving configuration. This has three vertical masthead lights, that have a red-white-red sequence. You must maintain a good distance from these vessels, and you should also be aware that there may be divers near you.

Interpreting what you see

It's great that you're learning the basics of lights - what is required and when they're required. But, this in only the beginning. You must also learn how to interpret the navigation lights that you see when you are underway at night- and for your safety-learn it well.

For instance, if you see a vessel approaching that shows a light pattern such as the ones to the right, you immediately know that you are in a crossing situation, and that you must yield to the other vessel - that's why it is red.

Seeing a green light over a white light indicates a fishing vessel actively trawling. You not only need to avoid the vessel, but you also need to remember that it could potentially have a very large net deployed that you will also need to avoid.

And there are numerous other lights and combinations of lights that you must be able to instantly recognize - the lights for a sailboat that is privileged over a motorboat, the special lights of various fishing vessels, a dredge or a vessel not under command. Study the requirements for navigation from the viewpoint of a "looker" as well as a boat owner.

Boat Navigation Lights Rules: Illustrated Beginners Guide

When navigating at night, the lights on other boats are your first clue about the moving dangers around you. And your navigation lights are your first line of safety in avoiding collisions in the dark, and they tell others vessels what you are and what you are doing. The rules sound complex, but with a little understanding you can get the basics for any situation.

So what are the basic navigation light rules? For most small vessels, motoring requires red and green (port and starboard) lights, and a white light visible in all directions around the boat. This is almost always a stern light and a masthead light on sailboats. Boats under sail require port and starboard lights, and a white stern light. Sailboats below sixty-five feet may show a tricolor light at the masthead instead of side and stern lights when sailing.

That's it, in a nutshell. There's a little more to it, as the rules change with different sizes and there are some specifics about angles of display for the colors. Identifying other ships at sea requires more study, but the basics are the same. And it's not much trouble to make sure you've always got the proper lights on your vessel.

Infographic for Marine Navigation Lights Rules based on sailboat size

Masthead Light - a white light placed centerline on the boat showing an arc of 225 degrees with 112.5 degrees either side of the front of the vessel.
Sidelights - A red light on the port side and a green light on the starboard. They must show an arc of 112.5 degrees from centerline of the bow.
Stern light - A white light on the stern of the boat showing an unbroken arc of 135 degrees from centerline of the vessel.
All-round light - A light showing in an unbroken arc of 360 degrees.

The good news is you need not measure these angles. Any properly installed USCG or COLREGS approved light which will cover the correct arcs. If you have to replace the original light from your boat, make sure it's with an approved replacement.

Lights When Sailing

The specific rules for a sailboat under sail are in COLREGS Rule 25 and vary slightly with the size of the boat. A sailboat powering is considered a power boat and falls under in Rule 23.

Under 23 feet (7 meters) - side lights and a stern light, possible. If these lights can not be displayed a light must be kept at hand to help avoid a collision. This can be a bright flashlight.
Over 23 feet - Side lights visible to one nautical mile and stern light visible for two.
Vessels under 65 feet may combine both sidelights into a single lantern on the bow.
May show a tricolor light on the masthead instead of sidelights and a stern light. It's one or the other though, do not show these lights at the same time .
Masthead light must be visible for three nautical miles, all other lights must have a two nautical mile visibility.
Side lights must be separated.
May not show a masthead tricolor light.
Masthead light must have five nautical mile visibility, all other lights must be visible for two nautical miles.
Optional masthead lights - any vessel under sail may display a red light over a green light at the masthead with sidelights and stern light. The red over green may NOT be displayed with a masthead tricolor light. It's one set or the other.

Lights When Motoring

For all navigational purposes a sailboat under power is considered a power boat. This includes motor sailing - if the engine is on and providing propulsion you are on a power boat, even if the sails are up . This applies to navigation lighting, sound signals in fog and limited visibility, and rights of way.

Sailboats under 50 meters under power need to show:

A masthead light
Stern light

A power-driven vessel under 23 feet (7 meters) that does not exceed seven knots of speed may display an all around white light, though sidelights should be used if available.

The USCG has published its own "Rules of the Road" that are based on the COLREGS. In addition, it has rules for the "Inland Waterways" for rivers, inland lakes and the Great Lakes.

The good news is this has no impact on what you have to do with your own boat.

They mostly relate to lighting changes on towed vessels like barges and tugs. For example, a vessel towing or pushing another vessel in the ocean under COLREGS shows two masthead lights, sidelights and a stern light, whereas in Inland Waterways the towing or pushing vessel displays two yellow towing lights instead of a white stern light.

If you sail on lakes, rivers or the Great Lakes where towed commercial traffic is common you should learn the inland lights, but coastal or ocean sailors will never see these.

When you anchor outside a designated mooring field, you should display an all around white light at the masthead or as high in the boat as practical.

If your boat is large and has a very tall mast, you may wish to display another light closer to the waterline. Boats approaching in the dark may not see a light on a mast sixty or seventy feet in the air when they are close to your boat.

We use a simple garden path light on our stern when we anchor, left in a rod holder or flag socket. It comes on automatically at dusk and is a cheap and easy way to be more visible. There is no specific rule stating you can not display more lights than required, or the nature of any lights beyond the required all around light.

The COLREGS also specify that a round black "daymark" should be displayed in the rigging of any vessel at anchor. Very few small vessels observe this, however it is the correct display for a vessel in an anchorage.

If you tie to a mooring in a marked mooring area you are not required to display anchor lights, but there is no harm in doing so.

The other important reason to know your lights is to figure out what's going on around you at night. The water may be ablaze with white, red, green and other lights at night and they are your first key to avoiding collisions and problems.

All combinations of lights for fishing boats, commercial vessels, and so on are outside this post‘s scope. The odds are small you will encounter a submarine, seaplane or hovercraft at night, but there are regulations regarding specific lighting for each of those vessels!

There are a few fundamentals to help you figure out what that is you see on the horizon, which way it is going, and whether it is a danger to you.

Port Wine is Red

The fundamental rule is that red sidelights will ALWAYS be on the port side of a vessel, and green lights will always be on starboard. However, some vessels can use all around red and green lights for other purposes, though those will be higher than sidelights.

The light‘s on a ship is not important, some large tankers and freighters will have their sidelights far aft and put them on the superstructure for better visibility. It is not safe to assume that sidelights you can see are on the bow of large vessels .

When you can see the color, you know which way the bow is pointing. If it's red, it's pointing more or less to the left and will travel in that direction. A green light shows it is heading more or less to your right.

If you can see the red and green lights at the same time, you are looking directly at the bow of the vessel. When you are far away, this isn‘t as alarming as if you are close crossing. Seeing red and green lights together on a vessel is something you never want to see for long.

Be aware of red and green lights used in combination with other red, green and white lights. These may not be running lights and could have other significance.

Tankers, Freighters and Large Ships

Tankers, freighters and large ships will have side lights, a stern light and a masthead light. In addition, on vessels over 50 meters there will be a second masthead light further aft and higher than the forward light. The masthead light positions are a better tipoff to the bow direction and how far from the bow the sidelights might be. Remember - on a large vessel the sidelights may not be at the bow or even close to it.

USCG Inland Rules allow for a second all-around white light on large vessels on the Great Lakes instead of a second masthead light.

Fishing Boats

Fishing boats engaged in fishing will have more complex light displays. When they aren't fishing, they will show lights like any power vessel, but Rule 26 spells out light combinations that vary by the fishing activity being done. In general:

Boats which are Trawling but not making headway will display a green all-around light over a white all-around light , and a masthead light aft of these lights. Boats making headway while trawling will show these lights, plus sidelights and a stern light.
A vessel fishing other than trawling will show a red all-around light over a white all-around light . When making way they will also show sidelights and a stern light.
If a vessel has gear more than 150 meters away from the boat, it will show a second all around light in the direction of the gear. The best rule is to give fishing boats as wide a berth as you can at night. They're easy to pick out if you check the top light configurations but their course may be difficult to predict.

Towing and Pushing

Towed vessels can be the most dangerous to cross, but they have the most lights to tell you what is happening. Refer to COLREGS or the USCG Rules of the Road Rule 24 for all combinations You can pick a tow/push vessel out with the following lights:

Two or three masthead lights in a vertical line. Three masthead lights shows a tow over 200 meters. Additional masthead lights may show for larger tow vessels.
A towing light (yellow light with the same characteristics as a stern light) directly above the stern light.
The will also have side lights and a stern light.
The towed vessel will show sidelights and a stern light. Lighting may vary under USCG inland rules, where towing lights may replace stern lights. Learn these differences if this is your regular cruising ground. If you think there is a tow ahead of you, always go well behind the aft most set of lights. Never go between a tow and avoid crossing ahead if possible as it may restrict their maneuverability.

Special Situations

There are several rare situations you may encounter. As a general rule, if there are a lot of lights and you don't understand them look for the sidelights on a moving vessel. If you can find them and figure out the direction it is moving, it makes the vessel easier to avoid. Stay well clear of lights you do not understand if you can avoid them without risk.

Most of these signals are used by larger, commercial vessels and you will not need them.

They use these light combinations with other light combinations. For example a towing vessel may also be restricted in maneuverability, and a vessel constrained by draft will show running lights if moving.

Not Under Command - two all around red lights in a single line
Restricted in Ability to Maneuver - red, white then red in a single line
Constrained by draft - three all around red lights

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Understanding Boat Navigation Lights

Boat navigation lights are essential when you’re out on the water. They’re essential, but it’s easy to misunderstand their uses and correct placements.

If you don’t know the correct placement for your stern lights or know what type of navigation light you need on your mast, don’t worry: we’re here to help. Below, we’ve got an overview of everything you need to know about boat navigation lights: what type of navigation lights you need, where to put them, and why you need to use them.

So without further ado, let’s learn more about boat navigation lights.

What navigation lights are required on a boat?

The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules, International-Inland encompasses lighting requirements for every description of watercraft. The information provided there is intended for powerboats and sailing vessels less than 20 meters. The various options are illustrated.

The U.S. Inland Rules apply inside the demarcation lines at the entrances to inlets, bays, rivers, etc. The demarcation lines are shown on coastal charts as magenta dashed lines. Once outside of the demarcation lines, International Rules apply.

Powered Vessels

Power boats less than 20 meters shall exhibit navigation lights as shown in Figure 1. (Note: 2 masthead lights are optional for vessels under 50 meters. Vessels over 50 meters will display two masthead lights.)

Vessels of less than 12 meters in length, may show the lights in either Figure 1 or Figure 2.

Powerboats less than 7 meters whose maximum speed cannot exceed 7 knots may exhibit an all-round white light, and if practicable sidelights instead of the lights prescribed above, in international waters only.

Sailing Vessels and Vessels Under Oars

Sailing vessels less than 20 meters may exhibit the navigation lights shown in Figures 3 or 4.

Another option for sailboats is to use a single combination lamp at the top of the mast as shown in Figure 5.

Sailing vessels less than 7 meters may carry an electric torch or lit lantern showing a white light to be displayed in time to prevent collision (see Figure 6 – left picture).

If possible, the lights prescribed for sailing vessels less than 20 meters should be displayed.

Vessels under oars may display the lights prescribed for sailing vessels, but if not, must have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light to be displayed in time to prevent collision (see Figure 6 – right picture).

Small boats can benefit from using a temporary LED light with a suction cup attachment if permanent fixings aren’t possible.

Shapes and Lights

To alert other vessels of conditions that may be hazardous, there are requirements to display lights at night and shapes during the day.

Anchored Vessels

Powered vessels and sailing vessels at anchor must display anchor lights. An anchor light for a boat less than 50 meters in length is an all-around white light visible for 2 miles exhibited where it can best be seen (see Figure 7).

Vessels at anchor shall exhibit forward where best seen, a ball shape (see Figure 8).

Vessels less than 7 meters are not required to display anchor lights or day shapes unless anchored in or near a narrow channel, fairway or anchorage, or where other vessels normally navigate.

Anchor lights are not required on vessels less than 20 meters, anchored in special anchorages in inland waters designated by the Secretary of Transportation.

Sailing Vessels Under Power

Vessels under sail also being propelled by machinery, must exhibit forward where best seen, a conical shape with the apex pointing down (see Figure 9).

Vessels less than 12 meters are not required to exhibit the dayshape in inland waters.

Sailing vessels operating under machinery, or under sail and machinery are considered as powered boats and must display the lights prescribed for a power-driven vessel.

Restricted Maneuverability

The Navigation Rules require vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver to display appropriate day shapes or lights. To meet this requirement, recreational vessels engaged in diving activities may exhibit a rigid replica of the international code flag “A” not less than one meter in height or at night display the navigation lights shown in Figure 10.

This requirement does not affect the use of a red and white divers flag which may be required by state or local law to mark a diver’s location. The “A” flag is a navigation signal indicating the vessel’s restricted maneuverability and does not pertain to the diver.

Navigation lights should be checked prior to departing the dock and you should always carry spare bulbs. The USCG doesn’t care if they were working when you left, only that they are working when required.

Where do navigation lights go on a boat?

The current navigation light requirements are found in the Navigation Rules, International-Inland, and in Parts 81, 84, and 89 of Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations . They’re easy to find, but many sailors and boat manufacturers do not have a good understanding of the rules governing the proper installation of navigation lights. To help clear up any misunderstandings here’s all you need to know:

Sidelights that are installed in the contour of the bow without providing a mounting surface tooled to be parallel with the fore and aft centreline of the boat are not in compliance with the Inland or International Navigation Rules. Depending on the breadth of the boat near the bow and how far aft from the vessel’s stem the lights are mounted, this shift can be more than 20 degrees in some cases. Installing the fixtures too far aft of the vessel’s stem may result in the sidelights not being visible from a position dead ahead.

Another factor in the proper installation of sidelights is that they must maintain their required minimum intensity in a vertical sector from 5 degrees above to 5 degrees below the horizontal. They must also maintain at least 60 percent of their minimum required intensity from 7.5 degrees above to 7.5 degrees below the horizontal. Installing flush-mounted sidelights, designed to be mounted to a vertical surface in the hull contour, without providing a mounting surface tooled to be vertical, shifts the vertical coverage sector. This also results in non-compliance with the Inland or International Navigation Rules.

Additionally, most of these flush-mounted sidelights are installed below the vessel’s rub rail. International Navigation Rules require that sidelights be installed above the uppermost continuous deck. Therefore, this configuration would not be in compliance with International Navigation Rules.

When separate red and green sidelight fixtures are used, the masthead light or all-round white light, whichever configuration is installed, must be located as close as practical to the vessel’s fore and aft centerline. For vessels less than 12 meters in length, the masthead light or round lights may be displaced from the fore and aft centerline providing that the sidelights are contained within a common fixture and mounted on the vessel’s fore and aft centerline. The masthead or round lights must be installed at least one meter (3.3 ft.) above the sidelights.

Which navigation lights are you required to display when anchoring your boat for the night?

Boating at night (or in reduced visibility) can present some special challenges. Not only is your depth perception lessened, but bright lights on the shore can also cast misleading reflections on the water and if you wear glasses, or worse yet bifocals, you simply don’t see as well at night as you do during the day.

It is not only important that you be able to identify other vessels operating in your proximity, it is equally important that other vessels see you. Most recreational vessels are less than 30 feet in length and, according to the Rules of the Road, shall be equipped with navigation lights.

These lights not only have a certain arc through which they can be seen but must be seen from a minimum distance. The following lighting requirements are for recreational vessels less than 12 meters in length. (approximately 39.4′)

The arc of the lights and color allows you to determine the direction a boat is moving. How good are your boat’s lights? You should test them to check your nighttime visibility, or you might land yourself in hot water with the Coast Guard.

Whether on a trailer or at the marina, switch on your lights and see how well they can be seen. Walk away from the boat or row away, if you are at anchor or at a mooring, and see how visible the lights are as you move further away. How easy are they to see against the background of lights onshore?

Does your stern light shine dead astern over the required 135º arc or does it shine to one side or up or down? Can it be seen from the required 2 miles and why is that important? As an example, let’s say that your stern lights can only be seen for 1/2 mile. You are underway at 8 knots and a large ship is approaching at 15 knots. The ship is only 4 minutes away from a collision with you. By the time the ship “might” see you, identify the light, and decide on how to move, it is too late. A ship traveling at 15 knots may take miles to stop.

Look at the stern lights again, as you move from the stern toward the bow, does the stern light “disappear” as the sidelight “appears”? The stern light should disappear and sidelight appear at 22.5º abaft the beam. If you don’t see the green starboard sidelight or the red port side light when the stern light disappears there is a problem with the arc of one or all these lights. This means that if another boat were approaching you at the angle where no lights are seen there is an increased risk of collision.

If both the stern lights and side lights are seen brightly at the same time you still have a problem. A boat approaching won’t know whether they are overtaking or crossing and whether they should give-way or stand-on.

You should also check to make sure that your masthead light disappears at the same time each side lights disappear and they both disappear when the stern light appears.

Check your sidelights from dead ahead. You should see both red and green. However, by moving toward one side just 1-3º you should then see only one light. If you still see two lights, an approaching boat won’t be able to tell which direction you’re are going.

It is very important to be seen from a distance but also for an approaching boat to be able to determine your direction of travel.

When boating at night remember the following: “When two lights you see ahead, turn your helm and show your red”.

About Chris

Outdoors, I’m in my element, especially in the water. I know the importance of being geared up for anything. I do the deep digital dive, researching gear, boats and knowhow and love keeping my readership at the helm of their passions.

Categories : nauticalknowhow

Robert Hogward on September 12, 2021

Thanks for writing this post. I can either place them on the exterior or interior for decorations. Placing them on the exterior side is helpful when I go fishing and indulging in other night activities in the water.

Dalton Bourne on July 26, 2022

We love the lights! We put lights from Seaponer on my Jon boat right above the water line and use them for night fishing! The amount of brightness it offers is an assurance of my boat’s being seen clearly during the night. At the same time, the LED lights don’t consume too much energy, leading to a life span of up to 50,000 hours.

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Navigation Lights

LED Anchor Light with Photocell Sensor

LED All-Around Anchor Light with Photocell

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Product Description

Marinebeam navlight series 1 dusk-to-dawn led anchor light with bracket.

This stationary mount dusk-to-dawn all-around anchor light is USCG Certified for 3NM, while only drawing 0.09A. Mounts easily to your mast or any surface where you need an automatic light. Features a time-delay, anti-falsing circuit to allow continuous operation with stray lights present. Included 316 stainless steel bracket makes installation to any mast, wall or bulkhead simple. Custom mounting is possible via (3) screws securing the fixture to included bracket.

Includes 16" of marine grade lead wire for easy connection to your boat's 12VDC or 24VDC power. While this LED anchor light has automatic dusk-to-dawn operation, you will typically need to connect it to a circuit with an on/off switch (not included).

Specifications:

USCG Certification: 3NM, ABYC A16, COLREG 72
Voltage: 9-33VDC (12VDC or 24VDC) (12V / 24V)
Amperage: 0.090A @ 12VDC, 0.045A @ 24VDC
Wattage: 1W
Cable: 16", 18AWG Tinned
Visibility: 3NM
Housing Color: Black
Output Color: Cool White
Ingress Protection: IP67 (fully sealed)
Approvals: USCG 33CFR183.810, ABYC A-16, EMC EN55022, EN61547 & EN60945

Our LED anchor lamps do not emit RF harmful interference, and are EMC certified to EN55022, EN61547, and EN60945 so they will not interfere with radios, sensitive electronics, or GPS signals.

Product Videos

Custom field, product reviews, write a review.

6 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews

Anchor light with photocell.

Posted by Robert on 27th Nov 2021

Very bright light but for some reason it stopped working before my third season. I got voltage up the mast at the connection but no light. Very disappointed.

LED Anchor Light with Photocell sensor

Posted by John DeRuyter on 24th Jul 2021

Excellent Anchor Light. Easy to install with effective photocell

Well made, perfect mount for my need

Posted by Reb Blanchard on 23rd Jun 2021

I was very pleased with the quality of this light, and the mounting bracket was exactly what I needed. Photocell sensor will be a nice backup to the switch.

Very bright, and dead simple to wire

Posted by Jonathan Moore on 9th Jun 2017

This light is a perfect solution for our boat's electrical system. Our boat uses lithium rechargeables, so its voltage is unusual at about 28.4 volts DC. This light runs flawlessly on 12 volts, 24 volts, and our system at 28.4. It's the brightest light in the marina, and requires no action on our part to turn it on. It also doesn't flicker like cheaper lights do in the dusk hours. It is either on or off. We tested it on a power supply, and it draws exactly one watt at all of the voltages above. Highly recommended if you want a bright, zero-maintenance anchor light!

sku: N1-360-CLR

Led all-around anchor light.

LED Bi-Color Bow Navigation Light - Black Hsg

sku: N1-112-RGN

Led bi-color navigation light.

sku: N1-112

Led port/starboard navigation side lights.

LED Deck Light Combination Masthead Steaming Light

sku: N1-225-CMB

Led masthead/foredeck combination light.

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RAM Lights for Sailboats

A search for a brighter anchor light yields a versatile surprise..

We have the minimum required lights, including running lights for sailing and motoring, and an anchor light. We might even have an electronic distress signal (“ Distress Flares Go Electric, ” June 2021). But do we have lights for rare navigation lighting situations, such as restricted ability to maneuver (RAM) or not under command (NUC)?

Ships, fishing boats, tugs, and dive boats are just some of the vessels that have masts dedicated for lights to alert nearby ships of their status, and to signal situations that might prevent them from maneuvering to avoid collision. Relatively few sailors have a means of showing all the specialized lights that might apply to sailboats. Should we?

An anchor light is not for drifting, using a sea anchor, or any situation where you are not made fast to the ground. Flashing lights are only for distress. Thus, lighting and day shapes for a few additional navigation situations deserve discussion.

RESTRICTED ABILITY TO MANEUVER (RAM)

The lights for this situation are a vertical row of three lights, red/white/red, spaced 1 meter apart. The day signal is a ball/diamond/ball. RAM suggests that the motion of the boat will be predictable. A boat with divers in the water, hove to, or towing a drogue would be considered a RAM.

NOT UNDER COMMAND (NUC) DAY SHAPES AND LIGHTS

A vertical row of two red lights indicates the skipper has no control over motion, perhaps because of a broken rudder. Any motion, including drifting, qualifies as NUC. The day signal is two balls.

A day flag (either the blue and white “alpha” flag, or red with white diagonal stripe in the US) is required by law or regulation in the US and many countries. The divers are to stay within 25 yards (varies by state) when near the surface and boaters are to stay 300 yards from the flag (100 yards in a marked channel). No divers? Take the flag down. (Some states permit a flag painted on the side of dive boats).

At night a dive boat is considered restricted in its ability to maneuver (RAM), and the required lights are red/white/red, one meter apart in a vertical line. If the boat is drifting, running lights are also required, and if anchored, an anchor light is still required.

SEA ANCHOR OR DROGUE

Just like a dive boat that is drifting, a boat dragging a sea anchor or drogue needs to show running lights and RAM lights. Running with a drogue in heavy weather can be a matter of speed control and easing the motion, or survival. In the first case your ability to change course is limited, and you have very little control over the vessel’s speed. In the latter case you have no control over speed or course, but the motion of your vessel will be predictable.

PROPER USE OF NUC INDICATORS

A boat with steering failure, dismasting, or some other situation that makes it impossible to control is considered not under command (NUC). A rudderless boat may randomly tack, circle, or speed up and slow down. Its motion is unpredictable. The day shapes and lights for this situation are not for sleeping or leaving watch, only for a boat that cannot be controlled.

COLREGS AND LIGHTS

A discussion of the Collision Regulations (COLREGs) regarding the above situations is best carried out with the rules at hand. The Coast Guard version, which includes U.S. inland rules as well as international rules, is available online ( www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navrules/navrules.pdf ). Here are just a few excerpts relevant to lights and shapes for sailboats.

WHAT IS RESTRICTED ABILITY TO MANEUVER?

Definitions for a boat that is restricted in its ability to maneuver are in Rule 3 of the COLREGs.

(g)The term vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver means a vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel. The term vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver shall include but not be limited to: (i)a vessel engaged in laying, servicing or picking up a navigation mark, submarine cable or pipeline; (ii)a vessel engaged in dredging, surveying or underwater operations; (iii)a vessel engaged in replenishment or transferring persons, provisions or cargo while underway; (iv)a vessel engaged in the launching or recovery of aircraft; (v)a vessel engaged in mine clearance operations; (vi)a vessel engaged in a towing operation such as severely restricts the towing vessel and her tow in their ability to deviate from their course.

SLEEPING UNDER SAIL OR UNDER BARE POLES

An unattended helm is not allowed under COLREGs. This is spelled out in Rule 5.

Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

Rule 37 covers distress signals.

When a vessel is in distress and requires assistance it shall use or exhibit the signals described in Annex IV of these Rules (33 CFR part 8) to illuminate her decks.

The accepted signal is a strobe flashing 50-70 times per minute. Sailors should also review also Rule 36, which states that any light used to attract the attention of another vessel cannot be mistaken for any aid to navigation. The rule also advises that the use of high intensity intermittent or revolving lights shall be avoided.

VERTICAL SPACING

Vertical spacing of lights is covered in Annex I. For boats less than 20 meters in length, the vertical row of lights must be greater than 2 meters above the uppermost continuous deck, spaced one meter apart, and be visible in all directions (no more than 6 degrees may be blocked by mast). For boats greater than 20 meters, the lights must be 4 meters above the deck and the spacing must be 2 meters (see illustration 2, page 18).

EXTRA LIGHTS

Rule 30 deals with extra lights in subsection (c):

A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate decks.”

FLORIDA DIVER LAW

Florida gets specific regarding divers. Not only are lights required at night, but a flag must be displayed. Interestingly, the specified flag differs from the international flag, which is the blue and white “Alpha” signal flag. According to Section 327.331 of Florida code:

1. The flag must be square or rectangular. If rectangular, the length must not be less than the height, or more than 25 percent longer than the height. The flag must have a wire or other stiffener to hold it fully unfurled and extended in the absence of a wind or breeze.

2. The flag must be red with a white diagonal stripe that begins at the top staff-side of the flag and extends diagonally to the lower opposite corner. The width of the stripe must be 25 percent of the height of the flag.

3. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed on a buoy or float towed by the diver is 12 inches by 12 inches. The minimum size for any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel or structure is 20 inches by 24 inches.

4. Any divers-down flag displayed from a vessel must be displayed from the highest point of the vessel or such other location which provides that the visibility of the divers-down flag is not obstructed in any direction.

(2) All divers must prominently display a divers-down flag in the area in which the diving occurs, other than when diving in an area customarily used for swimming only.

A black ball displayed where it is visible during they day indicates that a boat is at anchor. Use of this day shape for anchoring varies with the region, but in most of the U.S. no one uses them, few look for them, and most wouldn’t recognize it for what it is. Rules for smaller boats vary. In the U.S., boats less than 7 meters are exempt. Nevertheless, displaying a black ball makes sense near channels, so ships to determine your navigation status (anchored vs. underway) at a great distance. COLREGS specifies a ball with a minimum diameter of 2 feet, with exceptions.

For vessels of less than 20 meters in length, shapes of lesser dimensions but commensurate with the size of the vessel may be used, and the distance apart may be correspondingly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

If you carry a sea anchor or drogue, have ever considered diving at night, or embark on single-handed voyages, making yourself both more visible and communicating your navigation status is smart. We don’t understand why hoistable light systems for recreational boaters is not available, so we’ve offered some do-it-yourself ideas in this report.

When it comes to lights for special situations like night diving or when the boat is disabled, recreational boats need temporary options that cost less and require little power. We found nothing practical that met our basic criteria for contingency use on sailboats. If you know of one, you can email us at [email protected] . These are all the lights that we found:

AQUASIGNAL HOISTABLE LIGHT

Aquasignal Series 40 hoistable lights. Similar to standard series 40 lights, these are 8 inches tall, 3 inches in diameter, and fit 25W incandescent bulbs (no LED option). Rigged as a red/white/red RAM light, they use 75 Ah of power each night, an unacceptable amount for many cruising boats. The cost is also steep, at $120 each ($360 total).

PERKO HALYARD MOUNT

The Perko halyard mount navigation lights are similar to the Aqua Signal lights, but they are discontinued, and we found no replacement. They cost about $85 ten years ago.

PRACTICAL SAILOR DIY LIGHT

Our DIY RAM light is based on the DIY anchor light modules but substituting red LEDs for white. They are weather proof, vibration resistant, meet the Coast Guard requirement for 3 mile visibility, and because the lights have a 120-degree vertical arc of visibility, full visibility is maintained even as a boat rolls heavily. The red version is slightly less bright than the white version, though it still meets the standard. You could, of course, mount four LED strips to make the red version brighter; there is enough room.

We considered adding switches, allowing a single unit to show a single white (anchor), red/white/red (restricted ability to maneuver) or two red (not under command), but decided that introduced additional failure points for options that would very seldom be used. Instead, we made the system modular, and you hoist only the components you need. They are chained together with cord/line extensions as needed. The cord/line extension is a 30-inch Dyneema strop with an eye in each end (one-meter spacing is required, and the light units are 10 inches long). Cable ties firmly attach a 24-inch 2-pin extension cord. One end of the strop is secured with a luggage tag hitch and the other with a screw link or shackle.

Our design for a DIY anchor light/RAM light is based on three white LED road trailer clearance marker lights, available for less than $1.50 per unit when purchased in packs. They meet the visibility requirements for boats of all sizes because they are designed to meet EU and US truck clearance light brightness requirements, which are significantly greater than those required for navigation lights. They are low-profile, weatherproof, and resistant to impact and vibration.

We mounted the lights around an 8-inch length of 1 ¼-inch PVC pipe; a single 5/16-inch hole passes the wires, two screws attach it in place, and it is sealed in place with a generous application of polyurethane caulk (we used Sika 291). The leads are coupled to a common 12V SAE 2-pin extension cord. Remember, LEDs are sensitive to polarity, so keep the positive and negative straight and used polarized plug connectors. The current draw is low enough (0.09 amps or 2.2 Ah per 24 hours) that we skipped the photo-electric cell that would turn it on and off automatically.

STEP BY STEP

1. Cut 6 ½-inch length of 1 ¼-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe.

2. Drill three x 5/16-inch holes in the side for the light’s wires (Photo 1). Fit should not be too tight—you don’t want to pinch the wires. The holes are centered between the ends and spaced around the pipe 120 degrees apart. An easy way to mark for drilling is to wrap a sheet of paper around the pipe and cut at exactly one circumference length. Fold the paper into thirds, mark the folds, and wrap again. The folds will be 120 degrees apart and in line vertically, ready for marking

3. Drill holes for the mounting screws. Machine screws about ½-inch long are preferred; they won’t stick in far and they won’t cut the wire insulation. No need for nuts. Just drill holes 1/64-inch smaller than your screws, and they will self tap in the soft plastic.

4. Insert the wires through the center holes, apply sealant around each hole and down the center of the light strip, and screw them down. It is tempting to apply the sealant first, but then inserting the wires is a mess.

5. Wipe up the excess sealant. It’s a mess. You could mask around the holes for a neater finish.

6. Prepare the top cap (white anchor light-only). Drill two 3/16-inch holes in the cap, insert 10 inches of 3/16-inch Dyneema to form a loop, securing the ends with stopper knots. Apply sealant inside and out.

7. Prepare bottom cap and top cap of RAM modules. Same as Step 6, but add about 5/16-inch to center hole, to accommodate the plug pigtail.

8. Thread the plug pigtails through the bottom cap hole and knot inside (Photo 2).

9. Twist the leads together and crimp to the pigtails (Photo 3). Be sure to strip enough insulation to allow for several twists. LEDs are polarity sensitive, so connect black-to-black (Photo 4). Seal the union with adhesive-lined heat shrink. Good fittings will have enough adhesive to fill the gaps between the three leads. The three leads, twisted together, should be about 14-16 AWG. RAM modules should have double-plug leads, one through the top and one through the bottom, so that they can be chained together.

10. Note that although all 2-pin plugs appear identical, there is a distinct male and female. The male plug has the ground (black) exposed, so that accidental contact with a grounded surface, like a mast or engine, does not cause a short. Each light module must contain either a female plug (anchor light only) or one of each (RAM modules), so they can be chained together. Mark each module with an up arrow, or you will be frustrated when you plug in the wrong end and it doesn’t light.

11. Seal the Dyneema line and the pigtail into the bottom cap, inside and out.

12. Glue on both end caps on with PVC cement. The tensile strength of each unit exceeds 1,000 pounds (we tested them), so a string can safely be hauled as tight as hand tension allows.

13. Prepare the supply cord. For the emergency anchor light we chose an 8-foot extension cord with SAE 2-pin connectors. We have three convenient outlets for this connector. We can plug it in just in front of the mast, in the cockpit, or in the cabin. In a pinch, you can rig a fused lighter plug directly to a battery (Photo 5), but lighter plugs are notoriously unreliable on boats, so this is temporary. As a supplemental harbor anchor light, we hoist the light 6 feet above the deck; at this level it is visible to nighttime dinghy operators and also lights up the deck. We can also extend with standard 2-pin extension cords. If the light is to be used as part of a RAM light system, the cord is shortened to 6 inches, so that it can be used as a module. Red light modules are the same as the anchor light module, except red LED marker lights are used.

14. Rig using non-stretch line (a halyard is good for the top) to reduce swinging. In wild weather, reduce swing by rigging the bottom line as a bridle that secures to the port and starboard toe rails (see Image 4). To prevent fore-aft swinging, add a loop (about 30 inches long) attached to the bottom light and around the mast, and raised to a point just below the spreaders. The bridles should be led aft and outboard. The lights must be pulled several feet away from the mast to keep the blind spot less than 6 degrees. The lights will hang at a slight angle, but this is not a big deal. In our case, the mast is raked sufficiently to serve this purpose. There is no need to pull the lights to the masthead, although they should be high enough to be visible above the swell.

15. Prepare cord locks, if desired (Photo 6). The SAE plugs were designed for trailer wiring and the high friction fit is very unlikely to pull apart. But you can add locks for more security, and they take only a few minutes to make. The holes in the locks are 1/16-inch larger than the widest cord diameter. The slot is just wide enough to pass the narrowest dimension. The spacing is about 3/8-inch longer than the length of the closed plug pair. The strip can be either 3/16-inch HDPE or 1/8-inch aluminum, or fiberglass. It’s width is about 1 inch (aluminum or fiberglass) or 1 1/4-inches (high density polyethylene). Smooth the edges to avoid damaging the wire insulation.

The white light makes a useful cockpit and bilge work light. It’s waterproof. The red lights can be hung in the cabin or cockpit for vision-safe night lighting, although you still don’t want to look directly at the light (see “ Are Chart Lights Steering Us Wrong ,” PS October 2020).

Caps. $ 2 x 1.57 = $3.14

6.5” pipe = $0.70

LEDs = Three white side marker lights (6 LEDs each), 3 x $2.12 = $6.36

Assorted wire and sealant = $4

Cord = $4.20

Rope = $0.40

Total = $18.80

Since our August 2021 review of deck connectors (“ Watertight Connector Test ”), we’ve converted our F-24 test boat to SAE 2-pin connectors for many applications, including tiller pilot, mast lights, and utility cockpit connections. We like the price and widespread availability of the components, but the big selling point is easy interchangeability and ruggedness. For example, we can plug the emergency anchor lights and RAM lights into the mast base plug, the tiller pilot plug, a cabin plug, the cockpit plug, or straight to the battery with clips. Same with our utility washdown/emergency sump pump; we can plug it in wherever needed, just like appliances at home.

All of this applies equally to 4-pin connectors. They can be the better answer if you need more power to control more things. We’ve used 4-pin connectors for connections at the mast base for trailer boats.

The exposed pin should be ground phase to reduce the risk of shorts. As long as the exposed pin is ground and the adjacent pin is power, 2-pin plugs can also be inserted into 4-pin sockets. Grease exposed ends with Tefgel or Green Grease twice per year (every few years inside the cabin). Keep the caps on when not in use so they don’t attract dirt and to cover the ground pin.

You will have to splice the wire tails. Crimping and heat shrink is preferred below deck. Soldering and adhesive lined heat shrink yields a more streamlined result and is acceptable for above-deck cords.

We like the broad deck mounting flange. We like the molded seal. Between these two factors, they absolutely cannot leak through the deck. Most have tinned wire, and because they are used for motorbike charging, the wire is typically at least 14 AWG.

Maintain polarity. If you are careful with your wiring you’ll ensure correct polarity.

We have used these SAE connectors on a Stilleto 27 for 8-10 years with no problems, while multiple brands of “marine-grade” connectors failed.

The COLREGs allows two lighting schemes for sailboats; either red and green side lights plus a stern light, or a single tricolor mounted at the top of the mast. The advantage of the tricolor is that it can be seen above waves. However, like a masthead anchor light, it is hard to see at close range. Also you can’t use a tricolor when motoring, since your white steaming light indicating a power-driven vessel must be above the side lights.

A less commonly seen combination is for sailing boats is red over green, one meter apart, at or near the top of the mast. This is in addition to the usual side lights farther down and the white stern light. Advantages of this setup are increased visibility in waves, visibility in close quarters, and unlike the other options, a means of estimating distance, since more than one light is visible at a time.

It is widely believed that the red-over-green light is for sailboats longer than 20 meters, but in fact there is no size restriction. A tricolor cannot be used by boats over 20 meters, and so red-over–green makes sense for them at sea. Ideally, the lights are above the mast and unobstructed in all directions. A one meter mast light could also be attached to the top of the mast; it won’t increase the air draft by one meter, since the VHF aerial is probably more than half that.

However, the USCG COLREGS manual clearly shows the green light some distance down the mast, where it will be blocked in some directions by the mast and sails. Green light will also reflect off the sails, which can be annoying. Commonly, instead of a single green light, 180-degree green side lights are mounted on each side of the mast, 1-meter down, with a red light at the masthead.

This requires one more pair of lights, but no more cabling than a tricolor. However, a hoistable red-over-green modular light like the one described in the adjacent articles could be used when more visibility is desired.

A paper recently submitted to World Sailing lays out the problems sailboats face trying to comply with the COLREGs ( http://honeynav.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/OC4biNavigationLightReportVerFinal-25596.pdf ).

Emergency Steering? You Can Jury-Rig a Drogue For That

Sailboats under no circumstance are under the category of ram. They are not restricted of maneuver. No need for this

Where did you get this idea? Sailing vessels had in the past performed many of the tasks in Colregs Rule 3(g) and most are also auxillary power driven vessels. They can, for instance, engage in emergency towing and are then very much in a RAM condition. Bering Sea Gold had a sailboat involved in dredging (and diving!). The same lights are used for diving. People don’t dive off sailboats? That’s news. Sailboats can be aground, and then should display two red all around lights. Just omit the white in between.

Which case do you disagree with and why? Diving at night (COLREGS rule 27ei and state law)? Lying to a drogue (steering is greatly restricted and in survival conditions releasing the drogue is not an option)?

Sail or power is not a factor in these determinations. Very likely the sailboat has no sail up and is a power driven boat for the purposes of COLREGS.

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Boat Navigation Lights: Safety with the flick of a switch

When visibility on the water is low, ensure that you have the right marine navigation lights installed from Wholesale Marine. From yachts, to cruisers, small boats, PWC's or even kayaks we offer a variety of portable navigation lights.

Boat stern lights offer a bright white light for visibility on the water. Stern lights come in a variety of mounting options, the two most common are a mounted fixed light or a drop in light on a pole. Boat side lights come in a starboard side (green) and port side (red) light. You can mount a separate light on either side, or use a bi-color light that contains both. If your vessel meets the requirements, you can always use a tri-color light that combines both stern and side lights.

The size of your vessel determines the United States Coast Guard navigation light requirements you must meet. The requirements are for either a main masthead or sternlight head with a pair of side lights. The lights are required to meet a certain nautical distance shine from dead ahead.

Boats that are less than 39.4’ (12 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 1 nautical miles and a white stern light up to 2 nautical miles.

Boats that are less than 65.7’ (20 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 2 nautical miles and a masthead light up to 3 nautical miles.

Boats over 65.7' and less than 164' (20 meters - 50 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 2 nautical miles and a masthead light up to 5 nautical miles.

Whether you’re searching for bow lights or side lights, Wholesale Marine stocks trusted marine brands including Attwood , Perko Marine , and Innovative Lighting . Find reliable boat navigation lights for every type of water vessel.

Marine Navigation Lights That Meet Requirements

Whether you’re piloting a small fishing boat or large power boat, trust that Wholesale Marine has the right boat navigation lights for you. As you are equipping your boat, it is important to be mindful of navigation light requirements for your style of boat. Power driven vessels are required to have a stern light , and either a pair of side lights or a bow light.

Perko Marine side lights such as the Perko Vertical Mount Side Light are equipped with red and green marine navigation lights. Gold-plated contacts provide excellent conductivity while holding up against normal wear.

Depending on your application, you may opt-out of boat side lights in favor of a bi-color deck light. Bi-color deck lights, like the Attwood Bi-Color Boat Navigation Light , function the same as a side light, but feature red and green lights contained in a single unit. This bi-color dual side light offers a universal fit, sitting on a 14” straight 2-pin locking collar pole.

Increase your visibility on the water with the Attwood LED All-Round Boat Stern Light . This boat stern light offers bright white light and is designed for 360° visibility on boats up to 39.4' in length. This marine navigation light is one of many that we stock that is US Coast Guard Approved for 2 nautical miles.

When your boat is anchored, you are required to use a 360° anchor light that is visible up to 2 nautical miles. A perfect choice is the Attwood LED Anchor light . Constructed from enhanced 316 stainless steel and corrosion resistant alloys, this navigation light is designed to hold up. The powerful LED’s are rated for over 50,000 hours of use and produce a light bright enough to be seen up to 3 nautical miles away.

For ease of operation, we recommend Innovative Lighting’s Portable LED Stern Navigation Light . It features a suction cup mount that attaches virtually anywhere, and its rugged construction is able to withstand even tough marine environments. Many of our portable navigation lights for boats use LED bulbs, which consume less power and have a longer service life than regular incandescent or halogen bulbs.

Choosing the Right Boat Navigation Lights

Trying to decide between different marine navigation lights? Our customer service team is composed of boat enthusiasts that are eager to offer real-world advice on the boat navigation lights. We would be more than happy to help you get the light best suited for your boat and boating activities. We’re here for you Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. Sign up for our Captain’s Club Rewards Program to accrue points for extra savings the next time you shop at Wholesale Marine!

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Fly Fishing

The Rundown: An All Encompassing Look at the New NRS Slipstream Raft

Welcome to: “The Rundown”. In our newest editorial series, we’ll provide an all-encompassing look at the latest and greatest products from your favorite brands in the fly fishing and outdoor space. Here, we’ll run over high-level info, tech specs, and our opinions – all paired with a behind-the-scenes interview with product designers who have poured their hearts into bringing these creations from blueprints to the showroom floor.

In this Rundown, we’ll look at the newest release from Idaho-based fishing and whitewater vessel company, NRS , to bring you an all-encompassing look at their latest release: The “Slipstream” Fishing Raft .

Background:

If you’re floating down any river West of the Mississippi, on any given warm and sunny day, there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing an NRS raft making its way down current as well. These iconic watercrafts have been a staple to the angling community, as well as the white water community for decades now.

Based out of Moscow, Idaho; NRS or NorthWest River Supplies, has been manufacturing watercrafts and other river-sport necessities (such as apparel, Life jackets, technical gear, and much more), since 1972. In 2014, following NRS founder, Bill Parks’ retirement, the company became 100% employee-owned. This is a rarity in our modern, fast-paced economy, and is an approach that sets NRS apart from any other river-product manufacturer out there.

Over the course of the last few years, NRS has heard an increased amount of demand from the angling community for more fishing-focused products and has taken the feedback in stride. With the release of everything from fishing appare l and outerwear, to new fishing-conscious PFDs and Kyaks, NRS has been dumping time, money, and resources into meeting the needs of the rapidly expanding conventional, and fly fishing communities.

It’s a culmination of these efforts which have led to the birth of what we’re talking about today; the NRS Slipstream Fishing Raft . Or as we see it, A fishing raft like no other.

What’s New:

When it comes to the Slipstream Fishing Raft , there are a ton of new features that have been put in to accommodate angling needs. Below, we’ll highlight which ones we think are most notable, and why:

(From NRS ): “Slipstream rafts feature a streamlined design with deliberately placed d-rings, handles, and valves to reduce weight and eliminate catch points.”

One of the most annoying things that anglers experience when fishing out of a raft (or any boat/ vessel/ scenario), is line getting caught on things. Anyone who has ever fly-fished understands that fly-line was designed by the devil, and serves the sole purpose of getting wrapped around, tangled in, or caught up on anything that it can – including itself. With older raft models, things like casting platforms, protruding frames, and D-rings are the most common culprits when it comes to eating fly line. This is not only super frustrating to deal with when fishing, but can also severely damage your fly line. Which, we all know is pretty expensive.

The beauty of the Slipstream is that it was made with that issue in mind, and eliminated as many rings, valves, and other hazards for your line to get caught around. Most notably, the casting platforms.

“4” drop-stitch floor provides a super stable platform, eliminating the need for casting platforms. Insert is protected inside a zippered PVC pocket.”

Speaking of the loss of casting platforms, we believe the drop-stitch floor is the key element that sets this raft apart from the rest…

With this new design, gone are the days of dancing around/balancing on elevated plastic floors while trying to fish. The new, 4″ drop-stitch floor runs level from the front of the boat to the back, providing a single, sturdy floor for all anglers and the rower to share. This doesn’t only greatly improve the front and rear angler’s experience, but also provides a sturdy and flat floor for gear storage, such as coolers, fly boxes, dry boxes, and whatever else you want on your boat.

Additionally, the floor is lined with an EVA foam pad which provides great traction, even when wet. It also features an additional valve, located conveniently underneath the rower’s seat, which can be inflated or deflated independently from the rest of the raft, at any time.

“[Includes] Fishing Rod Holder to stow (2) 9′ rods”

One extra item that is provided in the Deluxe package, which we think is definitely worth mentioning, is the aluminum rod holder which can be attached to either side of the frame. We know from first-hand experience, the easiest place to break a rod, is in a crowded raft. In the chaos of fishing, or even just entering and exiting the raft, a slight misstep can result in $1000+ down the drain, or at least an inconvenient Saturday spent mailing your precious fly rod back to the manufacturer for repair. Neither option is very fun – but it’s something we’re all super familiar with.

This rod holder is made to line the outside of the frame, and conveniently stores your party’s fly rods in a way they’re easily accessible, and also out of harm’s way.

“The frame includes an internally routed anchor system that’s controlled from the rower’s seat…”

The last insanely cool feature we want to make sure to talk about is the new Slipstream Fishing Raft’s internal anchor system. With almost every other fishing raft, the anchor rope lines the side of the raft and is exposed. This can lead to the rear angler getting tangled with the anchor rope, things getting caught in it, and unnecessary weathering from exposure to the elements.

With the Slipstream fishing raft, however, the anchor rope runs from the sidebar beside the rower’s seat, through the actual raft frame, and out of the frame in the back to the anchor. This creates just one more element of streamlined engineering that keeps unnecessary obstacles out of the way of the raft’s users.

Tech Specs:

Here is the full tech spec sheet from the NRS website.

( Note: these are the specs for the Slipstream 139 Raft , which is the raft shown in the photos within this article. For other models, please reference the “specs” noted on the NRS Slipstream 120’s Page , or the NRS Slipstream 96’s Page . These specs are also for the “Deluxe package”, see website for more details).

Our experience:

In the Spring of 2021, we were privileged enough to receive one of the first prototypes of the NRS Slipstream Fishing Raft to test out on our home waters. Since then, this raft has been dragged over rocks, sent through white water, bounced off of trees, caught by hundreds of hooks, left out in the sun, rain, and snow – and has yet to give us a single reason not to love it.

It’s important when reviewing a product to point out the shortcomings as well as what we like, but we’ve had a lot of difficulty doing so. This raft is an amazing size for running medium to large rivers but is versatile enough to be used on small rivers, and even stillwater. With its streamlined construction and drop-stitch floor, our angling experience has been greatly enhanced, and we’ve spent so much more time fishing, and so much less time trying to untangle the line.

All this being said, we are even baffled by the price. You can buy the raft’s “Deluxe Package”, which features all the contents above, for all under $6k. In our opinion, that’s pretty unbelievable.

We don’t want to give away too much more, here. But, stay tuned for our Full Gear Review on the NRS Slipstream Fishing Raft which will be coming soon.

An interview with NRS Fishing Manager: Mike Dolmage

In our final portion of “The Rundown” we had a chance to ask NRS Fishing Manager, and someone who has been working on the slipstream since it was just words on paper: Mike Dolmage. Here’s what he had to say about his experience in the Slipstream’s design process:

Flylords: Who are you and what is your position at NRS ?

Mike: I’m the NRS Fishing Category Manager and Hardgoods Product Manager. I’ve been a passionate fly angler for over 30 years, living life in search of the next cast. Fall and winter seasons you’ll find me swinging Pacific Northwest waters for steelhead and in search the rest of the year for new adventures on the fly. When not on the water, I’m involved with the preservation and conservation of our waters and resources as anglers.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike Dolmage (@inlandpnwonthefly)

Flylords: What was your role in bringing the NRS Slipstream Fishing Raft to life?

Mike: My role was creating the vision for a complete NRS Fishing raft package. I conducted extensive research to identify the key features that anglers and rowers demand on a fishing watercraft. We were focused on providing ultimate stealth fishing watercrafts for the adventure angler seeking remote fishing areas off the beaten path, and on keeping the angler focused on fishing without concerns of stability, line snags, or whitewater performance. Based upon the feedback we created conceptual CAD for the fishing raft package, and collaborated with our frame shop to make the Slipstream series of fishing rafts a reality. The Slipstream series of fishing rafts were successfully launched in 2022, and the Slipstream 120 won the 2022 IFTD Best Of Show Boat/Personal Watercraft. I’ve continued to travel all over North America and introduce the adventure possibilities of the Slipstreams.

Flylords: From start to finish, where did the Slipstream see the biggest challenges?

Mike: The biggest challenge of the Slipstreams has been navigating the supply chain hurdles that continue to impact manufacturers and factories since Covid. Keeping up with the demand has been an awesome and difficult task at the same time. We work tirelessly to keep Slipstreams rolling out to customers.

Flylords: What was the initial thought process behind the Slipstream? What role was it made to fit?

Mike: The initial thought process behind the Slipstreams was to utilize NRS’s 50-year whitewater river heritage, and provide watercrafts that allow anglers to explore waters they haven’t considered before. We keep the adventure angler at the core of our product inspiration empowering them to take any journey the imagination can think of. The Slipstreams were designed to handle any type of water, and lightweight enough to transport/launch without a trailer or boat ramp.

Flylords: What kind of angler would you say each Slipstream model is built for?

Mike: The Slipstream 139 – designed for big water multi-day adventures or single-day outings with maximum cargo space and room for two anglers and a rower.

Slipstream 120 – designed for ultimate water versatility on multi-day or single-day journeys that require whitewater or tight skinny stream stealth performance with a rower and up to two anglers.

Slipstream 96 – designed to pack the most performance and transportability into a watercraft for a rower and angler. The Slipstream 96 is lightweight and easy enough to transport rooftop or in the bed of a pickup.

Flylords: What are some of your personal favorite features of the Slipstream?

Mike: The internal anchor system running through the raft framework and out the center of the stern provides an anchor system without any exposed rope.

The drop-stitch floor with EVA texture provides a rock-solid lightweight platform for standing without the risk of slipping.

The Deluxe Slipstream packages offer a dual rod holder that allows the angler to keep extra rods rigged up for changing conditions on the water.

Flylords: How do you think the design of the slipstream will affect the way that NRS and other raft manufacturers will design their rafts moving forward?

Mike: The Slipstreams set the bar for future fishing watercrafts to be ultra-transportable but still capable of whitewater environments. We’ve transported Slipstreams for fishing adventures in anything from vehicles to helicopters and planes. The Slipstreams are an example of empowering anglers to reimagine a new horizon for adventures.

Thank you for checking out this installment of: “The Rundown”. Stay tuned for more activations surrounding the latest and greatest from your favorite Brands in the fly fishing space.

Thank you to NRS for working with us on this project, which has been years in the making. To learn more about the Slipstream Fishing Raft, you can find it HERE . Also, be sure to follow NRS on Instagram to keep up with the newest advancements from our friends in the Gem State.

This article was published as part of a paid campaign between Flylords LLC and Northwestern River Supply Co. All opinions presented in this article are genuine and solely reflect the opinions of Flylords LLC.

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Find Your Way Home to This 1897 Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse for $450K

Imagine waking up in your very own lighthouse—specifically, Virginia’s Smith Point Lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay.

Don’t worry. You won’t be the keeper of this move-in ready gem. The lighthouse has long been out of commission. But the off-shore structure, which dates back to 1897, has since been renovated for use as a really cool vacation spot.

“A lot of these are shells,” says listing agent Beth Groner , with Keller Williams Fairfax Gateway , referring to other lighthouses on the market. “They’ve been left sitting around for up to 20 years with no roof or broken windows, and there’s tons of water damage. With this particular listing, it’s literally livable. [The sellers] created a space where someone can be in the bay and enjoy—the most unique opportunity you can think of.”

Accessible only by boat

With an asking price of $450,000, the four-bedroom, one-bath lighthouse is accessible only by boat. It sits 2.5 miles off shore from Ree dville, VA , at the mouth of the Potomac River and offers panoramic water views. The sellers, who bought the lighthouse in 2005, invested in several renovations and use it as a vacation property.

“It was an active lighthouse,” Groner notes. “At some point, the Coast Guard started to sell lighthouses that were no longer an important aid for navigation.”

She adds that the Coast Guard still maintains the lamp as an active aid to navigation. The lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“It’s almost all of the original wall material, doors, and staircases,” Groner says.

(Dave McNally)

A rare listing

“This was such a whim purchase for [the seller],” Groner says. “He has taken his family there almost every year for a week at a time. They stay at the lighthouse and go into town for provisions.”

Renovations completed between 2006 and 2009 included a new generator, water-treatment system, Marvin windows, insulation, roof, and a state-of-the-art commode. The seller also added a full kitchen with cherry cabinets, a breakfast counter, and appliances.

Despite the extensive work, “some repairs are needed to rails, appliances, windows and watch room floors,” according to the listing.

The price includes all furniture, two window air-conditioning units, and two heaters, along with other household items. For the next round of repairs, the buyer could consult the growing network of lighthouse restorers and nonprofits in the area. One in particular is a local contractor who owns three lighthouses.

But it’s rare to see a lighthouse on the market here.

“The last time one was listed was close to 10 years now,” Groner says.

To find a buyer, she reached out to lighthouse advocates, including one who would like to see marine-science organizations or nonprofits either lease or own decommissioned lighthouses in order to study weather patterns.

“I think [the buyer] will be someone with an organization like that, or it’s a passion project for someone,” Groner says.

For more photos and details, check out the full listing.
Homes for sale in Reedville, VA
Learn more about Reedville, VA

Based in Milwaukee, Kristine Hansen writes for TravelandLeisure.com, ArchitecturalDigest.com, Vogue.com, and other outlets. She’s also the author of “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin: How America’s Most Famous Architect Found Inspiration in His Home State.” She lives in a 1924 bungalow.

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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine 'destroys Russian Black Sea minesweeper'

Ukraine's navy says it has destroyed a Russian Black Sea fleet minesweeper. Meanwhile, an attack on a residential area in Kharkiv left six civilians injured - with Ukraine saying it is investigating the bombing as a potential war crime.

Sunday 19 May 2024 17:40, UK

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Six killed - including pregnant woman - in strikes on Kharkiv recreation area
Ukraine investigating 'potential war crime' after civilians wounded
Ukrainian soldiers reveal how they were secretly moved ahead of Russian invasion
Russia takes control of village in Kharkiv - defence ministry

We're pausing our coverage of the Ukraine war for the moment.

Scroll through the blog below to catch up on today's developments.

Russian forces likely intend to launch the second phase of their offensive following their anticipated seizure of Vovchansk, three miles from the Russian border, according to the latest analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that Russian forces advanced between five and 10 kilometres in the northern Kharkiv region before Ukrainian forces stopped Russian advances.

The ISW says Russian forces are currently prioritising the seizure of Vovchansk because it is likely one of the remaining tactical objectives of the first phase, noting it is the largest settlement immediately on the border that would provide Russian forces with a staging ground to prepare for and launch the second phase.

The Russian objectives of the second phase are not yet clear, the ISW says. It could be to expand the "buffer zone" further in width along the border, or to advance closer to Kharkiv city.

Russian forces have also recently intensified efforts to seize the operationally significant town of Chasiv Yar, the ISW says, seeking to exploit the pressure on stretched Ukrainian forces.

The number of people killed in Russian strikes on a Kharkiv recreation area has risen from five to six, with an employee of the resort still unaccounted for.

At least 27 people were injured in the two airstrikes, which came about 20 minutes apart, according to an update from the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office on Telegram.

The missing employee was fishing by a reservoir when the attack happened, the update said.

Two police officers are among the injured, it added.

The UK's defence secretary has confirmed the military aid that has been "rushed" to Ukraine.

Grant Shapps said the "world cannot wait" as he urged nations to "step up" and support Kyiv's fight against Russia.

Among the items sent by the UK are 80 defence missiles, one million rounds of ammunition and 20 Viking amphibious protected vehicles.

Mr Shapps' tweet comes after he urged allies to give permission to Ukraine to use the weapons they have supplied against targets in Russian-annexed Crimea.

"We have been very, very clear with the world and helpful to Ukraine - for example, providing permissions for our weapons to be used throughout the whole of Ukraine ... that includes Crimea, which was taken by Putin in 2014," he told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg:

"Now, we do not get into how we would allow targeting with our weapons to be used outside of that. But we do provide our weapons to Ukraine in order for them to defend their country."

Pressed on Volodymyr Zelensky's calls for weapons to be available for strikes inside Russia, Mr Shapps said: "I can't go into the specifics of those private conversations about how the weapons are precisely used."

Finland will propose a law that would see it turn back migrants to Russia without processing their asylum applications - despite this potentially breaching its international human rights commitments.

Finland shut its border with Russia last year to stop a growing number of arrivals from countries including Syria and Somalia.

It accused Moscow of weaponising migration against Finland and the European Union, an assertion the Kremlin denies.

"As this phenomenon is in Russia's hands - who comes, where from and when, to Finland's border - we cannot permit it," Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters.

"Therefore we have to augment our legislation."

The bill would allow border authorities to turn back asylum seekers who cross from Russia, with or without using force. But it would not apply to children and disabled people.

The proposal will go to parliament next week, where it will be submitted to the constitutional committee for review. It will need five-sixths of votes cast in parliament to pass - the high bar required for constitutional matters - and success is not certain.

The General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces have published their daily operational update...

It says "intense" fighting is ongoing along almost the entire frontline, with 78 "combat clashes" already today, compared to 110 for the entirety of yesterday.

The Russian forces became increasingly active on the Kharkiv front, with seven clashes reported so far today.

The situation in Kharkiv is "dynamic", it says, with Russian troops trying to push back the Ukrainian units near Vovchansk, Starytsia and Lyptsi.

Russia said on Saturday its forces had captured the village of Starytsia, bringing the total number of villages it has taken in the Kharkiv region to 13.

Russia has been pushing ahead with a ground offensive in recent days that opened a new front in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region and put further pressure on Kyiv's overstretched military.

Russian forces have also increased their activity on the Siversk front and are attempting to break through Ukrainian defences in Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske and Rozdolivka, the update says.

Oleksandr Usyk defeated British boxing star Tyson Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world on Saturday night.

But Fury says the outcome was down to the Ukraine war.

He disputed his loss after the match, saying: "I believe I won that fight. I think he won a few rounds but I won the majority of them.

"His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war. Make no mistake, I won that fight in my opinion."

In response, Ukrainian Usyk said he was "ready for rematch," but later added: "I don't think about rematch now, I want to rest."

After today's attacks President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again called on Western allies to supply Kyiv with additional air defence systems to protect Kharkiv and other cities.

He said there were reports "every hour" of fresh attacks.

"Missiles, bombs, artillery are the only things that allow Russia to continue its aggression," he said on Telegram.

"The world can stop Russian terror - and to do so, the lack of political will among leaders must be overcome."

"Two Patriots for Kharkiv will make a fundamental difference," he said, referring to Patriot missile defence systems.

Air defence systems for other cities and sufficient support for soldiers on the front line would ensure Russia's defeat, the president added.

This morning, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the delay in giving aid to Ukraine gave Russia a window of opportunity for its new offensive.

Five people have died in strikes on two villages in the Kupiansk district in Kharkiv, local officials say.

It brings the number of people killed in the Kharkiv region today to 10, after five people died in strikes on a recreation area in a northern suburb of the city of Kharkiv.

Local governor Oleh Syniehubov said Russian forces shelled two villages with a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher.

At least nine people were injured in the attacks.

We're getting photos of the aftermath of strikes on a recreation area just outside Kharkiv which killed five people and left at least 16 injured.

The pictures show a lakeside resort, where shortly before the attacks local residents were "resting, enjoying a normal way of life", according to a local police inspector (see our 11.54 post).

Parademics and police tend to the wounded, but were also caught up in the second strike, which came about 20 minutes after the first.

These are known as "double tap" strikes, which kill or injure emergency workers at the scene of strike impacts.

Here are the latest photos from the scene...

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COMMENTS

Navigation Lights for Sailboats (And How To Read Them)
As such a power boat, and by extension all sailboats, MUST, without question show one green light on the starboard bow and one red light on the port bow and one all around white light or lights while operating in reduced visibility. These lights should shine at all 360 degrees of visibility with the bow lights shining at an angle of dead ahead ...
Anchor Light Requirements
The Inland Rules have specific requirements as to anchor lights. That rule is quoted below, as is the USCG site reference. A 360-degree white all-around masthead light with two-mile visibility normally fulfills this requirement for most pleasure boats, but familiarize yourself with and follow the rule. Wire gauge, length of wiring, connections ...
Know Which Navigation Lights are Required for Your Boat
The basic rule is that sidelights and a stern light are required. Permissible variations to this rule appear below. Sailboats less than 20m (65.7') can substitute a tricolor light for separate sidelights and stern light—or a bi-color light and a stern light may be substituted. Sailboats less than 7m (23') shall, if practicable, exhibit lights ...
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LED lights are more efficient and draw far less power compared to incandescent lights. Whereas old-style 2 nautical mile (nm) incandescent anchor lights drew close to 1A, many modern LED anchor lights only draw about .1A which is a 90 percent reduction in power draw. Portable Lights for Inflatable Boats, Kayaks and Canoes
Anchor lights test
Taking all the anchor lights out on the editor's boat late one June evening, we picked up a buoy in Calshot Bay and hung the lights in the foretriangle of the yacht, around 2.5m above deck level. ... Anchor Lights: the results. Every piece of kit Yachting Monthly tests is thoroughly examined against three key criteria.
Navigation Lights : BoatUS Foundation
On any vessel, navigation lights have a specific color, (white, red, green, yellow, blue), arc of illumination, range of visibility, and location, as required by law and regulations. For the purposes of this course, we will concentrate on pleasure boats under 65 feet in length. Knowledge of navigation lights is important to a small-boat skipper ...
Boat Navigation Lights Rules: Illustrated Beginners Guide
They must show an arc of 112.5 degrees from centerline of the bow. Stern light - A white light on the stern of the boat showing an unbroken arc of 135 degrees from centerline of the vessel. All-round light - A light showing in an unbroken arc of 360 degrees. The good news is you need not measure these angles.
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Professionals and enthusiasts get their boat navigation lights from Fisheries Supply. Shop for LED lighting from top brands like Aqua Signal, Perko, Hella, and more. Need Help? ... Lunasea Tri-Color / Anchor / Strobe LED Light. SKU: 1007126 | Item ID: LUN LLB-53BK-01-00. $255.36. In Stock. Hella Hella NaviLED Pro 2 Mile - Port, Black. SKU ...
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An economical 2NM LED All-Around Anchor Light fixture navigation light intended to be mounted on the top of the mast on larger sailboats. It replaces the Aqua Signal Series 40 type anchor lights, as it is of similar size and height. Prefitted with a user-replaceable Marinebeam constant-current 10-30VDC BAY15d high-output LED bulb and 8" of ...
Understanding Boat Navigation Lights
Power boats less than 20 meters shall exhibit navigation lights as shown in Figure 1. (Note: 2 masthead lights are optional for vessels under 50 meters. Vessels over 50 meters will display two masthead lights.) Figure 2. Vessels of less than 12 meters in length, may show the lights in either Figure 1 or Figure 2.
Practical Sailor Tracks Down the Best LED Tri-color Light
The test field included three LED lanterns and three LED bulbs. From Orca Green Marine (OGM), maker of the top choice among tri-colors in the 2005 Practical Sailor test, we reviewed the latest USCG 2-nautical-mile approved tri-color. The other tested lanterns were self-contained tri-color/anchor light combos from Signal Mate and Lopolight.
Extra Anchor Lighting
Even sailboat lights with the broader beam angle dim when you get within a few boat lengths. Additionally, this means that anchor lights that meet only part (a) vertical sector (5 degrees) must be mounted within a few degrees of plumb to avoid black-out zones. Even sailboat lights meeting part (b) appear dim when rigged out of plumb. EMERGENCY ...
LED Anchor Light with Photocell Sensor
IP67 USCG Certified 3NM Waterproof LED Anchor Navigation Light with Photocell. Toggle menu (843) 885-8644 ... This light is a perfect solution for our boat's electrical system. Our boat uses lithium rechargeables, so its voltage is unusual at about 28.4 volts DC. This light runs flawlessly on 12 volts, 24 volts, and our system at 28.4.
RAM Lights for Sailboats
PRACTICAL SAILOR DIY LIGHT. Our DIY RAM light is based on the DIY anchor light modules but substituting red LEDs for white. They are weather proof, vibration resistant, meet the Coast Guard requirement for 3 mile visibility, and because the lights have a 120-degree vertical arc of visibility, full visibility is maintained even as a boat rolls heavily.
Boat Navigation Lights
This boat stern light offers bright white light and is designed for 360° visibility on boats up to 39.4' in length. This marine navigation light is one of many that we stock that is US Coast Guard Approved for 2 nautical miles. When your boat is anchored, you are required to use a 360° anchor light that is visible up to 2 nautical miles.
Young Marine 9 inch 3 Nautical Mile White LED Fold Down Boat Stern
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Young Marine 9 inch 3 Nautical Mile White LED Fold Down Boat Stern Light Boat Anchor Light for Pontoon and Fishing Boat Navigation Anchor Lights All Round 360° White LED 12-24V. 4.6 out of 5 stars. 1,897. 900+ bought in past month. $19.77 $ 19. 77. FREE delivery Sat, May 18 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon.
NRS
Zigco SpinRx Fishing Anchor Pulley. $79.95. Sale. NRS Women's HydroSkin Gloves. On Sale: $30.00 $39.95. Sale. NRS Men's High Tide Splash Jacket. On Sale: $120.00 $159.95. Down River Double Cup Holder. ... Lights & Headlamps; Audio & Accessories; Waterproof Cases; Shop By Activity. Back; Whitewater Kayaking; Kayak Touring; Stand-Up ...
Raft Frames & Parts
Raft Frames & Parts. At NRS, we've been strapping frames to boats since 1972. Based on the versatility of our patented LoPro™ fitting, we build the world's strongest and most adjustable raft frames right here in Moscow, Idaho. No matter the boat, the NRS frame system helps you create your ultimate setup. NRS Bighorn I Raft Frame. $875.00.
The Rundown: An All Encompassing Look at the New NRS Slipstream ...
February 20, 2023. Welcome to: "The Rundown". In our newest editorial series, we'll provide an all-encompassing look at the latest and greatest products from your favorite brands in the fly fishing and outdoor space. Here, we'll run over high-level info, tech specs, and our opinions - all paired with a behind-the-scenes interview with ...
Find Your Way Home to This 1897 Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse for $450K
With an asking price of $450,000, the four-bedroom, one-bath lighthouse is accessible only by boat. It sits 2.5 miles off shore from Ree dville, VA, at the mouth of the Potomac River and offers ...
Anchor Lights
exterior lighting. navigation lights. anchor lights. CONTACT WEST MARINE. Live Chat. 1-800-262-8464. Store Locator. Shop the best selection of Anchor Lights from West Marine. Visit for products, prices, deals and more!
Illuminated Bridge, Sailboat and Flower at Twilight
«Illuminated Bridge, Sailboat and Flower at Twilight» During the 4th Moscow International Festival «Circle of Light» (which was held from 10 to 14 October, 2014) the well-known pedestrian bridge (length 60 m/196ft) that leads to the island "Horseshoe" with a "Singing Fountain" in the middle of Tsaritsino ponds, was transformed into a ...
Ukraine war latest: Russian oil refinery on fire after drone attack
Russian warplanes and patrol boats also destroyed six sea drones in the Black Sea, the ministry added. 08:11:01 Kim Jong Un's sister denies 'most absurd theory' of arms exchange with Russia

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