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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Back up anchor light

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Trust Me
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/03/2007 : 14:48:08

My anchor light may be shorted and I think it's in the deck plug. For back up I was thinking about using a solar powered LED yard/garden light fixed to the top of a wooden dowel that I can hoist up the mast. I do not believe the LEDs are bright enough to meet coast guard standards but something is better than nothing at anchor in a dark bay. Does anyone else have a back up that they have used? (no strobes please)
Ron

5044 TR FK

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 15:02:07

I sometimes use a [url="http://www.headlineproducts.com/images/LED-Lantern.jpg"]LED Lantern[/url] similar to this hung off my boom as a back up or when I want to keep the light down at a bass boats eye level.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 15:27:30

An anchor light does not need to be hoisted very high, sometimes I wonder if lower isn't better so power boaters know they are close to you.

Edited by - on

jesse camp
1st Mate

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USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 15:35:51

Has anyone bought the Solar/Led Light from west Marine that mounts to the rail and around $26 dollars. It looks like its SSt and would be great to ward off the late/early stinkpotters.

Jesse Camp
5150 87 SK SR
Merritt Island, FL

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 16:56:40

I have a battery powered LED camping lantern for this purpose. It has 3 power levels, plus strobe, and is supposed to run for many, many hours on 1 set of batteries. I keep it at home where it doubles as an emergency light. On the boat, I can use it anywhere it's needed, including attached to the jib halyard and forestay as an anchor light/deck light.
David

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 17:00:12

I've also got 2 solar powered garden lights, with yellow lenses, hanging from each side of the stern pulpit, where the lifeline alligator clasps attach. Works well for raft-ups.
David

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2007 : 21:20:24

I lost all my lights last w/e...3 switches worth...no idea why, everything else still works. I'm thinking about deploying LED units for bow, stern and underway until I can sort out the rats nest behind the switch panel.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2007 : 00:36:20

For some unknown reason our anchor light quit. As an interim anchor light I hung an LED light that we have for the dinghy off the boom. Same idea as the lantern above but only one led. I tested it out at Catalina and it ran all night long no problem.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/270097/377%20710/0/led%20running%20light/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710& Ne=0& Ntt=led%20running%20light& Ntk=Primary%20Search& Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial& Nao=0& Ns=0& keyword=led%20running%20light& isLTokenURL=true& storeNum=null& subdeptNum=null& classNum=null#

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2007 : 03:12:36

I have a led lantern that has been on the boat for nearly 3 yrs and I just had to replace the batteries. It is bright and has multiple settings.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2007 : 10:04:05

I and everyone else who moors out on our lake uses the Davis mini light. It is an LED light in either a cockpit light version or and anchor light version. The cockpit light version is cheaper because it doesn't have a mast attachment bracket. I/we hoist it on the backstay using the main halyard and anchor it with another piece of line from the deck. The nice part about the light is that it has a photocell so that it turns on at night and off in th morning. I believe they can still be purchased at WM for about $30.

After my boat was hit by a motor boater several years ago everyone started using these lights. I am convinced that when fisherman or other boaters are motoring at night they are not looking for anchor lights up high, but are intent on what is directly in front of them. A light, no matter what it is - yard light, Davis mini light..., should be low in the rigging or on the rail to be seen. Noone I've talked to knows of any regulations barring this practice. Even our local CG people sanction it. You still must have an operational anchor light at the top of the mast however.

I have also recently purchased a new LED anchor light for the masthead. $165 for a CG approved light with photocell. It works great and is really bright. The bulbs are guarenteed for something like 50,000 hours. I am eventually going to replace my running lights with LEDs as well. Bulbs seem to be getting less and less expensive now.

Edited by - aeckhart on 08/04/2007 10:09:11

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2007 : 11:43:53

Thank-you, atgep. Your reply above pictures the Garrity camping lantern I have and was talking about in my comment yesterday. It's a great little lantern, uses 3 c-cell batteries and runs a very long time.
David

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2007 : 12:27:43

Agreed on the advertised long life. When overnighting, I like to leave on low in the cabin as a night light. It doubles as a backup light anywhere else. I used mine for several hundred hours over the past few years before the batteries gave out. It even has a battery level indicator to remind you when you are running low!

Great little light.

Edited by - on

Deric
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2008 : 20:16:02

Hello Folks,

I was out last night watching the fireworks while anchored out. Well the anchor light went out: cause unknown. I hoisted the Garrity Camping lantern and was very happy about it until an hour later the light went out: cause, the battery enclosure is a little too lose for the batteries. They get knocked about in the waves and cause the light to lose a connection.

After two anchor light failures in one night, I am looking to upgrade my anchor light to one that is much more dependable than the original anchor light fixture that came with the boat.

Keep shedding light on this subject. It is one that keeps folks out of the dark.

Thanks
Deric

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3370 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2008 : 22:32:39

2 yrs ago, replaced my non-working anchor light with an OGM LED USCG Approved anchor light which also has a photo-diode for turning it automatically off when the sun rises. It only uses .15-.20Amps compared to original .87 AMP anchor light. LEDs usually are marketed as never having to be replaced...w/something like 50,000 hr life:

https://secure.orcagreen.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16142&cat=0&bestseller

Also replaced mast and cabin wiring and installed a new 8 circuit breaker switch panel made by BEP - New Zealand:

http://www.bep.co.nz/8-Way-Circuit-Breaker-Panel-186-1415.html#details

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2008 : 10:11:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jesse camp
 Has anyone bought the Solar/Led Light from west Marine that mounts to the rail and around $26 dollars. It looks like its SSt and would be great to ward off the late/early stinkpotters.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I bought one at the boat show for $20. and have only used it once, to test it. It took a full charge during one day, and then burned all night and then some. If the battery stops taking a charge, it can be replaced inexpensively with the same battery used by the Malibu landscape lights. It appears to be the same as the Malibu light, except that it is stainless steel, and it has a mount that will fit on a stanchion. Malibu landscape lights should work fine, as long as you figure out a way to mount them.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2008 : 10:47:43

The 2 solar powered garden accent lights, with amber lenses, that we have on each side of the stern pulpit are the Malibu brand lights. bought them at Ace Hardware. They use a standard AA rechargeable battery. Our lights have a loop at the top and are attached to the stern pulpit with twist ties.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.