The masthead/steamlight light/top of mast confusion comes from the COLREGS definitions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Regulations_for_Preventing_Collisions_at_Sea
Here, when they refer to a masthead light, they are talking about a steaming light, which may be situated anywhere, as long as it is some required vertical distance above the port and starboard navigation lights. It really doesn't matter where the lights are installed since you typically can't see what they're installed on at night. What's important is the relative positions of the lights to one another. Boats without masts (motorboats) are also be required to have masthead lights and the requirements for a steaming light for a sailboat are, I believe, are identical to motorboats since when you are motoring you are a motorboat for navigation purposes. Most manufacturer's definitions that I've seen follow the COLREGS definition -- just be sure to double check you're buying the right thing. I think for the most part, the coast guard requirements are the same as the international COLREGS. Actually, as a point of interest, does anyone know if the coast guard signal requirements differ at all from COLREGS? installed a lopolight last year and have been very happy with it. When you're looking around though, one of the things you might want to pay attention to is whether it can be mounted sensibly. One of the nice thing about the Lopolights is that they're very, bright, small and sturdy and allow you to mount a windex or anemometer directly on top of it. - Stu North Star, Newport 41 On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 7:15 AM, 'bella <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > no skip... > masthead... = top of mast (the one required all night when anchored and > dragging over to those nasty mudbanks.... (grins)) > steaming light = the light 2/3 of the way up... > > > On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 9:25 AM, Skip Gundlach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: 'bella >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 3:03 AM >> Subject: [Liveaboard] led masthead lights.. >> Anyone installed one... how well did it do.. as bright as the hype said it >> would be.. cost? >> >> >> >> If by masthead, you mean the white light that has to be displayed by a >> motor vessel under way, commonly found on sailboats about 2/3 up the mast, >> not me. That's what the Coast Guard calls masthead lights, so I've gotten >> in the habit of calling them that, too. >> >> If you mean one of those things which has tricolor and anchor light in one >> unit and goes on top of the mast, I have one. I call them sailing and >> anchor lights; others call them masthead lights and, I presume, something >> else :{)) >> >> It's the bees knees. Got it from John and Libbie at Hotwire, there at the >> shows. Orca, I believe, very small and tidy and absolutely brilliant. >> >> I went with the solar shutoff anchor light, not strobe version, as strobe >> is strictly emergency use or get big trouble and a bunch more. >> >> I've got pix of the installation in my gallery, somewhere, I'm sure. I >> don't recall for sure the price, and that was a couple of years ago, so >> things may well have changed, but memory sez ~300bx. >> >> Took a pair of (single strand, not jacketed, to save space) #16 or 18, I >> forget which, on which polarity is reversed to make either anchor or sailing >> lights. >> >> I love it. >> >> L8R >> >> Skip >> >> Morgan 461 #2 >> SV Flying Pig KI4MPC >> See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery ! >> Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog >> and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog >> >> "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it >> come true. You may have to work for it however." >> (and) >> "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. >> You seek problems because you need their gifts." >> (Richard Bach, in The Reluctant Messiah) >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Liveaboard mailing list >> [email protected] >> To adjust your membership settings over the web >> http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard >> To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ >> >> To search the archives >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> The Mailman Users Guide can be found here >> http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > > > > -- > It's not about the boat it's sails or rigging. It's about the freedom. > > http://www.slideshare.net/jacko91/these-are-my-credentials/ > > http://fisherhouse.org/ > > http://www.specialops.org/ > > "We are the gaurdians of a great faith. When we believe that freedom offers > the best chance of peace and prosperity for all, and our desire for peace > cannot be seperated from our believe in liberty." Harry J. 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