IMHO, the M15 is such a small and simple boat that rigging running lights on it adds a layer of complexity that is not called for in most situations...especially when the boat is primarily day sailed as mine is.
Still, the wind is fickle and there's always a chance I'll be caught out after dark, so to be prepared I keep a really powerful 12 volt lantern on board to shine on the sail in lieu of running lights. For motoring, I have battery powered clamp-on bow and stern lights. And for an all-around anchor light, I have a 12 volt utility light with a long cord that can be hoisted on a halyard. Extra bulbs and batteries are kept aboard for added insurance. I don't have to rig this stuff until it is needed and I don't have problems with shorts, wire corrosion, another hole through the deck or bulb failure somewhere up the mast, which Murphy says is going to happen at the worst possible time. --George Burmeyer M15 #385 (1986) On 12/11/04 7:06 AM, "Rik Sandberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > My M-15 has red and green lights mounted on the hull in front and a > white light (shines back only) mounted on the transom. If I were going > to do it according to the book, I think I would also need a steaming > light for motoring. This would be an all-round white light that is > mounted higher than the red and green (bow) and rear facing white lights > that are needed for use under sail power. The problem with a mast head > light is it isn't really a legal light for use under motor power, since > you cannot mount an all-round white light, with enough separation, > higher than the mast head light. Keep in mind, it's possible I am not > interpreting this right. > > Fortunately on boats as small as M 15s and 17s, the rules are pretty loose. > > Given my choice, I would mount my nav lights on the hull or pulpits. > There, the connections can be kept out of sun and rain and you don't > have to worry about connecting/disconnecting the lights every time you > put the mast up or down. You can always keep a good flashlight handy to > shine on your sails if you think some one is not seeing you as well as > you would like. That light coming on suddenly will catch their eye > better than almost anything. > > Rik > > Howard Audsley wrote: > >> It seems to me that the combination masthead tri-color/all-around light does >> the same thing as the original light setup on the M17's. Those are a bow >> mounted red/green; stern mounted white light, and masthead all-around/anchor >> light. These operate off two switches. It just puts them all in one place at >> the top of the mast.....and eliminates wiring runs to the bow and >> stern...and one bulb. >> >> Another benefit of the masthead tri-color that might exist for night sailing >> is having the light up high...out of your line of vision. Lights shining on >> the sails may affect night vision, and the sails may block them from being >> seen at some angles. >> >> I also agree with John. The guys buzzing around in power boats and fishing >> boats on our lake would not know what they were looking at with red and >> green lights up that high. Some might mistake it as a UFO and take a shot at >> it. >> >> Howard >> >> On 12/11/04 7:29 AM, "Rick Langer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> >> >>> Hi Connie, >>> >>> I like the idea of simplicity, but I'm still stuck on what the white light >>> does. Is it just a stern light or is it an all around white light? If it's >>> just a stern light, what do you do when motoring and if it's an all around, >>> what do you do when sailing, not motoring? >>> >>> If you were going to put nav lights on your M15, what would you choose? Do >>> you think the masthead light and wires add much weight to the mast? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Rick >>> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats >> >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
