LED NAV and Anchor lights, Bebi and others discussion....

[Marc]

Wow! never even thought of that guys, I guees my new light will be a combo and put back where the old light was, grogs to both of you!!

[Cmdr Pete]

Seems like LED navigation lights have gotten much cheaper lately. Now you have ones made by Attwood, Perko, Aqua Signal and Innovative Lighting for about $50 or so.

They're being advertised as having 2 nm visibility and sold at West Marine and Boaters World. I'd feel pretty safe installing them. Who could fault you?

On the other hand, I wouldn't want to explain to a jury that my nav lights were built in Fiji, even if they are better than the above. Proving they met the visibility requirement would be difficult or impossible.

Anyway, I still haven't found a deck mount LED stern light. Anybody know of one? All I see is horizontal mount stern lights or all-around stern lights for powerboats

I saw this one, but wouldn't be comfortable with it

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STAINLESS-STEEL-BOAT-LED-NAVIGATION-STERN-LIGHT-00147_W0QQitemZ330306157197QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090207?IMSfp=TL090207138001r9026

[CharlieJ]

 

Well, your Aqua Signal lights were most likely built in China. As most likely were all  the others.

 

Besides, I have all intentions of NOT being in the good old USA this time next year. Our plans are to leave here roughly July or so an not come back for a year ( or two)

And my light from Fiji is our anchor light, not the nav lights. We used this one for quite a while to good success. Two trips to Florida and return via ICW- the LED lights are certainly much brighter ( and simpler also)

[Tim]

Love the photo Charlie   

[CharlieJ]

Thanks Tim- That was taken at sunrise, at anchor in Barataria, Louisiana, about 15 miles west of Harvey Lock. Harvey Lock lets you into the Mississippi River at New Orleans and is mile zero of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. Miles go up from there both east AND west.  Mileage signs read WHL and EHL for west or east of there.

One of our favorite anchorages on the passage to Florida. Here's a picture of a painting Laura did from that picture.

[Cmdr Pete]

Wow  Very Nice

This whole business about "approved" navigation lights is sorta aggravating

We should be comparing nav. lights like any other product.

How bright is the light? Does it last? Is it a good value? Is it ugly?  Shouldn't have to worry whether the mfgr. paid for the certification process.

Why is it so difficult to test how bright a light is?

[Tim]

Thanks Tim- That was taken at sunrise, at anchor in Barataria, Louisiana, about 15 miles west of Harvey Lock. Harvey Lock lets you into the Mississippi River at New Orleans and is mile zero of the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. Miles go up from there both east AND west.  Mileage signs read WHL and EHL for west or east of there.

One of our favorite anchorages on the passage to Florida. Here's a picture of a painting Laura did from that picture.

WOW I think I like the painting better Laura, it has a very magical quality about it. I know you are counting the days until that is what you see EVERY night 

[Tim]

Wow  Very Nice

This whole business about "approved" navigation lights is sorta aggravating

We should be comparing nav. lights like any other product.

How bright is the light? Does it last? Is it a good value? Is it ugly?  Shouldn't have to worry whether the mfgr. paid for the certification process.

Why is it so difficult to test how bright a light is?

Pete, I think that is how this all got started, some of us choose functionality (read brightness) over certification.

"The Crown be damned! "  

[CharlieJ]

She said to tell you "yes, I am"

and so am I

And here's probably my favorite painting of anchor lanterns she has done. This one is a pastel, the first one is an acrylic.

[Navyvet]

Great paintings I had to do a double take at the pastel almost looked like a photo.

[CharlieJ]

An update concerning the Bebi Owl light. We are currently at anchor at Bradento Beach, Fl.   

The other night at about 2200 we were boarded by the USCG and Florida Marine Patrol doing an anchor light check on the approximately 30 boats at anchor here.

The Coastguardsman was extremely impressed with our Bebi Owl. He told us it was the brightest  and most visible of any in the anchorage and wrote down the info so he could recommend the light to others. He wasn't at all concerned about Coast Guard approval stamps- just that it was working and working WELL.

 By the way, they stopped by us because we were still awake and sitting in the cockpit. We now have a boarding paper stating we had ZERO violations.


So I suppose the light works as advertised.

[Tim]

  Yahoo! One for the good guys!

[AdriftAtSea]

The problem that you can run into using non-USCG certified lights is a legal one.  I know of at least three cases where the status of the lights came into play as part of the determination of liability.  If you are using uncertified lights, and you are hit by another boat, then you run the risk of being found either partially or wholly liable, regardless of whether your lights are brighter than the USCG certified ones.  The expert witnesses to defend against such liability are very expensive.

[Frank]

CJ    Thanks for the info. I'll be getting one. I'm sure it'll be better than my solar yard light (Bahamian anchor light  )

[CharlieJ]

Frank- we are right now anchored next to two boats using those solar powered lights - believe me, they are pathetic. Not justin comparison to ours, but even in comparison  to our old kerosene lantern.

[Tim]

BUT if they can see you, they are a lot less likely to run into you in the first place 

[Captain Smollett]

  I know of at least three cases where the status of the lights came into play as part of the determination of liability. 
 

Case histories, please.  Last time I asked, you did not produce them.

We've had lawyers do a search for such cases and did not find anything.  If you have citations, it would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[AdriftAtSea]

Capn Smollett?

It is pretty common in most night-time boating accidents for the lawyers to have expert testimony on the lighting.  This was the case in the Clear Lake trial in California... and most of the other trials I've heard of, read about... I'd point out that in the three cases I know of personally, the lighting was all USCG certified, so there was little the defense could do about it... but if the lighting had not been USCG certified, I am pretty sure things would have turned out quite differently.

[Tim]

Dan, in the cases you speak of, the lights may have seemed like a deciding factor, but a light shown by expert testimony to be sufficiently bright may have proved  visibility just as well. I know you feel sure that USCG certified is the only way to go, but many other opinions legal or otherwise may carry just as much weight and precedent.

In the Clear lake case as it turned out the lights became a moot point behind the credibility issue.

I think that Charlie's story about his recent encounter with the USCG regarding his Bebi light goes along way in my mind to show that this is the way to go for an anchor light.

[Auspicious]

I'd point out that in the three cases I know of personally

But you won't cite them?