Name boards

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by psneeld

ok...whatever you guys think...but the USCG/NAVRULES require the inside of light screens to be painted matt black.

Yeah, black, but I couldn't find the requirement.

[psneeld]

(a) The sidelights of vessels of 20 meters or more in length shall be fitted with mat black inboard screens and meet the requirements of §84.17. On vessels of less than 20 meters in length, the sidelights, if necessary to meet the requirements of §84.17, shall be fitted with mat black inboard screens. With a combined lantern, using a single vertical filament and a very narrow division between the green and red sections, external screens need not be fitted.
(b) On power-driven vessels less than 12 meters in length

NAVRULES Annex 1 or Title 33 84.09 Screens.

what I marked in red might be the only loophole.....

Whats crazy is we had to make lightboards to bring our outsized, extra bright straight out of the box, Hella navlights on out towboats in compliance because their reflections were so bright and the plastic lens make the sectors wrong...nuts but true. We also had o pait the cabin top around the light flat black to stay in compliance.

[Marin]

I'm guessing that perhaps the USCG doesn't consider Grand Banks name boards/nav lights to be light screens? Their boats have to be approved by the USCG and the equivalent authorities in other countries where GBs are sold. Since GBs have been using this design of board since the mid-60s and selling their boats all over the world you'd a thunk that some authority would have said something by now if they had a problem with them.

Or it may well be like you said earlier and this particular rule is simply never enforced. In which case it's irrelevant what the rule says, right?

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by psneeld

ok...whatever you guys think...but the USCG/NAVRULES require the inside of light screens to be painted matt black.

if they are nameboards/mounting boards...great...good luck.

Question. If the boards where not in place would the sides of the white flybridge need to be painted matte black?

[refugio]

Originally Posted by psneeld

ok...whatever you guys think...but the USCG/NAVRULES require the inside of light screens to be painted matt black.

I suspected as much but just looked it up (love the NavRules iPhone app!) and you are indeed right - and, further, if the vessel is 20 meters or more in length "mat [sic] black inboard screens" are required. Cool, now I have another arrow in my one-upsmanship quiver!

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

Question. If the boards where not in place would the sides of the white flybridge need to be painted matte black?

I mentioned that back in post 13...and later like I said...it's crazy as the lights are never really in compliance up close because of reflections, bad design...etc...but offshore at a distance I'm sure they all look fine....unfortunately for us small guys who spend a lot of time in close quarters...the lights could be a lot better...

Then again...around these parts...few people follow the rules of the road anyhow...

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by psneeld

I mentioned that back in post 13...and later like I said...it's crazy as the lights are never really in compliance up close because of reflections, bad design...etc...but offshore at a distance I'm sure they all look fine....unfortunately for us small guys who spend a lot of time in close quarters...the lights could be a lot better...

Then again...around these parts...few people follow the rules of the road anyhow...

I missed that post. So the bottom line sounds like the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law?

This boating thing sounds about as complicated as you wish to make it. Kinda like anchoring.

[koliver]

Marin: your nav light should be ahead of or below the antenna. One or the other should move. Unless you are using a non-approved light, the filament will be totally abscured for a few degrees, where an observer would be in line with the antenna.
As a CCGA CE inspector, I wouldn't fail your shiny boards, for the reason you have stated.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by koliver

Marin: your nav light should be ahead of or below the antenna. One or the other should move. Unless you are using a non-approved light, the filament will be totally abscured for a few degrees, where an observer would be in line with the antenna.
As a CCGA CE inspector, I wouldn't fail your shiny boards, for the reason you have stated.

I hope you fail all the higher speed power boats with transom stern lights that dip below their stern wave when they are motoring somewhere between idle and on plane...or the CC's with T-tops and the light is mounted short and aft on the top... the same happens to their masthead light but from ahead...

See it all the time...MANY boays don't comply a lot of their on the water time...so a degree or two for Marin's light should be no big deal..

[Marin]

Originally Posted by koliver

Marin: your nav light should be ahead of or below the antenna. One or the other should move.

Well, then just about every GB in our marina plus a bazillion other boats are not in compliance. As Psneeld said, the nav light thing is not enforced or even paid attention to by the USCG, CCG, or anyone else. So if they don't care, we don't care.

Anyway, when our nav lights are on the entire lens glows equally green, not just where the filament is. The antenna is not as wide as the lens. Therefore, even with the antenna between the light and a viewer, part of the green lens will still be visible to them. So far as I know there is nothing that says how big the nav lights need to be, just how far they need to be visible from.

Either way it's a total non-issue. So after I type the period and smiley face at the end of this sentence, it's something that will be gone forever off the hard drive of my brain.

[healhustler]

Uh Oh. I guess that makes me out of compliance too. These are the original boards and the original size and style of lights.

Love those GB boards though. Classy.

[Tom.B]

Mine. Made them myself Yes, the light it forward of the name. I didn't look up the regs, but the light is clear and unobstructed. Name will hopefully be added soon-ish.

[Steve]

Not traditional, black vinyl sticker with white 4" letters, very good legibility and easy to maintain.
Now I'm trying to convince myself to paint the band of teak "hatband" below it
Steve W