USCG Safety Alert---Navigations Light--NOT

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Coast Guard Warns Boaters of Improper Nav Light

http://tlg.live.mediaspanonline.com/assets/9538734/Nav_060713.jpg​

By: Log News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LOG NEWS SERVICE) -- A navigation light that is not -- in other words, what the Coast Guard calls an inappropriate navigation light -- is being marketed nationally, according to a newly issued alert.

In Marine Safety Alert 04-13, the Coast Guard warned boaters that the Seachoice Products LED Classic Navigation Light SCP #03201 should not be used on any vessel in an effort to meet the navigation rules.

Although advertised as a “masthead” or “navigation light,” the Seachoice product SCP 03201 with an arc of 180 degrees visibility is not applicable to any lighting requirement, the Coast Guard stated. Masthead lighting requires an arc of 225 degrees visibility and stern lighting requires an arc of 135 degrees visibility, for a total range of 360 degrees. Depending on type or size of vessel there are also range of visibility requirements.

The Coast Guard “strongly recommends” that owners or operators of any vessel -- commercial or recreational -- who have installed this particular Seachoice product (#03201 only) as a masthead, stern or other type of navigation light remove it and replace it with a proper light that meets the requirements for the vessel and application.

Recreational boaters who have questions should contact the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Commercial vessel owner/operators who have questions should contact the Coast Guard Sector or Marine Safety Unit, the Coast Guard stated.

The alert (04-13) is posted on the Coast Guard website: https://homeport.uscg.mil/cgi-bin/st/portal/uscg_docs/MyCG/Editorial/20130522/finalnln04-13.pdf?id=81282e62194c18c9ee6c42fb88ec70e721bfb97e

 

[psneeld]

I notified the USCG (as a senior officer myself) about improper navlights as far back as 20 years ago. Maybe 10-15 years ago the USCG put out a safety bulletin that proclaimed a huge number of boat manufacturers were installing navlights incorrectly and that the skipper was responsible if anything bad happened.

Even builders like Ranger tugs can't even get their navlight shadow boards correct. They paint them red and green where the Navrules require a flat black finish.

Boatbuilders are usually pretty clueless about a lot of regs. They may get a lot right...but as the skipper you are betting your life/rep/money that they got them all correct...which they probably didn't.

 

[FF]

"Even builders like Ranger tugs can't even get their navlight shadow boards correct. They paint them red and green where the Navrules require a flat black finish."

A "premium " price for entry level boaters does not insure the boat was built with anything but Eye Candy in mind.

The boat assembler expects to sell it without a delivery survey.

 

[Larry M]

I don't know about Ranger tugs but I would think most boat manufacturers of vessels less than 20 meters, meet the requirements of NAVRULES Annex 1 or Title 33 84.09 Screens with out having to go to mat black or we would have mat black.

...On vessels of less than 20 meters in length, the sidelights,if necessary to meet the requirementsof §84.17, shall be fitted with mat black inboard screens.

 

[psneeld]

I don't know about Ranger tugs but I would think most boat manufacturers of vessels less than 20 meters, meet the requirements of NAVRULES Annex 1 or Title 33 84.09 Screens with out having to go to mat black or we would have mat black.

...On vessels of less than 20 meters in length, the sidelights,if necessary to meet the requirementsof §84.17, shall be fitted with mat black inboard screens.

True...in wording only...

The average nav light barely meets the sector requirement (and it only meets it by where the filament is placed...not where the brightly lit lens can be seen from)...and the rules also require that if you do something in the rules, though not specifically required by the rules, every attempt shall be made to conform to the rules.

The Hella 2984 series we have on our assistance towboats illuminate the colored lenses so brightly...you can see them from asterm a long ways (maybe up to a mile on a clear dark night. They are so bad my boss had me make light boards to eliminate the lighting shining aft so we couldn't be found at fault in legal issue.

The red/green screens are showy marketing bling...they are NOT EVEN CLOSE to the spirit of the nav rules because the light reflected on them only magnifies any sector discrepancies.