Looking for replacement Masthead Light

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I have a Beneteau Swift 34 2010. In transport from interstate, the transport company hit a bridge and damaged the flybridge- smashing the Masthead light.
I do not have the outer lens, only the inside component. It is made in Germany, kas the text "upper light 25W oben and Lower Light 10w unden" on the black moulding.
On the white base is "Type HD".
Can antone identify this fitting and where I can source it.
MastLight-JUN25.jpg
 
It might be easier and more reliable to just replace the whole thing.
 
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One example fits the 2 bulb fixture made in Germany (I believe)

Series 40 Deck Mount Masthead/Anchor Navigation Light

When in doubt, contact Beneteau or dealer

1749809994104.png
 
psneeld said:
One example fits the 2 bulb fixture made in Germany (I believe)

Series 40 Deck Mount Masthead/Anchor Navigation Light

When in doubt, contact Beneteau or dealer

View attachment 165666
Click to expand...
That appears to be the Aquasignal brand, available at most any marine store.
And it's not the "masthead light", even though it's located at the masthead. It's the anchor light. Masthead light is on the forward face of the mast, usually not all the way up, and shows a white light the same arc of visibility as the combined red and green sidelights. On sailboats it's often called it the "steaming light" as it's only to be lit when the engine is running. If you order a "masthead light", you'll get the wrong one.
 
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OP's fixture combines two lights, as does the example Scott posted. Upper is usually anchor, lower is usually masthead.

FWIW, our Aqua Signal masthead and anchor lights (Series 41) are two separate fixtures, one mounted above the other on the same pole.

Older Aqua Signal fixtures can be difficult to find. S41 for example are mostly history, although the S44 LED replacements fit the same. Even S44 fixtures were hard to find, too. I've read Aqua Signal is getting out of the light business, but not sure that makes much sense...

-Chris
 
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jgwinks said:
That appears to be the Aquasignal brand, available at most any marine store.
And it's not the "masthead light", even though it's located at the masthead. It's the anchor light. Masthead light is on the forward face of the mast, usually not all the way up, and shows a white light the same arc of visibility as the combined red and green sidelights. On sailboats it's often called it the "steaming light" as it's only to be lit when the engine is running. If you order a "masthead light", you'll get the wrong one.
Click to expand...
I know the difference....all too well..... the bolded part of my post goes with the picture and is from an advertisement. Plus it says both Anchor and Masthead. :facepalm:

Order whatever the company puts in their ad or you may not get what you want.

If you order this "Anchor Light", doesn't look like a 2 bulb light to me.

1749817752369.png
 
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As other pointed out:

- Broken light is an Aquasignal
- Aquasignal has gotten out of the recreational market and it is unlikely you will find a direct replacement.

Also:

- That fixture is designed, tested, and approved for a incandescent bulb. Putting that LED bulb in there technically means it is no longer an approved navigation light. Would hate for this detail to come to light in an insurance/liability situation after a collision.
- Putting an LED bulb in doesn't really give the real benefit of and LED light which is a completely sealed fixture without a socket/contacts to come lose/corrode etc.
- You want a LED fixture that is designed, tested, and approved as a LED fixture. They are typically sealed and can work reliably for up to 10,000 hours with no attention.

Recommend getting a good combination LED masthead/steaming. I would get he SignalMate 3NMMHANC which is one fixture that lights up 225 degree front arc for masthead/steaming and then it adds the rest of the 360 degress for anchor. It is a 3-wire light and depending on how your wiring is done you may need to wire in a diode since both positives need to be energized for the anchor function. These lights are high quality, made in USA, and well supported by the manufacturer.

1750079451921.png
 
100smarble - thank you for your reply, very good advice.
I amin Australia will try to source the light you recommend.
des
 
I am not sure who installed the LED globe - and the original clear lense cap is somewhere on the side of th road between Melbourne and Adelaide - distance 785 km. It would be difficult to find!
 
@l00smarble
- That fixture is designed, tested, and approved for a incandescent bulb. Putting that LED bulb in there technically means it is no longer an approved navigation light. Would hate for this detail to come to light in an insurance/liability situation after a collision.
Click to expand...
Interesting comment. Care to expand how you arrived at it?
 
SteveK said:
@l00smarble

Interesting comment. Care to expand how you arrived at it?
Click to expand...
I'm not an expert in regs and certifications etc. It gets confusing. Small boats under 20m are subject to different requirements depending on when the boat was built. There is ABYC Standard A-16 and NMMA and there are USCG testing labs that are actually independent.
I'm not qualified to write up a white paper here. Maybe a take a look at this:

USCG Marine Safety Alert Bulletin

Excerpt:

Recreational vessel and uninspected commercial vessel navigation lights must meet AmericanBoat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standard A-16, in accordance with specifications within 33 CFR183.810 and 46 CFR 25.10-3, respectively

Some manufacturers are producing and distributing navigation lights that do not meet the certificationrequirements indicated above. These lights are typically less expensive, making them a temptingchoice for uninformed consumers. Use of lights that do not provide the proper chromaticity, luminousintensity, or cut-off angles could result in the issuance of a notice of violation or potentially cause anaccident. Recreational boaters should ensure each purchased navigation light contains the followinginformation on the light or its packaging:

USCG Approval 33 CFR 183.810
MEETS ABYC A-16 or equivalent
TESTED BY (an approved laboratory)
Name of the light manufacturer
Number of Model
Visibility of the light in nautical miles
Date on which the light was type-tested
Identification and specification of the bulb used in the compliance test.

There is more than one potential problem with retrofitting LED bulbs. The emitters are arranged in all different ways/dimensions etc. They may not put out the light in the right areas for the way the fixture lens/optics is designed. Also, and we see this not infrequently, the bulb assembly with the driver board etc is often much heavier and bulkier. The bulb is held in place buy a flimsy socket or in some cases by the spring force of some bent metal contacts. The heavier bulb can work loose and potentially even damage the fixture.

Realisticaly people do this all the time and yes they likely work fine....does not mean it is right. You could install the light without a fuse or breaker too - it likely will work fine. But it isn't right.
 
This is straight from 33 CFR 183.810.

"Be certified by a laboratory listed by the Coast Guard to the standards of ABYC A-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 183.5) or equivalent, although portable battery-powered lights need only meet the requirements of the standard applicable to them; and......."

It hard to keep up with the actual legislation... but it is my understanding that if you lights meet the COLREGS/NAVRULES you are good to go.
 
psneeld said:
It hard to keep up with the actual legislation... but it is my understanding that if you lights meet the COLREGS/NAVRULES you are good to go.
Click to expand...

I too think that's still correct. That CFR is about certification requirements:

Federal Register :: Request Access

www.ecfr.gov www.ecfr.gov

But I think COLREGS still only states requirements in terms of performance specs (how much light at what frequency at how much distance, etc.), doesn't say fitted lights must meet certification requirements.

I think.

FWIW, I once replaced an original incandescent anchor light bulb with a replacement LED (from marinebeam) specifically designed for that role... and light output seemed to have trebled, measured by the ol' Mark I Eyeball.

I couldn't compare, on this boat, since 4 out of 5 incandescent Aqua Signal nav light bulbs were burned out when we got it (really great PO)... but I replaced all 5 bulbs with task-specific LEDs (ditto from marinebeam) and they all appear brighter than those on other boats around us. Then one of our sidelights broke, and light from the Aqua Signal LED replacement fixture doesn't seem quite as bright.

-Chris
 
l00smarble said:
And "certification" is accomplished with the fixture as designed/sold including the specific bulb.
Click to expand...

Yes, but my other point was that apparently certification isn't actually required for a fixture to comply with COLREGs.

Which would make the certification thing an important tool when buying a new light... as an easy way to determine it would likely comply with COLREGs... but all lights that could comply don't necessarily have to be certified.

I think.

-Chris
 
It's what I believe too. And I believe Dr LED lights that are LED lights for replacing incandescent bulbs ARE also certified for use.

I believe the USCG requested bulbs for replacement on existing fixtures as both the USCG and Navy didn't want to start swapping out fixtures.

This from Dr LED website -
Milestones:

• 2005 First to use regulated LED bulbs in the marine market.
• 2006 First and only one to obtain USCG COLREG 1972 ABYC 2NM certified LED aftermarket replacement bulbs for navigation lights.

Still believe performance standards are the ultimate requirement for our privatrely owned boats that are not for original sale or commercial use.
 
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