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Anchor light question

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=112297
Printed Date: 19 Jun 2026 at 3:27am


Topic: Anchor light question
Posted By: Wefaknis
Subject: Anchor light question
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 9:54am
ive removed my independent anchor light, and gone back to the original anchor light that came with the boat, it's wired up to the nav lights ( looks like it came from the factory like that ), it that a ok thing to do when overnighting ie leaving your nav lights on over night?

Cheers Wefaknis



Replies:
Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 10:00am
Technically your port and starboard - green and red lights should only be on when you are under way and moving, when anchored they should be off and your all round white - anchor light illuminated.


Posted By: RH580ikanui
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 10:01am
Not really.. should be switched separately.. go to Bunnings and get a $2 solar light and stick it in your rocket launcher.. actually get two cause the don't go too well when you forget to take it out and it lands on the cockpit floor or worse.

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"IKANUI" RH580 SUZUKI DF140


Posted By: Reel Magic
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 10:05am
Catchelot has got it right.

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Posted By: Kevin.S
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 10:58am
Originally posted by supermodel supermodel wrote:

Not really.. should be switched separately.. go to Bunnings and get a $2 solar light and stick it in your rocket launcher.. actually get two cause the don't go too well when you forget to take it out and it lands on the cockpit floor or worse.

I'm not sure that a solar light from Bunnings would be anywhere near the required standard for an anchor light.  It should be visible from 2 nautical miles.  If you were anchored up and a boat hit you and you were not showing the correct anchor light it could end up being your fault.  Anchor lights aren't very expensive, better safe than sorry.


Posted By: MartinMac
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 7:02pm
Jumping your thread here sorry but.... We're heading to BOI and camping on an island over xmas break on doc land. Do I need a anchor light whilst the boat is anchored in the bay with no one on it?
Boat has the nav lights but no anchor light yet.


Posted By: Otto
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 7:22pm
Yes

http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Publications-and-forms/Lookout/Issue-17-10.asp


Posted By: funandfunction
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 7:25pm
Originally posted by MartinMac MartinMac wrote:

Jumping your thread here sorry but.... We're heading to BOI and camping on an island over xmas break on doc land. Do I need a anchor light whilst the boat is anchored in the bay with no one on it?
Boat has the nav lights but no anchor light yet.
Not directed at you specifically MartinM  but thought others might benefit from knowing this:
A power driven vessel needs a steaming  light ( forward facing white light showing through 225 degrees, the same arc as the side lights). This is what differentiates it from the lights of a yacht.
If the vessel is less than 12m long , the steaming light can be combined with the stern light ( an aft facing white light with an arc of 235 degrees)  into one all round ( 360 degree ) white light.
 
In other words any small power vessel with legal nav lights   should already  have an all round white light that ,if it's separately switched , can then double as an anchor light.
 
If it was me , anchoring my boat in a bay at night I'd definitely leave a light on it and maybe look at a cheap solar panel if not doing enough motoring to keep the battery charge up.


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There are two types of people in the world: those that divide people into two types and those that don't.
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Posted By: petethemeat
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 8:15pm
Originally posted by MartinMac MartinMac wrote:

Jumping your thread here sorry but.... We're heading to BOI and camping on an island over xmas break on doc land. Do I need a anchor light whilst the boat is anchored in the bay with no one on it?
Boat has the nav lights but no anchor light yet.
As Otto said - YES! so some poor sod doesn't run into it at night. 
Anchor lights are best LEDs so the current draw is minimal when left on overnight. Not so critical (but nice) for nav lights as (generally) the engine will be running when they are on.


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Posted By: Don18025
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 8:35pm
Pete, has it right, an all round white LED is the best option.
Solar garden lights are okay for the first few hours of darkness, especially if coming into a bay in the dark. But by 3a am to 4 am, they have run out of juice.....and those boats are at risk. 

Wefaknis, your boat is set up for cruising at night - one all round light and port and starboard lights. Funandfunction has it correct.
You need the all round white light on a separate circuit for use as an anchor light.
The maritime rule is; Anchor light; Every boat at anchor must show only a white light that is visible from all directions between sunset and sunrise.
The complete small boat lighting rules are;
 http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Publications-and-forms/Lookout/Issue-17-10.asp
Suggest you do a Coastguard course and you will learn all about correct use of lights.



Posted By: green guy
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 8:40pm
Dunno im 4.5 meters, i don't have a anchor light on my boat, but i have nav and stern light's all ways thought about putting one on but there just isn't an ware to put it unless its blinding me when under way but i never anchor and i its dark i am under power
so don't think ill bother


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Posted By: Wefaknis
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2015 at 9:32pm
Cheers guys.. thanks for that don... i was hoping not to drill more holes and run cable with the multi meter out checking power supplys... oh well.. time will fix..


Posted By: Otto
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2015 at 7:29am
Here's a simple solution for those small boats that occasionally stay overnight.
http://www.railblaza.com/products/led-navilight-360-white/" rel="nofollow - http://www.railblaza.com/products/led-navilight-360-white/
 
would also add that a light is required when fishing at night.
number of times I've gone closer than I would normally past a boat fishing with no lights what-so-ever.
 
if you don't have a anchor light and fish at night then at least turn on a torch and shine it in the water and around you so as others will know your there.


Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2015 at 7:38am
Originally posted by Otto Otto wrote:

Here's a simple solution for those small boats that occasionally stay overnight.
http://www.railblaza.com/products/led-navilight-360-white/" rel="nofollow - http://www.railblaza.com/products/led-navilight-360-white/
 
would also add that a light is required when fishing at night.
number of times I've gone closer than I would normally past a boat fishing with no lights what-so-ever.
 
if you don't have a anchor light and fish at night then at least turn on a torch and shine it in the water and around you so as others will know your there.
 
Good Advice Otto Thumbs Up - I remember coming back towards Akld City at night and a boat anchored up with no lights - back drop was so bright all I noticed was a dark hole - holy sh*t was a boat.  If I had hit it would have been expensive and traumatic for all involved (and I would have had an out as my lights were on).


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Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish.


Posted By: MartinMac
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2015 at 8:07pm
Good spotting OttO im liking the railblaza nav light.  Good for other aplications as well i see... so i could chop and change it to use on me 12ftr as well. And less holes in the bigger boat too.   Thanks for the intel guys... 



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