[Rhodes22-list] steaming lights

[Alex Bell]

Bill,

Your are correct that the "steaming light" can be mounted a small
distance above the stern and bow lights. Have you considered doing what
a lot of power boats do with the stern lights, which is use a removable
pole that plugs into a deck fitting to mount the "on demand" light? This
could be a very simple installation, and not require putting holes in
the mast. Then again, a mast track could be useful for other things. 

With the new and improved LED lights, the masthead, all around anchor
light could be one of those battery powered (AA batteries last over 20
hours on one model) and hoisted up the mast by hayyard. That would
eleminate wires in the mast for most people who only occasionally anchor
out at night. 

Alex

Bill Effros wrote:
> 
> Mary Lou,
> 
> As I understand it, the "masthead light" requirement is only that it should
> be 1 meter above the sidelights.  (Power boats don't have masts.)
> 
> I have been seriously considering setting up a removable track mounted
> "masthead" light for installation on the front of the mast (plugged into the
> mast light electrical connection) as needed.
> 
> In my experience, mast top lights are a PITA on most sailboats.  They work
> when you test them but not when you need them.  When you try to fix them you
> wind up testing all the unlikely stuff first because it's hard to change a
> light bulb.  The wires slap inside the mast.
> 
> In this case it seems a shame to design the use of a frequently used piece
> of equipment to accommodate a seldom used piece of equipment that could
> probably be easily modified.
> 
> Bill Effros
>