I would like to know what is required to sail at night in regaurds to lights required? You used to just shine a light on the main sail, but I have heard the rules have changed.
Thanks for the info,
Steve Fisherkeller, Dart 20

You need a red and green bow light and a white stern light. A mast head light and anchorage light comes into play also. See West Marine catalog for details.

Steve, a flashlight is all that is required for your cat. Here is the pertinent Coast Guard navigation rule:

A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable, exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule, but if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

The rule is the three 7's. 7 meters,7 knots and one I can't remember. So don't be flying around at 20 knots at night without proper lighting. I never do.. Seriously though, When you see a boat approaching you shine the light at the boat to get there attention(try not to shine the light in their eyes) then light up the sails until the boat passes. I keep my jib rolled up at night. Even with a large window in the jib your vision is obscured by the jib. The other good reason for keeping the jib rolled is you don't need to get into a overpowered situation and capsize at night.

Besides a waterproof flashlight I have a 2,000,000 cp rechargable spotlight that I put in a clear dry bag. The light works fine shining through the bag.

Make sure you have a whistle or some sort of audible signaling device.

Steve, one other bit of advise for our area, keep out of the channels as much as possible. I know you have to cross, but don't cruise them.

So, are you planning to join us?

search google for glow sticks or a dive or marine shop would have them, Craig on teamcyberspeed used them during the Mugg Drift and they worked great. I used to use a battery operated red/green and white flash light which always was dead when you needed it.
Also if you go for just the flashlight idea (legal but not safe) make sure it's always on not just when you see a boat, this I learned the hard way from the coast guard.

Glow sticks rock. I have found them in Target from time to time.

I also found small LED lights in red green and white at Boaters World for $4 each. They will last >50hours on a pair of AA batteries. I put them in small sandwich bags and taped them to the shrouds and boom. The red one is also useful to fasten to your mast when trailering at night.

Chris.

Glow Sticks are the ticket. They will last you an entire night with no batteries to worry about.

Dive shops are always a great place to get Water PROOF equipment. They are designed to go under water, not just on top.

You can use a flashlight on the sail but I still feel more comfortable with a bow and stern light, as well. West Marine sells portables for both. The bow light fits exactly into the end of my bowsprit. I drilled a hole for a bolt to hold it in and it's easily removable.

Go here:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...um=236&subdeptNum=235&storeNum=9

West Marine Bow Light Portable

I used those on may ocasions. Be prepared to buy lots of them. They do not handle water very well and if it is rough, the lights cannot handle the pounding because the bulbs are fragile. The glow sticks cost about $1 each which is cheaper than the batteries for the flashlights. You can also buy white marker lights for the rear from the dive shops.

I've used duct tape to lash a regular flashlight to a side stay. The angle is perfect to hit the main sail at mid-height and light it up like a sign. Not bright enough to hurt your vision at tramp level but visable at a distance. Glow sticks or an LED headlamp are good for tramp work.

??? Legal but not safe? The only thing that makes you safe day or night is you.

As far as the glow sticks go, they're not very bright and law on lighting is for them to be visibile for two miles. Legally they are not.

One night about 15 of us went night sailing and many of the boats had glow sticks on. The marine patrol showed up and told us the glow sticks had to come off because they were not legal lighting.

You'll find that most people in charge of enforcing these laws don't know them. At least that's been my experience.