Stern Light Location

L

louis

New member
Hello All!


My 16 Angler doesn't have stern light that I can see. However, on the top of the cabin there appears to be a screw in section for a plug with two prongs. I'm thinking that that's where it goes?!?!?! I think the regulations calls for it to be at the stern. Where is yours located?
 
That is your anchor light (an all around white light) or as you call it, your stern light. On a 16 foot boat, you are legal with the light there. If you don’t have a post and light, they are available at West Marine.[/b]
 
Louis,
Before you go out and purchase the light, crawl inside your cuddy and look around at the interior walls and ceiling and perhaps your anchor light is firmly secured by two rubber keepers. (That is where the factory mounts them for safekeeping when it is not being used). If it is there just pull it out and plug it in on the roof.
 
Will do. I'll look around. I never did look too hard in the cuddy. It's so small I wasn't too sure if I can fit through the hatch.

If I do need to buy it does it have to be certain length or will any with a two prong end do?
 
louis":363vd97g said:
Will do. I'll look around. I never did look too hard in the cuddy. It's so small I wasn't too sure if I can fit through the hatch.

If I do need to buy it does it have to be certain length or will any with a two prong end do?
Click to expand...

If I recall without looking it up (a dangerous thing), the white stern light needs to be at least 3 feet higher than your red and green running lights.
 
Since the light plug is on top of the cabin and the red/green on the bow I'm guessing it's over 3' (I hope).

Did the original light have a shaft like the ones you can pick up at West Marine or was it flush to the cabin top? I looked through their catalog and didn't see any screw in types.

Does anyone have a photo of the original light?
 
louis, I've got an original CD 22 light that I don't use since my radome mount has one ingtegral to it. Have never had it off the bulkhead. If you think you can use it, let me know.

Charlie
 
There seems to be some remaining confusion about terminology in the above posts. The light is question is an all-round (360 degree) white light. At anchor (not required in designated anchorages), it is on and the red/green side lights are off. Underway (side lights on), the all-round white light (also on) serves as both the stern light and masthead light, as is usual in vessels the size of ours. On larger vessels the sternlight and the masthead light are separate fixtures, the latter visible forward through an arc of 225 degrees, the former visible aft through an arc of 135 degrees. The single fixture sternlight should be on the centerline, which is impractical on OB-equipped vessels, so placement on the starboard quarter is usual, but centerline on the the C-Dory cabin roof is even better.

Properly wired, your Nav Light switches should turn on the side lights and the all-round light, and the latter only in the "Anchor" position. The appropriate understanding of terms is important because these are the terms used in the NAVRULES. All the Best, Bill
 
billwoodhouse-

Nice, clear, very concise post!

Thought I'd add that at least some of the older C-Dorys have the full lighting system as described for larger vessels, with a forward 225 degree white light on the roof center and a 135 degree rear facing white light over the cabin door. When the anchor light position is set on the pull switch (out all the way) the light over the door goes out and another light in the same fixture as the 225 degree light comes on, completing the 360 degree anchor light requirement.

It's fun to look at a book showing the lighting requirements for different vessels, then go out into some traffic lanes and see if you can recognize from the light patterns what kind of vessels are there, and which way they are going. (Aircraft lighting systems are an extension of this, but modified for 3 dimensions and different aircraft types.)

Imagine not knowing how a tug/barge configuration is lighted, and that there might be several hundreds of feet of cable between them, unseeable in the dark!

Joe.
 
Sea Wolf":1x8sfob4 said:
Thought I'd add that at least some of the older C-Dorys have the full lighting system as described for larger vessels, with a forward 225 degree white light on the roof center and a 135 degree rear facing white light over the cabin door. When the anchor light position is set on the pull switch (out all the way) the light over the door goes out and another light in the same fixture as the 225 degree light comes on, completing the 360 degree anchor light requirement.


Joe.
Click to expand...

Joe, that's exactly how my '94 Cruiser is configured. Just sent my cabintop light to Louis on the West Coast though, for his 16, hope he can use it. My radar mount has a 360degree white light on a stick above the radome and I have never used the other light that removes. My switch isn't a pull type either, it's a lever type with three positions, center off, left navigation and right anchor. It worked as you described though.

Chrlie
 
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