Running Light Wiring

[Parkerman]

After spending a few hours on the water on Saturday night watching the fireworks I began to question the wiring/switching of my running lights. I have a three way switch for the nav lights on- off -on. I have a light mounted to the top of my windshield that has two bulbs, one facing aft and one facing forward. One of the on switch positions turns on the aft facing bulb. The other on switch position turns on my red and green on the bow. Should the red and green also have the forward facing bulb lit? Looking at other boats on the water that night I saw many different combinations.
Thanks.

 

[dcunniff]

Your forward white bulb may be out.

Navigating, you should have red, green, white forward and backward, or on smaller boats white all around.

For at anchor, your other on position, white all aroundd.

Dana

 

[CCparker]

I agree with Parkerman. My lights are also wired incorrectly. Although it really is not a problem.

I have two setting - Navigation & Anchor.

At Navigation, my bow (red & green) lights are on, as is the forward facing white light - only the forward, not all around.

At Anchor, my bow (red & green) lights are on (this is wrong) and the white light is now on front and back (all around)

So, I usually run in the anchor mode, and in the rare times I need to anchor at night, I throw a rag over my bow light or something like that.

 

[DaleH]

I have two setting - Navigation & Anchor.

At Navigation, my bow (red & green) lights are on, as is the forward facing white light - only the forward, not all around.

At Anchor, my bow (red & green) lights are on (this is wrong) and the white light is now on front and back (all around)

Reference the above picture, you're seeing what should be a Masthead light as lit when you're running with Nav lights on. A Masthead light is more than just forward-facing, as it is a white light showing 225 degrees forward (112.5 degrees each side). [Or full-forward plus 22.5-degrees abaft each side] Sounds like someone wasn't aware of that clause specific to Masthead lights (requiring the hull to also be wired for a stern light) and they didn't like running without showing their all-around white light. You could always re-wire easily to have NAV position run all (like your current Anchor position does now) and then re-wire ANCHOR to only be the 2-white lights making up the all-around light.

Motorboats of less than 12 meters (39 feet 4 inches) in length, may show the lights in either Figure 1 or Figure 2 below.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

I believe Parker used to use a 2-light lamp on the cabin top that would show either the 'masthead' and/or 'stern' lights when lit appropriately.

Purpose and Nature of Navigation Lights
* Alert other boats of your presence and relative location.
* Tell other boats something of your vessel's size, speed, course, and type (sail or power).
* Enable you to properly apply the Navigation Rules for the safety of your vessel and those around you.

 

[Parkerman]

Got it on my end. I guess I have some bulb checking and possibly re-wiring to do.
Thanks.
Wayne

 

[Parkerman]

Found this:
You will want to use a dual pole, dual throw switch to control your anchor and navigation lights. When the switch is in the navigation position, you want the red/green light and the white stern light to be on. When the switch is in the anchor position, you want only the white stern light to be on.

From the front, this will be a three position switch, ON-OFF-ON. From the rear, this switch will have six terminals. (It may have seven if there are any lights in the switch)

From the back, this switch will appear to have three rows of terminals with two terminals on each row.

From the back, here are your electrical connections

Top row left - no connection
Top row right - white stern light and short jumper wire
Middle row left - 12 + power
Middle row right - 12 + power
Bottom row left - red/green bow light
Bottom row right - short jumper wire that is connected to the top row right terminal
If your new switch has a 7th terminal on the top right, connect a ground wire to this to activate the lights in the switch.

 

[DaleH]

Found this:
You will want to use a dual pole, dual throw switch to control your anchor and navigation lights. When the switch is in the navigation position, you want the red/green light and the white stern light to be on. When the switch is in the anchor position, you want only the white stern light to be on.

Maybe, but NOTE that only mentions a 'stern light', not where you are using a 2-bulb light fixture to meet the requirement for a true 'all-around' light. Whomever wrote what you copied above erred in omitting the requirement for the forward-facing or 'masthead' light being ON whilst the red/green Nav lights are on.