I have a Hobie 16 that I am looking to put some running lights on temporarly for evening sailing. I would like to attach them to the bottem of the forestay, but I have not seen anything out there yet to do that. Does anybody know where I might be able to pick something up like that? I have looked in Murrys Catalog, and did not see what I was looking for. I have also checked Boat US and West Marine.
I already have access to a clamp on White light for the stern.

I would also like the lights to be battery operated off of a couple of D cells.

I have also asked this question in the Hobie 16/14 discussion area.

The Skier

Without intending to suggest that running lights are not a good idea, I just wanted to note that they are not required for night sailing on boats of less than 7 meters. The rules state that you must carry "an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision."

Usually, I'll take a small waterproof light and tape it to my sail, pointing up, near the clew. Makes for a pretty visible boat with the high intensity lights that are available these days.

THanks for the info, but for my reference, where did you find this information so I can pass it along to my friends and the rest of the rejuvinated fleet 276 in Michigan.

The Skier

The nautical rules of the road are officially called, "The International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea", or COLREGS. I keep a printed copy on my desk, but you can find many references on the web. One is at the USCG site at Office of Vessel Traffic Management

The lighting rule that I referenced is under Rule 25.

Kevin,
That is SUCH a good idea about taping a little flashlight to the clew. But does having the light on all the time interfere with your night vision?

Try one black and decker snake light on each side stay. Duct tape it around the bottom so it can't get knocked off easily. You could leave them both on pointing at your sails although it hurts you night vision. Even if you just turn them on when needed, you always know exactly where they are.
light at doit

I tried to do same way - attaching a light to the clew. I does interfere with night vision, at least at some points of sailing.

My latest solution was to attach C-light Personal light
$11 at west marine, to the top of the sail.

Light runs 14 hrs on two AA batteries. Visible to 2.5 miles. Very small. I have square top sail, so I got longer vertical batten(one, wich goes parrallel to the mast) and Dust taped a light to it. Since light is running 14 hrs, I turn it on when raising a sail prior to night sailing.

I keep a powerful diving waterproof light attached on trampline with line for signaling and making my sail visible when I see approaching boat and I have waterproof headlamp (the one you can wear on the head, sold at camping/hiking shops)...

I found it sufficient for long night trips...

Many sea kayakers, travelling at night, have a nice solutions for compact, waterfroof running lights.

You may ask a question at their sites - www.watertribe.com discussion board had quite a few discussions about it in the past, you can do a search there.

My 2 cents
Vladimir
Unicorn woodie A-cat

For viewing things, like tell-tales and the GPS, I used a small L.E.D. headlamp with a red filter on it for Round The Island. The red filter didn't interfere with my night vision. Both my crew and I carried submergible flashlights to illuminate the sails if we saw or heard anything mechanized nearby.

I rigged up my h17 with light for a nite sail last summer, do carry a flashlight. on the end of the boom i hose clamped a white d cell running light on a post.. on the bridal forestay i used a 1x4 and hose clamped to each bridal and used a d cell light with clamp.
i thought sailing at nite was very scary and won't do it again.

be careful that thelights you do put on your boat conforms to the regulations (see link above). Light color and placement are specific so other boats can tell if, and in what direction, you are moving.

windbtch,
Night sailing is fabulous. But it is very important that if you do have running lights, they are mounted in such a way that you yourself cannot see them. Otherwise, it is hard to see where you are going. And if you were sailing in Charleston Harbor at night, it definitely WOULD be scary. We came in there one night on a cruising boat, and there were lights everywhere. It was hard to distinguish the navigation lights from the city lights.

For a night sail to be enjoyable, it has to be truly out in the night darkness, where you have only the ambient light. Your eyes adjust to it, and you can really see very well. On a clear night when the stars are out, you almost forget it is night. And the best thing is that you don't have to wear sunblock.

Hi all,

For our annual full moon sail every Easter, we have just taped a flashlight about six feet up on the mast to illuminate the sail. Visible for miles, and doesn't interfere with your vision. Keeps the law and the wives happy.

Kirk
Bandera TX

For a comprehensive source of rules and regulations, including state specific requirements, see:
http://www.boats.com/content/rules_and_regulations.jsp

Mary,

I only turn on the light at the clew when I spot another boat approaching. Night sailing requires a vigilant watch!

Wow, somebody actually used the "quote" feature.

Anyway, I have been thinking that on some boats, in some conditions, when going downwind, it might be difficult to reach that light on the clew to turn it on -- you know, without falling off the boat in the process.

Mary,

I agree. My night sailing is typically not the go-fast, Worrell type. I just tend to ease the sheets and tune into the other senses while relaxing in the night air. I do, however, always carry a small light clipped to the front of my PFD, as well as a strobe attached to the rear of my right shoulder. Although the strobe is an emergency light, I have been known to twist it on for a few minutes just to get the attention of approaching craft.

Thank you all for all of your help and suggestions. In lew of designing some lights to attach to the front of the boat temporaily, looks like I will be using the flashlight for now.

The Skier

I think Mike has mentioned an important issue. Individual state rules vry widely. In TX, it is *mandatory* for *all* watercraft to have at least a white light at night. A flashlight will suffice, but there are *no* exceptions, regardless of boat size, propulsion or otherwise.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/boat/wsdigest.htm

But, safety is the paramount concern when sailing at night. I have sailed at night on an open lake in an undeveloped area with few lights. We used flashlights taped to the mast, pointing upwards, and another flashlight hanging around the neck. It was exhilirating, memorable, but quite scary, even though there were no other boats, and lots of room.

On my home lake, where I have sailed for 15 years in all kinds of conditions, and know every bit of shoreline, underwater contour & lighting, I just will *not* sail at night on my catamaran, it's not safe. Until a night-time speed limit was implemented on this lake about 3 years ago, I didn't like to night sail at all, the motorboaters were too crazy. Now, with the speed limit, I feel safer at night, but still only go out the week before full moon (more ambient light so people can see me), and only on a slower keepboat type boat, so I have more time to maneuver.

I can tell you that sailing up the ditch (intercoastal waterway) at night during RTI is exhilerating and very educational. Gone are the crutches of the wind indicator and the tell-tales. No longer visible are the ripples on the water (not to mention the shoreline on some of those moon-less and overcast nights). I learn more in that four to six hours of sailing than I do in two years. I have become 'one' with the boat and can sail by the seat of my pants (hhhuuuummmmmmmm). Seriously though, I've been a lot faster and have been able to feel when the boat "isn't quite right" ever since. We were 40th out of 60 the first year (I think only 43 finished). In our second year we finished 17th overall and 5th in a class of 18.

Jake,
That's why the "eyes closed" drill is one of Rick's favorites. It forces you to "feel" the boat. A number of top sailors do some sailing with their eyes closed on the way out to the race course each day, just to get in tune with the boat for that day's sailing conditions.