Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I always thought anchor lights were supposed to be toward the aft of the boat. Mine is there unless I pop out my bimini, then it is toward the fore of the boat.

Where is your anchor light?

Kevin

Here's a pic of mine:

Mine is attached to the rear on the back edge of the sundeck.

My bimini is like yours but my light is in the back. Looks like maybe your top is installed backwards.

I've never seen one in that position. My guess is your bimini top may be installed backwards?

Yep. I agree. I'd fix it before some water cop writes you a citation for that....

From what I understand, you are legal as the rules do not indicate actual fore/aft location of the light. When I had a bay boat (23' Robalo), my light was on top of my T-Top which was the dead center of the boat. A lot of commercial vessels have it close to the front because of the height. I think it simply has to be as high as possible and not intefere with the nav lights (green/red).

From the USCG:

UNDER POWER - Sidelights, stern light, masthead light. Boats 16' or longer must also have an 360° all-around white anchor light capable of being lit independently from the red/green/white running lights. Sailboats under power are considered powerboats and must follow "under power" rules.

AT ANCHOR - All around white light visible for 2nm at night unless in a chart-designated anchorage.

Here are some examples with pics....

http://nyss.com/federal#3G

As long as your mast head light is 1 meter above your port and starboard running lights you are legal. In fact the inland rules say it should be forward of amidships if possible.
There is an exception that allows the single all around stern light for boats less than 12 meters running inshore but if you are running offshore in international waters you are supposed to have a mast head light and a stern light.
The mast head light has the same arc requirement as the side lights, forward to 22 degrees abaft the beam. The stern light points rearward and should fill in the mast head light gap to the stern when under way. At anchor the mast head light should come on all around.

From what I recall, the anchor light is usually the highest light on a boat, it must be all white and shine 360 degrees.

I think where your light is perfectly OK where it's at...

I also agree that your top has been put on backwards..
but then again, who says the light has to be at the rear of the top?

HARRY

I had 2 Sundancers with the light's on front of bimini. I think as was said as long as it is visible all around your good

Mine is on the back of the bimini also.

The advantage of it being back is you are not lighting up the front of your boat and screwing with your night vision while you are under way.
My forward shining light is shielded so none of the light hits the boat.
You actually can't see any of my running lights from the helm.

Why, right at the top of my roof - of course! (hidden by the branch on the left side - it's a folder - so can be rotated up or down for travel).

The Coast Guard inspector that gave me my "sticker" must have mentioned that I HAD to have it at least 3 or 4 times on the phone before I ever met him - and sure enough when he did the inspection - made me show that it actually worked.... (I've never used it - shame on me)

I thought it might be put on backwards, but a couple of things kept me from deciding that:

1. the wiring for the light is on the right (starboard, if you will) side of the boat and runs up the bimini tube on that side. If I turned it around, the wiring would have to be rerun because it would exit the bimini on the left (port) side.

2. Notice the picture from the G3 web site. They must have put the one in the photo on backwards also!

That said, I would like the looks of it better if it were on the aft of the bimini.

Kevin

Thanks, a question was answered that I didn't know enough to ask about. Our rear nav light can turn on by itself from the switch. I never knew why that was. I do now. Thanks for the post.

The advantage of it being back is you are not lighting up the front of your boat and screwing with your night vision while you are under way.

I will even open the top up to shade the anchor light when we are underway. It makes a big difference as far as seeing in front of you.