Navigational lights are an essential safety system for your boat. There are certain things that you need to look at when looking at which lights to be fitted and how to install them according to guidelines. The size of your boat will determine the guidelines that apply to you. Wiring of the lights should be done very carefully so to ensure that no problems occur on board.
The marine agency of your region will set the requirements for the installation of navigational lights on recreational boats. There will be a certified inspector who will check on the effectiveness of the lights and whether they comply with the specified guidelines. If you are operating your boat at night or at any time when the visibility of the area is low, the lights should be on. Sometimes there can be heavy rain even during the daytime which restricts visibility and this will require you to show lights. Depending on how the boat works whether it is by motoring or by sail, the lights shown will be different. LED boat lights should be installed according to the instructions given by the manufacturer. You can ask the boating supplies store that you’re purchasing the lights from about any queries you have about the installation.
There will be a wiring code for the installation of the navigational lights. You should fit a fuse or a circuit breaker onto the circuit and make sure that no other equipment other than navigational lights is connected to this particular circuit. You can use two switches to turn the anchor light and running lights as these connections should be kept separate. Where you locate the navigation lights is very important. They should be located to ensure fewer chances of damage.
You have to make sure that the lights that are mounted at the bow near the anchor fittings are kept safe from any damage, and that the lights mounted topside are protected when you’re going nearby a wharf. Navigation lights should not be making it difficult for the operator to steer the boat. If they are causing glare, it can cause difficulty for the operator. To avoid this, you can use a shielded light fixed onto the mast on an open boat. You can also fix it behind the operator and out of the way of their vision. When you’re purchasing new lights, make sure to ask whether there are any LED lights available that don’t affect night vision.
There are also different lights that you need to install on the boat. The masthead light should be fixed a meter above the sidelights and it should be located on the centreline of the boat. Another light that should be on this centreline is the all-around white light. The light should not be covered by any structure on the boat. The stern lights which are fixed near the stern should show a white light. Sidelights have two different colours. Red lights should be on the port side and green lights should be on the starboard side.
