Sale of Signal Lights for Yacht
Looking for signal lights for your yacht? Your search is over: this price catalog features certified energy-efficient models from the best navigation light manufacturers in the world – such as Aqua Signal, DHR and other companies that have proven themselves in the maritime community.
Successful navigation means, first of all, safety on the water. To provide your yacht or boat with safe conditions for coastal cruising, autonomous circumnavigation, underwater and surface work, contact experienced sailors - topRik experts - for a free consultation. Their advice can be obtained by phone, through the website contacts section or by email (toprik.com).
The movement of the transport fleet does not stop at night, so the safety of navigation at night depends on the ability to “read” not only navigation, but also signal lights, which are turned on on each and every vessel - moving or stationary.
International Rules of Navigation relating to signal lights must be observed from sunset to sunrise (at night), and in conditions of limited visibility during the day. In this case, the boat should not display other lights that could be mistaken for those prescribed by International Rules for Preventing Collision at Sea 1972 (hereinafter referred to as the Rules), which are annexed to the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, reduce their visibility or interfere with surveillance.
Categories of Ships Carrying Signal Lights
Navigation rules require that the following categories of vessels can be distinguished by signal lights: self-propelled single vessels underway, convoys underway, vessels and convoys at rest, non-self-propelled vessels when towing (i.e. “on the move”) and at anchorage, technical fleet vessels, fishing vessels, small and sailing vessels, rack-mounted floating craft and rafts.
Among non-self-propelled vessels, a special category includes technical vessels that “due to duty” can stand on the ship’s course (dredgers, cranes, diving boats, etc.) Vessels engaged in fishing have also been singled out, as their lowered nets can occupy up to half the width of the fairway, posing an increased navigational hazard to passing vessels.
Rack-mounted floating facilities (pontoon moorings, bathhouses, etc.) are, figuratively speaking, motionless “surface navigation obstacles” and their signal lights in this sense are akin to navigation lights. In the same sense, sailing ships can be compared to a moving “navigation hazard”, and therefore they are classified as a separate category of ships.
Finally, for small vessels, the Navigation Rules establish a simplified version of signal lights.
Purpose Of Signal Lights
By the signal lights you can find out the purpose of the vessel; is it a caravan or a single vessel; if it’s a caravan, which one? However, the most important thing in night navigation is to determine whether the ship is standing still or moving, and if moving, then in what direction. Therefore, self-propelled vessels have significantly different signal lights “on the move” and “at rest” or, as they say in the navy, running and parking.
Navigation lights allow you to find out the direction of movement of the vessel (oncoming, transverse, tail) and determine the change in its course, while parking lights indicate the type of vessel and the nature of its cargo.
A non-self-propelled vessel can only navigate the fairway with the help of a self-propelled vessel that carries its own running lights, so a non-self-propelled vessel does not need running lights.
An ordinary non-self-propelled vessel does not have the right to stand on the fairway, and non-self-propelled technical vessels perform certain work on it, so their parking lights must indicate where the vessel is standing - on the channel or outside it.
Types Of Signal Lights, Their Location and Nature
The signal lights of ships differ from each other in their location, color, sectors of illumination, lighting mode and visibility range.
The navigation lights are masthead , stern and side. They are constantly on when driving and off when parked. Only when moving, the towing light and all-round flashing lights are also switched on. The signal lights are turned on while driving, giving signals for divergence and overtaking, and light pulse signals can be used both at night and during the day.
The all-round fire is visible from all sides. Depending on the category of the vessel, it can be of different colors - white, red, yellow, blue, green - and with different lighting modes: constantly lit, turned on for a while (“temporarily turned on”) and flashing, i.e. continuously flashing at regular intervals time.
Top Lights
Always white, continuously burning, located in the center plane of the vessel, shining straight ahead in a sector of 225°. The number and relative position of the masthead lights depend on the category of the vessel. They can also be installed on non-self-propelled vessels.
Side Lights
They light continuously and are located along the sides of the ship: green on the starboard side, red on the left side. Each light shines forward and sideways from the center line of the vessel in a sector of 112.5° (the illumination sector of the side light occupies half of the sector of the masthead light). Installed only on self-propelled vessels.
Stern Lights
White in color, located at the stern of the vessel, they burn continuously. They shine back in the 135° sector, so that during any maneuver of the vessel, either the masthead or stern lights are always visible, but never together. Installed only on self-propelled vessels
Pulse Signal Light
This is a white flashing light located above the side light, on the edge of the ship's bridge. Each light consists of a pair of lanterns that shine forward and aft from the beam at 112.5°, so that the illumination sector covers the centerline of the vessel both in front and behind. Signal lights that are the same color as the corresponding side lights may be used.
In addition, self-propelled vessels are equipped at the edges of the navigation bridge with white lights of constant burning, which shine directly across the vessel in a 180° sector.
Visibility Range of Signal Lights
The greatest visibility range for the masthead lights of a self-propelled vessel over 20 m in length is at least 8 km. For non-self-propelled vessels it is less: for a length of more than 50 m - 4 km, for shorter ones - 2 km.
Side, stern and white all-round lights of self-propelled vessels have a visibility range of 3.7 km, colored all-round lights - 1.85 km. This means that the masthead lights of an oncoming vessel are visible much further than the side lights.
Navigation Lights and Ship Heading
The lighting sectors of the navigation lights are chosen so that the colored side lights can hardly be confused with the colored navigation lights: the side lights are always visible “accompanied” by the top lights . But this alone is not enough for reliable orientation at night: it is extremely important for the driver of a small vessel to know at what courses he is approaching the transport vessel he sees. The most dangerous are oncoming courses - from head-on to abeam, when ships approach each other at a speed exceeding the speed of each of them. The approach on other courses occurs at a speed lower than the speed of the fastest one.
Navigation lights allow you to quickly determine whether approaching the vessel you see is dangerous. To do this, you need to remember the rule: a moving red light is dangerous on the right side of the course, a green light is dangerous on the left. In the first case, the ship we see crosses our course to the right, so that we see its port side, in the second case, vice versa. However, the most dangerous situation is when both side lights are visible ahead of the course - if you do not change the course of your vessel, a collision cannot be avoided!
Separate rules for signal lights apply to self-propelled (the movement of which uses energy sources located on the vessel itself) and non-self-propelled (moving only as a result of the application of external force) vessels.
Signal Lights for Small Boats And Sailing Vessels
Boats and motor boats, regardless of engine power, must carry a masthead, side and stern lights while underway. Side lights can be combined into one light.
When anchored in a place where other vessels may be navigating, a motorized small craft must display one all-round white light. It must carry the same fire if it is rowing, sailing or towing (you can also have such a light ready and show it when other ships approach).
The dependence of the signal lights of sailing ships and small vessels on their dimensions is as follows:
- 20 meters or more in length - must carry side lights, a stern light and two all-round lights near the top of the mast, located vertically, while moving, with the top light being red and the bottom light green;
- from 7 to 20 meters long - side lights, stern light, while the lights can be combined in one light installed at the top of the mast;
- less than 7 meters long - a white all-round light located on the mast; when other ships approach, this ship must, in addition, illuminate the sail with white fire.
A sailing vessel, whether powered or under sail and motor, must carry lights as a single self-propelled vessel. When it’s anchored in a place where other vessels may be sailing, it must carry one all-round white light.
Rowing boats carry one all-round white light while underway or have it ready to display when other vessels approach. When anchored where other vessels are sailing, rowing boats must display one all-round white light.
Signal Lights for Single Self-Propelled Vessels Underway
All such vessels carry masthead , side and stern lights. A vessel over 50 m in length may carry a second masthead light located forward and below the first. A vessel less than 5 m wide carries one stern light in the center plane, a wider vessel carries three stern lights arranged in an equilateral triangle with the base down.
A passenger ship operating at a ferry crossing or on an intracity line carries an additional yellow flashing all-round light.
A vessel carrying oil cargoes, their residues, explosives or toxic substances carries a red masthead light located below the forward white masthead light.
The shipping surveillance vessel may additionally display a blue flashing all-round light at night and during the day. The yellow and blue flashing lights may be located on the same vertical line with the masthead light above or below it.
Pushing and towing vessels differ from single self-propelled vessels by their masthead lights and the presence of towing lights.
Docking Lights for Self-Propelled Vessels
A sign of the movement of a self-propelled vessel is the masthead and side lights. They are turned off when docked. The main sign of a stationary self-propelled vessel is a white all-round light located in the most visible place.
A single vessel, the width of which is more than 5 m, carries one white all-round light in the bow (on the mast, flagpole); one white light on the edge of the bridge on the navigation side, visible in a 180° sector (90° from the beam); two stern lights located horizontally. A narrower vessel carries only one white all-round light on the mast.
A self-propelled vessel aground carries the usual parking lights and, in addition, additional lights indicating whether it is possible for other vessels to pass by it (the same as for non-self-propelled vessels aground).
Non-Self-Propelled Vessel Aground
Carries docking lights installed for it. In addition, at the level of the floating navigation mark, on the part of the vessel protruding towards the shipping channel, lights are displayed indicating whether the passage is free for other vessels: if it is free, then a white all-round light, if not, then three vertically located red all-round lights.
Fishing Boat Lights
A vessel engaged in hauling trawl nets or other fishing gear must, in addition to the markings prescribed by other provisions of the Rules, carry:
- at night – two all-round lights located vertically (upper – green, lower – white, at a distance of at least 1 m in front and below the masthead light);
- during the day - two black cones connected by their tops, located one above the other.
A fishing vessel underway or at rest, not engaged in fishing, must carry the same lights as self-propelled and non-self-propelled vessels.
Types Of Warning Lights by Light Source
Traditional signal lights with incandescent lamps are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Sailors are striving to replace even halogen light sources with innovative LED signal lights.
Yachtsmen have appreciated the benefits of signal lights with LED lamps. With increased brightness, which improves the visibility of the yacht at sea, they do not have a blinding effect. Of course, their cost is higher than that of halogen or incandescent lamps, but the increased service life and economical energy consumption offset this disadvantage.
topRik marketplace honors traditions and welcomes innovation in the maritime industry. Therefore, in this section you can buy LED signal lights, as well as models with more traditional types of light sources. We also offer an option without a lamp, which you can choose according to your needs.
Installation Requirements
Installation of signal lights is carried out in strict accordance with the requirements of International Rules for Preventing Collision at Sea 1972, set out in the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
The basic installation rules, which may be of interest to topRik marketplace clients, are outlined above.
Before you decide to install navigation lights yourself and connect them to the yacht's electrical system, evaluate your experience and availability of installation tools. If you are not sure about the first, and the second is missing, it is better to entrust the installation and connection of signal lights to professionals.
International Rules of Navigation
Rules for navigation lights have been set by the IMO, but do not forget that compliance with the standards of the Convention is also required during navigation on inland waters in America and Europe. Maritime rules set out in the International Rules for Preventing Collision at Sea 1972 extends, as we described above, not only to the colors of the signal lights and their location on the yacht. IMO requirements also concern their brightness and the direction of the beam relative to the center plane.