T&T: Soft start on Nav lights ( was: Converting my Running/Anchor Light to LED

[Candy Chapman and Gary Bell]

Arild Jensen wrote:

>  
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: Candy Chapman and Gary Bell [mailto:tulgey at earthlink.net]
>     By all means, replace all your navigation lights with LED units,
>     and never have to fuss with them again. 
>
>     Mr. Science, aka Gary Bell 
>      
>      
>      
>     REPLY
>     Not until they are USCG approved and certified as meeting the IMO
>     specs for visibility range and arc of visibility. 
>
>     I  was once sent a prototype set of combination LED lights.  Not
>     impressed.  Needs more work. But its coming.
>

My Response

I built a custom mast on my PDQ34, so I could have a heavier four foot 
fixed array radar (among other reasons), and at that time put up a Perko 
13400 LED white masthead light.  Somewhat later I replaced the 
troublesome cheapo fixtures PDQ put on the flank of each bow with Perko 
602 Series LED side lights.  Got 'em both at West Marine, and I note in 
their latest catalog (page 413) that they:  "Meet USCG and AYBC 
Standards."  I know, that is not the same as USCG approved, but it is 
working for me, for now, and when I bought the side lights, the USCG was 
still sorting out how they would need to modify their criteria 
(different color output, etc.) to test LEDs.  As far as today's WM 
catalog goes, none of the conventional Perko, Aqua Signal or Hella side 
lights mention USCG certification, or even meeting standards.  Maybe 
they are, but it isn't stated anywhere I could find.  Also note, on page 
411 in my WM catalog that Aqua Signal series 32 and 31 LED lights are 
"AYBC, USCG, IMO, CE and RNA certified."  On page 412 all the nav lights 
from Lopolight and OGM are "USCG and MCA approved..." and "USCG 
certified..." respectively, and the OGM models sport a Practical Sailor 
top choice brag. 

My  LED masthead light is clearly brighter than the light from the 
factory, and as an all around light there are no side baffle issues.  It 
has very good lower baffling, in that it does not significantly 
illuminate the topsides, but is nicely visible, even from close aboard. 
  The bow lights are VERY much brighter than the cheapo fixtures they 
replaced.  I don't have the proper light meters to determine if they 
meet published standards for intensity, but I take comfort in the 
personal observation that my lights at least are much brighter than the 
lights on most of the boats I see, and much brighter than my originals. 

Many, perhaps most of the silly, tiny little bow lights (on everybody's 
boat, including mine) have trouble with the baffle requirements because 
the metal or plastic housing that is supposed to block the light forward 
and particularly to the side is so close to the luminous part of the 
bulb that the shadow it casts is very vague and illuminated structure 
near the filament reflects light past the baffle cutoff.  In the case of 
LED lanterns, they have multiple LEDs and the baffle edge blocks the 
light from the array of LEDs one at a time, leaving a pretty vague edge 
to the shadow it creates.  In my bow lights, the LEDs are the focused 
sort, with the cone of light from each one arranged so that the more 
forward LEDs (that the side baffle part of the case has trouble 
masking), are pointed more forward, meaning that the light leaking past 
the baffle is very much reduced.  In practical terms, the side cutoff at 
135 degrees from my lights is OK, on a par with the light leaking from 
the illuminated lens/filter on lanterns fitted with vertical filament 
bulbs.  Mounting any of them flat on the flank of the bow(s) provides an 
adequate forward baffle, unless of course the surfaces they are mounted 
on are not very parallel to the long. axis of the boat, in which case 
the system can be considerably 'cross-eyed', displaying both side lights 
over a wide arc forward.  Worse still, so many of the bow lights seen in 
my marina are mounted flat on very flared bows, and thus 'look downward' 
to a dismaying degree.  Not good when meeting big shipping at night, 
with their watchstanders waaaaay up there on the bridge or worse yet, a 
push tug tower. 

Much better, I think, and ever so much more salty looking, to put up 
proper sized and oriented baffle boards.  My plan is to incorporate LED 
lanterns in three foot long and maybe 7 inch deep baffle boards cut into 
the forward corners of the flybridge or on the handrail at the bows.  
That's on my pretty soon list.