> I read somewhere that getting a tricolor nav light atop the mast is better
> for small boats....seems that mounting the nav lights lower reduces your
> visibility a lot. anybody got a mast top mounted tri color light? how
> about your thoughts on this? I'm gonna put lights on here pretty soon in
> Seattle and don't wanna get run over by a coal barge or something!
> Ken silverman, p-15 "Vegan Lorax"
In general, lights higher up are more visible.
But if you're sailing on a bay surrounded by populated hills, the lights at
the top of a small sailboat's mast blend into the lights of the surrounding
hills when viewed from the bridge of a large commercial freighter or tanker.
They can't see your lights against the building and traffic lights of the
hills.
So, if you normally sail in an area with surrounding hills and commercial
shipping, you're better off putting your lights on the hull rather than the
top of the mast. On San Francisco Bay, that's the safest place for them.
Fair winds,
Judy B