I have been spending a lot of my spare time recently entangled in software,
PDA programs, data conversion, cable reliability, etc. I hereby present a
list of aggravations that get little attention, but that you will find
enlightening.

I have been experimenting with saving a track log of trips to be kept in
long term storage. The uses for such a track log include, evidence in case
of an accident, ability to retrace the path in either direction, evidence
for sea service, etc. For instance, the Garmin Map76S unit will store up to
10,000 track points in the active log. But you can save only 750 to any
named log file. You can download to a PDA the active 10K of track points
and save them, but then it is difficult to download that file of about 100k
bytes to anything else. If the Garmin is in "auto" save mode then 400 miles
of running resulted in about 4500 track points, which implies that about
700 miles would result in filling the 10k of space reserved for the active
track. \

Consequently if a trip were over about 700 miles then it would be necessary
to download the track log just before it began to overflow past 10,000
track points. Later, if the tracks were downloaded to the PDA then either
you have to upload back to the Garmin and then download onto a full size PC
or find some software that will allow transferring the file from the PDA to
the PC directly. There are plenty of software programs to download from the
Garmin and display and manipulate the track file once you have it off the
GPS. However, these programs have their own limitations in being able to
operate with the file formats which each supports and there may well be
incompatibilities even if the formats supported are supposedly the same.

I carry a Garmin 48 and could download the track file to it but it only
holds 1024 track points, so that is not going to be of much use.

Then there are the cable problems. I found a cable that charges the PDA and
provides power to the GPS, while allowing data transfers to and from them.
However, it seems that there is some subtle problem with the cable in that
the PDA does not sense 100 percent of the time that the cable is in fact
hooked up. In other words the PDA randomly thinks it is "docked" and not
docked. Of course the PDA only leaves the screen on "always" if it senses
that it is docked. In which case, it turns itself off after about 3 minutes
whenever it loses the "docked" sense indication. This is not nice to have
the screen turn off while in the dark in a close quarters channel of little
depth and adequate draft.

I have a complaint into the seller and their tech guy is checking to see if
the cables they now have in stock have this problem and whether it is a
single cable problem or a problem with the entire batch or maybe even all
the production runs. After all it will be of little benefit if I order a
replacement only to have it do the same thing. The work around is another
program which will allow me to force the PDA to stay on, regardless. I have
installed just such a thing, just in case.

Then there are the PDA file format viewers like for TIFF, JPEG, BMP, etc. ,
formats.  There are lots of such viewers and there are many for PALM,
Pocket PC, Windows PC, etc. I have experimented with many of them. They all
seem to have problems. I have tried some of the freeware versions, some
shareware and some buy after trying the demo version. About 1/4 have some
problem in the install. In some cases they only work with their own
internal format, which means you have to run a conversion program on the
graphic file and then download to the PDA. The result is that no other
viewer will read that file. So much for portability. The bottom line is
that you cannot assume that graphic file viewing will work to your
satisfaction until you have actually used the programs involved exactly the
way you intend to use them. About 2/3 of the time you will find that there
is some limitation in file size, rendering, installation, general
bugginess, etc., that will keep you from doing what you want.

GPilotS is a pretty good PALM OS PDA program for working with a GPS. But I
spent over an hour trying to set up the serial port option and it is just
tricky enough that I had to put a note in the memo pad as to what to do if
the option gets changed accidently.

None of these problems are real big problems in themselves, but the overall
result is a lot of wasted time, testing, checking and documenting how to
make the system work smoothly.

Regards,
Mike

Capt. Mike Maurice
Tualatin(Portland), Oregon

Could someone please tell me what the correct position of the masthead
light on a 55' boat is in relation to the port and starboard lights?
Must it be behind them and how much above? Thank you in advance.

Regards,

    Randall Kurzon
    rkurzon@mindspring.com

Randall, here are the relevant specs taken directly from the Nav Rules
booklet:

The masthead light of a power-driven vessel of 12 meters but less than 20
meters in length shall be placed at a height above the gunwale of not less
than 2.5 meters.

Also check out Rule 23a, which varies depending on if operating in Inland or
International waters:  Int'l:  A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit
a masthead light forward.  Inland:  A power-driven vessel underway shall
exhibit a masthead light forward except that a vessel of less than 20 meters
in length (which includes yours) need not exhibit this light forward of
amidships but shall exhibit it as far forward as is practicable.

That would give you quite a bit of latitude it seems to me.

Bob Peterson
47' Lien Hwa CMY
"Lopaka Nane"
San Francisco

-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces+bob=peterson.org@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces+bob=peterson.org@lists.samurai.com]
On Behalf Of Randall Kurzon
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 6:57 AM
To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Subject: T&T: Masthead light position

Could someone please tell me what the correct position of the masthead light
on a 55' boat is in relation to the port and starboard lights?
Must it be behind them and how much above? Thank you in advance.

Regards,

    Randall Kurzon
    rkurzon@mindspring.com

Randall Kurzon wrote:

"Could someone please tell me what the correct position of the masthead
light on a 55' boat is in relation to the port and starboard lights?
Must it be behind them and how much above?"

The white navigation light is an all-around light, whereas the port and
starboard lights are designed to cover an arc of 112.5 degrees from the bow
on each side of the longitudinal centre of the vessel.  Under normal
circumstances, one would expect the masthead to be behind the other running
lights.  It must be high enough to provide 360 degrees of coverage.  Having
said that, if your red and green lights are mounted on the pilothouse walls,
well back on the vessel, the white light may in fact be in front of them,
assuming the mast is forward of the pilothouse.

Bob Davies

Monday, June 20, 2005, 5:41:02 PM, Bob wrote:

BD> Randall Kurzon wrote:

BD> "Could someone please tell me what the correct position of the masthead
BD> light on a 55' boat is in relation to the port and starboard lights?
BD> Must it be behind them and how much above?"

BD> The white navigation light is an all-around light, whereas the port and
BD> starboard lights are designed to cover an arc of 112.5 degrees from the bow
BD> on each side of the longitudinal centre of the vessel.  Under normal
BD> circumstances, one would expect the masthead to be behind the other running
BD> lights.  It must be high enough to provide 360 degrees of coverage. Having
BD> said that, if your red and green lights are mounted on the pilothouse walls,
BD> well back on the vessel, the white light may in fact be in front of them,
BD> assuming the mast is forward of the pilothouse.

BD> Bob Davies

According to ColRegs Rule 21(a), a Masthead Light is not an "All-Round" light - it is only visible from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side.

A 55 ft. vessel will require a separate white stern light showing from dead astern to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side in addition to the Masthead Light. (Rule 23 (a)(i) and (iv))

A power-driven vessel under 12 metres can get away with an all-round white light in place of the separate masthead and stern lights (Rule 23(c)(i)).

Annexe I gives positioning and technical details of lights and shapes. Paragraph (c) states that the masthead light shall be not less than 2.5 metres above the gunwale.  Paragraph (g) states that the side lights (red and green lights) shall be not greater than three-quarters of the height of the masthead light above the hull. (h) says they sidelights must be not less than 1 metre below the masthead light.

I can't find any spec for the position of the stern light other than "as nearly as practicable at the stern"

The above is from the Canadian Col Regs, but is not noted as a "Canadian Modification".

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca

Jeff, that is exactly what I was trying to say.  A vessel under 20 meters
only requires navigation lights (red, green, and "masthead") and a
"sternlight".  The masthead light is an all-around light according to the
Canadian Collision Regulations and the CPS course material - our ColRegs
supposedly comply with the International ColRegs - Because my 40 year old
boat does not have a masthead light wired into the navigation lights, but
only a stern light that covers the 135 degrees not covered by the red and
green, I am not in compliance with the ColRegs.  I have confirmed with the
Office of Boating Safety of Transport Canada that there is no grandfathering
provision in the ColRegs, so I am now faced with turning on my anchor light
while underway, as well as my navigation lights, according to the OBS.

Bob Davies

Monday, June 20, 2005, 8:55:43 PM, Bob wrote:

BD> Jeff, that is exactly what I was trying to say.  A vessel under 20 meters
BD> only requires navigation lights (red, green, and "masthead") and a
BD> "sternlight".  The masthead light is an all-around light according to the
BD> Canadian Collision Regulations and the CPS course material - our ColRegs
BD> supposedly comply with the International ColRegs - Because my 40 year old
BD> boat does not have a masthead light wired into the navigation lights, but
BD> only a stern light that covers the 135 degrees not covered by the red and
BD> green, I am not in compliance with the ColRegs.  I have confirmed with the
BD> Office of Boating Safety of Transport Canada that there is no grandfathering
BD> provision in the ColRegs, so I am now faced with turning on my anchor light
BD> while underway, as well as my navigation lights, according to the OBS.

BD> Bob Davies

As I said in a previous post:

According to ColRegs Rule 21(a), a Masthead Light is not an "All-Round" light - it is
only visible from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side.

A 55 ft. vessel will require a separate white stern light showing from dead astern to
22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side in addition to the Masthead Light. (Rule 23
(a)(i) and (iv))

A power-driven vessel under 12 metres can get away with an all-round white light in
place of the separate masthead and stern lights (Rule 23(c)(i)).

The above is paraphrased from the Canadian ColRegs, and agrees with the illustrations in the Canadian Safe Boating Guide.  The 1994 CPS Boating Course appears to agree with this (I don't have a current Boating manual).

My boat is 28 ft, so I can use either an all-round white light, or a Masthead (aka "Steaming") (225 degree) light and stern light.  If I use the all-round white light I must_not use a stern light.  A boat over 12 metres must use separate 225 degree masthead and a stern lights.

An all-round white light is often fitted, and intended to be used as an anchor light, but would not be used under way, if you have a 225 degree Masthead light and a stern light.

--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca