Navigation Lamps Unsafe
and Illegal
LED LIGHTS SAVE power and many boat owners replace
traditional light bulbs with LEDs. But the use of retrofit
LEDs can be in violation of the fixture's certificates –
with serious consequences.
Navigational lights avoid collisions at sea and inland
waterways and these red, white and green navigation
lights require a certain type of bulb and lens type as well
as specific foundation wiring.
Certified lights are tested by a third party for
temperature, corrosion, angles of visibility, and intensity
of light. Tests are able to determine if the light reaches
nautical mile requirements and that the output is sharp
at the edges and smooth across arcs of visibility, which
stops the light from appearing to flash like buoy when the
boat rotates and rocks.
LED bulb conversion kits are available, although finding
one that fits the fixture does not assure the boater of a properly certified navigation light, unless the lamp manufacturer
has had it third party-certified for their own lamp.
Safety and legal reasons mean that retrofit bulbs do
not belong in navigational lights and compliance with
navigation rules is the boat operator's responsibility.
The simple way to ensure a correct upgrade to LED
navigation lights is to replace the entire light assembly
with a certified product.
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ferry for Queenstown
A new 26m catamaran passenger ferry is to operate out of
Queenstown. Incat Crowther was awarded the design contract
and announces that construction has begun on the new vessel
at Aluminium Marine in Queensland, Australia. Southern
Discoveries of New Zealand's South Island commissioned the
vessel with plans to ferry passengers to secluded spots on the
shores of Lake Wakatipu.
The ferry has been designed within the parameters of the New
Zealand Government environmental consent. The vessel will
feature 170 seats, with 43 outboard seats arranged in booths with
tables, a large bar and kiosk will provide a concession service aft,
as well as overhead hangers for bicycles and three toilets. The
wheelhouse is located on the upper deck.
The ferry will be transported by truck to the lake due to its
detachable wheelhouse, and once on the water will be powered
by a pair of Yanmar 6HYM-WET main engines, rated at 478kW,
propulsion is via fixed pitch propellers and the top speed is in
excess of 25 knots.
VIP.S92
Phone 0800 YANMAR
info@powerequipment.co.nz
www.yanmar.co.nz
May/June 2013 Professional Skipper 45
