Carver Owners Forum

Did Carver deliver the 41CMY with non conforming nav lights?

From everything I have read I am supposed to have the standard red and green on port and starboard however it's the white light I am confused about as the only one is a steaming light (masthead) up above the radar arch pointing towards the rear. Not going to change anything however it seems I am missing a forward facing white light. I guess I could switch on the anchor light for forward white visibility?

Looks like I have lights for a sailboat under sail. https://boattest.com/article/rules-nav- ... 0(Steaming)%20Light,-The%20term%20masthead&text=Although%20called%20a%20masthead%20light,total%20of%20225%20degrees%20forward.

I really doubt Carver shipped that boat without the correct configuration! Who knows what got changed since it left the factory. You definitely should have some forward-facing light. That could be part of an all-around white light, or it could be two separate lights... a 225 degree forward-facing one and a 135 degree aft-facing one. HOWEVER, since your vessel is more than 40 ft, you can't use the "all around white light" as your steaming light.

If you run with your anchor light, in addition to an existing stern light, then you're actually going to be presenting the wrong configuration from the stern... it could look like two white lights, which would be improper.

I tried poking around for some pics online to see what the light configuration was on that model, but none of the ones I could find were detailed enough or close enough to really see the lights.

EDIT - oops... I had to go back and correct the first post to add the exclusion for "over 40 ft". The all-around light can be used for smaller vessels.

Hans , do you have a white stern light on the aft of your boat as well as the mast light ? If so perhaps the mast light is backwards.....just spitballin here...

Here is a picture of what I have. The steaming masthead light or maybe its the stern light, can be sort of seen just below the anchor light which is bolted to the stainless steel plate facing rearward. No other forward facing light. I guess I could add one to the mast of the radar arch facing forward. Something like this should do the trick by just wiring it into the existing rearward light. Not to worried about wiring and draw since everything is now LED. https://www.amazon.ca/MARINE-MASTHEAD-NAVIGATION-WATERPROOF-NAUTICAL/dp/B00I0BIQPC/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=fIhFO&content-id=amzn1.sym.51ce09d4-a5e1-4c26-916a-dd527820dcd6&pf_rd_p=51ce09d4-a5e1-4c26-916a-dd527820dcd6&pf_rd_r=Y7GJQW552PT0SYJSM7J0&pd_rd_wg=AnljO&pd_rd_r=9f964826-20b8-463a-9f72-f280002da6f1&pd_rd_i=B00I0BIQPC

Nope, no stern light. My stern light must be the one mounted up top as there is no way that light can project 225 degrees the way it is mounted.

A little confused as a stern light 180 degrees and a masthead light is 225 degrees which does cover 360 and then some so whats the difference using a 360 light or the former? They both can be seen from any direction and there is nothing I can find where it says a stern light needs to be mounted down low on the stern of a boat, just needs to face rearward.

Regardless, I have never seen a 41CMY with a stern light on the stern which is easily confirmed by looking at boats for sale on the internet.

Here I believe we can see a masthead and a stern mounted way up there along with an anchor light at the highest point. Crappy picture as I took it from the internet and blew it up.

My folding radar mount does seem to be unique and may have been mounted when new by the original owner when the dealership was prepping the boat and adding accessories. Maybe this is where the mistake was made.

USCG Required Navigation Lighting For United States
Powerboats under 12 meters (39.4 feet) in length must have separate or combined red and green sidelights covering 112.5 degrees and visible for 1 nautical mile. The white masthead light must cover 225 degrees, be 1 meter above the sidelights and be visible for 2 nautical miles. The white stern light must cover 135 degrees and be visible for 2 nautical miles, or you can substitute one 360-degree all-around white light. For larger boats, the sidelights must be visible for 2 nautical miles and the masthead light for 3 nautical miles.

That explanation makes sense to me about the stern light that could be replaced by a 360 light. Since our vessel has no stern light.

Looks like I will need to add a masthead light to make her compliant. Thought about this a bit and it would be easy to make a SS bracket that ties into the radar mounting bolts and then slip the wire down the same route as the radar cables go which would come out right where the anchor and stern light wires are in the arch for an easy splice into the stern wire. Top of the light would sit almost flush under the radar dome once all is said and done. Oh boy, another project.

Done. Stainless bracket installed under radar using existing radar mount bolts. Activates with all other nav lights through dash switch. Anchor light is independent.

The round light at the top of your mast was your anchor light. The one facing aft was your white running light. What you have added to the radar is a steaming light to let people know you are motor sailing during times of limited visibility.