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Javier & Tom & John,<div><br></div><div>I agree with Javier that having proper navigation lights (sidelights/stern light) is best and safest, but here's a reference to what the law says:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.boatingsafety.com/boats/cglights.htm">http://www.boatingsafety.com/boats/cglights.htm</a></div><div><br></div><div>Boats under 7 meters in length, and capable of not more than 7 knots, can use an all round light/torch. Motor or sail.</div><div><br></div><div>Portable lights are usually not "legal" since they don't show the prescribed 1 or 2 miles distance, especially if their dry cell batteries are not new - and the batteries run down at an alarming rate. Even if you use them, I'd strongly suggest keeping a strong flashlight in the cockpit to shine on the main when you see another boat in the area after dark. Most of the time you're motoring with the main up anyway to stabilize the boat.</div><div><br></div><div> There are some new LED portables that do emit a much brighter light - and use much less juice from the batteries, but they're expensive (as are all LED lights). But, whether fixed or portable, LEDs use a fraction of the amps that regular light do, and that can be very helpful on a Santana 22 where charging the 12 volt battery is sometimes a problem.</div><div><br></div><div>John, About competing in the RYC Pumpkin next weekend. You don't need to belong to anything - Association, Yacht Club, etc. Since you're competing on a one-design division, you also don't need a PHRF Certificate (and as YRA Chairman, I'm supposed to urge you to get one!). The RYC Pumpkin entry form asks for your PHRF rating (234 if you're using a chute or genoa and 237 if you're using the class jib and no chute), but doesn't require you to send a copy of the certificate in. You're fellow Santana sailors will police whether you're doing the right thing.</div><div><br></div><div>Most Club "Beer Can" type races (mid-winters, weeknight summer races, etc.) don't require yacht club membership and I don't think I've seen an entry form that asks about association membership either. They usually - but on always - require a PHRF Certificate. However, where there's a Santana 22 One Design class/division of 5 or more boats they usually don't.</div><div><br></div><div>Pat</div><div>ex-"Elaine"</div><div><br><div><div>On Oct 22, 2010, at 3:19 PM, javier jerez wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Tom,</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> </div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Even though it might be legal you'd still be a potentail hazard to yourself and others on the water. I have portable bow and stern lights that you can borrow.<br></div><div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Javier<br><div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><br></font><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">ex-"Elaine"<br><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div><br><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></blockquote></div></div></body></html>