Hey, Doug:

Thanks for the excellent advice. The “dip/dry/repeat if necessary” technique for coloring LEDs makes the most sense. Brush painting transparent colors always seems to result in a very blotchy finish.

Now that I can see well again I think I’ll turn my attention to removing the molded-on ladder rungs inside the mast. Sounds like a job for my little cordless Dremel.

Thanks,
Pete

BTW: if you go for the glass lacquer don't apply it with a brush, dip the LEDs and hang 'em up to drip dry! How do I know? Learning by doing!! 😉

OK will do👍
Since you've already got a 'lifetime supply' of white LEDs (and I know their spec now👍) it makes sense.
In the dim and distant past I used glass lacquer on the old 3V 'rice grain' bulbs to good effect on my destroyer.
It might be more difficult to get a decent red and green effect with lacquer though! Suck it an' see before you rush off and buy coloured LEDs 😉
Doug

Thanks, Doug.

I really like the idea of simply using the exact same white LED for everything, including all of the colored LEDs currently on the boat. Coloring each LED the appropriate colors is the ideal solution. Glass lacquer is a great idea, plus Tamiya makes a translucent or semi-opaque acrylic paint available in many colors. Paints are ideal because I can control the depth of color simply by applying more coats. Another plus is that I can replace the somewhat cheesy looking port & starboard sidelights with more realistic ones. I like it!

Will you please rework things as necessary to account for white LEDs as I’ve described?

Things are coming together beautifully.

Thanks,
Pete

Hi Pete,
the wiring diagram as such will stay as it is, but after my test results I will revise the resistor value (upwards) to reduce the power requirement without reducing the perceived brightness.
Also to damp down the whites a little and bring up the yellows, otherwise I reckon the white mast lamps will be blinding and the yellow deck lights will look oddly dim. I would be tempted to use whites for the deck lights, maybe put a dollop of yellow glass lacquer on them to tone 'em down a bit.

Apropos Fletcher Class; I have 1/144 kit I intend to convert to RC.
My H class destroyer 1/72, HMS Belfast cruiser and Graf Spee pocket battleship 1/128 are also all about 4&1/2 to 5 feet!
Don't know how much longer I'll be able to carry them to the lake so I'm considering building a trailer, like I've seen here on the site, and using Jessica's old RC beach buggy to haul them 😊
Also have a 1/96 kit of the fast cruiser / minelayer HMS Manxman which is scheduled for the next winter build. Also 4 foot something 😲
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Pete,

Yes, We are all one big happy family!👍
And I'm always very happy to receive.
My kits in the mail or ups or what ever.
Aquacraft is a very good model company!
I haven't collected a trawler yet.
If you get one I look forward to your post!

Regards, Ed

Hello, Figtree7nts:

What about “happy”? You wrote “we're all one big family”. Over here we’d usually say “we're all one big, happy family”. Are we not happy? Would anyone not grin from ear to ear when they see their boat on the water for the first time? Wouldn’t any of us be over the moon when our new boat kit arrives? if this or any other hobby doesn’t make us happy then why do it at all?

The above is all in good fun but far off topic.

Over to you, Doug:

For my project can I use the spreadsheets & drawing you’ve already sent or do you plan on posting revised versions based on your operating observations & adjustments? I’m going make a PDF of this entire post eventually so I’ll have a good reference to use as my project progresses. There a many very useful tips & parts sources throughout as well.

BTW have seen the scale boats made by Aquacraft? They’ve got four very nice boats (actually three boats & one ship) that are large, very well detailed & realistic. There’s a tug, a fire/rescue boat, a trawler & a fantastic 1/72 scale US Navy Fletcher-class destroyer that could easily be used as a movie prop. it’s over 5 feet long & priced at about $700 US. My wife said if I spend that much on a boat she’d better be able to ride in it or she’ll leave. I’ll really miss the old girl.🤪Here’s a link to Aquacraft’s page for the model. There’s a nice photo gallery as well as a video:

https://www.aquacraftmodels.com/boats/aqub5705-fletcher-class-destroyer/gallery.php#product-menu

I have my eye on the Bristol Trawler. I’ve always like trawlers & the Bristol is a beauty. it comes with a full range of LED navigation lights (including mast lights). There’s no working horn but that’s about the only thing lacking. This reminds of a joke: Why do cows have bells?🐮Because their horns don’t work!

Thanks, Pete.

Almost on the right track Pete. Sort of😉
"Taking the piss (micturition), " -> "Taking the Mickey" -> "Extracting the Michael" 😁
Quaint Commonwealth expressions for pulling someone's leg, mocking them in a jokey manner. Some versions derived from Cockney rhyming slang; piss -> Mickey Bliss -> Mickey! 'Polite' version - Michael.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Taking_the_piss
😎

Doug??

What is “extracting the Michael”? I’ve never heard that expression before. Sounds like a technique that a plumber with a fondness for naming his tools would use to pull his stuck plumber’s helper out of a WC.

I’m sorry about that one. Anyway, have you pretty much finalized your resistor options for the tug’s LEDs? Judging from your observations things seem to be working very well indeed. if you have already posted your final configuration I’m sorry but I didn’t see it. What little bit I’ve been able to read about the project appeared to be on a path to optimization. Obviously I don’t want to buy incorrect resistors. That’s not likely to matter much because I’ve found a source where I can buy as many as “2600 1/4 watt .1% metal film resistors in 130 values” in one lot for $10.63 US including free delivery. Smaller lots are available from the same source for far less, also with free delivery. I just need to be certain of your final choices as determined by your tests.

Thank you,
Pete

Pete, We're all one big happy family here on MBW!
We don't mean no harm!😁

No sweat Pete, our family is very similar, my Mum, 93 last March, is just the same. She was gobsmacked when I souped up her Mk1 Mini Cooper (many years ago😲), or fixed her up with digital TV on a 50" screen, installed an extra phone in her bedroom etc etc etc!

I just thought it was only a matter of time before someone started extracting the Michael. Should have known it would be Ed 😁😁
As for 'clowning around', check out my posts😉
All the best, Doug 😎

Hey, watch it you guys. I recently had a feeling installed & I’m sensitive.😉 Narcolepsy is no fun, believe me. 😴

Hey, Doug:

I’m heartily sorry if my gushy-sounding salutations & closings upset or offend you. it’s an old habit that my whole family & I picked up from my maternal grandmother over the years. Gram had a rare sense of humor that combined razor-sharp wit & wordplay with killer sarcasm that she could deliver with laser-guided accuracy to single or multiple targets. On those rare occasions that she missed her primary target, everyone in the room was still temporarily blinded by tears of mirth while they rolled around on the floor gasping for breath. My Mom, three sisters & I lived with Gram from the time I was 9 months old until I married & got my own place with my wife at age 22.

Gram’s arsenal of wit grew bigger & bigger even though she herself became physically smaller & smaller. in her final year she reached equilibrium where her age, weight & preferred room temperature were the same value: 98 (years/pounds/Fahrenheit).

Anyway, every time I repaired something at Gram’s House, usually plumbing or electrical problems, she was equal parts appreciative & amazed every time. I fixed dozens of things in her house & each time I told her I’d finished & said goodbye Gram would say something like “Thank you, Master of Plumbing Mysteries” or “I’m so glad you fixed the bathroom wall switch, “O Conqueror of Darkness”, that sort of thing. She grew up at a time when electrified homes & indoor plumbing didn’t exist & she always seemed to have a childlike sense of amazement with them. To her anyone who understood them & could fix them was a magician.

All that said I’ll be careful not to misspeak in the future. I hope you aren’t bothered by my clowning around occasionally. if so, just speak up & I’ll quit that, too.

Thank you,
Pete

That's what I was afraid of 🤔
I'd have done the same 😉😁
BTW: I think Pete's 'nodded off' while posting!?

Sorry, I couldn't resist!😉

Don't YOU start 😲
..


or I'll have you thrown in the Tower😁

Well, Good morning Sir Doug!

link to Canadian warehouse-
https://www.banggood.com/100Pcs-3mm-Round-Top-LED-Diodes-Light-White-Yellow-Red-Blue-Green-Assortment-DIY-Lamp-p-1075852.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

Those LEDs will be fine Pete, now you just need a few red, green and yellow, or use 'Glass lacquer' on a few of those!?
I know that cable, correct several 'wires' in a bundle = a 'cable', it's what my internet phone / fax is hanging on since I extended the system from the entry point in the cellar. Still works fine even with my internet connection on it 😊 Still got about 50m of it left. The wires are in twisted pairs to minimise induced RFI/EMI.

Ciao, Doug

Hey, Doug:

I was just rummaging through my “miscellaneous leftover, why did I buy this, what did I have in mind for those, where did those come from” stuff & I found the packet of “white” LEDs shown in the attached photo. Does the secret code on the front of the packet mean that these are anywhere close to being usable for my tug?

On another note, back when we were talking about various types of wire I mentioned telephone wire. The other photo shows the type that I was referring to. it’s essentially four 22 AWG solid wires, insulated with thin green, red, yellow & black vinyl & covered with a flexible vinyl outer jacket. This is kind of wire (or is it technically a cable?) has been used for household telephone hookups for a long, long time. in fact, it was originally made with cloth-like insulation on each wires & the outer jacket was a tough, thick material that was more like heavy PVC instead of the newer, thin-wall easy-to-strip. Rumor has it that old kind was field-tested by Lewis & Clark while they explored the Louisiana Purchase.

Pete

Hi Pete, STOP with the Sir Doug / Miracle worker and such, well meant but it's getting embarrassing!
None of what I do is rocket science, just methodical and tenacious application of some basics rules and laws.

Try this link.
https://www.banggood.com/100Pcs-3mm-Round-Top-LED-Diodes-Light-White-Yellow-Red-Blue-Green-Assortment-DIY-Lamp-p-1075852.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=UK
How your PC reacts to it depends on your browser and PC security settings! You can change the 'Warehouse' to US I think by changing the 'Ship to' to USA. Create an account pronto then it'll be easier and faster next time😉
Good luck👍 Cheers, Doug 😎
Just tested the link and it works fine for me😊

Good morning, Sir Doug The Amazing:

My eyes are getting steadily better but I’m still having some trouble. Regarding the LED link you sent there seems to be something odd. When I clicked the URL from within your post, a new page starts opening but a “page cannot be found” message appears in a few seconds. if I copy the link & paste it in the address bar of a new page the Banggood.com main page opens without any focus on LEDs. I’m losing my mind!

If you’re not completely blind from wiring up microscopic LEDs with strands of spider silk will you try sending that link again?

BTW the Banggood site looks like it could be a “one stop shopping“ source for the mast project. That would be a nice plus.

Thank you, O Miracle Worker!

Pete

SMD LED test-
Spent yesterday afternoon stretching my eyesight and patience to the limits but finally managed to duplicate the above set up with tiny 1mm chip LEDs 😊 The gap between Vero Board tracks is just right for them. A jeweller's eyeglass was a very useful aid🤓

Test results were very similar to those of the 3mm LEDs using the same resistor values. A pain in the neck to find out which end is which and solder them without shorting them or the damn things jumping off 🤔 but got there in the end.
They're currently (!) on an endurance test at 7.2V, 93mA. Didn't have any yellow so had to use orange - almost indistinguishable from the reds!😲
As with the 3mm LEDs I think we can increase the resistor values and reduce the current drawn without affecting the effective brightness.
Cheers All, Doug 😎

Mornin' Pete,
First off; I must admit that this effort isn't entirely altruistic! 😉
You piqued my curiosity (very dangerous!) but I can also use this set up in my Southampton tug 😊 although I will have to build the RC switches that you have on that circuit board.🤓 Not for the first time!

For the LEDs I used these for the tests-
https://www.banggood.com/search/led-3mm-100.html?direct=6&sbc=1
For a few bucks you have 100 coloured LEDs which should last you a while👍
BTW: I'll send you my mast over so you can fit the teeny weeny lamp brackets for me 😁😁
Look forward to seeing some pics of how you do that.
All the best,
Doug 😎

Hello, Doug:

It looks like a total success! Outstanding work!

Now that details for this job are just about finalized I’ve been putting a shopping list together for all of the components. 3mm LEDS should be just right for the Richardson’s mast lights. I’ll be able to easily scratch-build the mast light housings & mounting brackets from my spare kit parts bins.

When it comes to the LEDs for this project, what do I need to look for voltage & current rating, brightness or anything else? Unfortunately I can’t see very well yet but I can use Siri on my iPhone to type what I say. if there’s anything offensive in this post, it’s Siri’s fault. I can’t wait for this plague to leave me!

Thanks for your ceaseless generosity & patience.

Pete

Hi All Ron's 'electronics Whizz Kid' here 😁😁
(See above for reference!😉)

Repeated tests with 3mm LEDs.
Within a mA current results are the same; all within 'experimental error limits😊 Noticeable was that the brightness of all combinations remains the same (to my eyes) from 7.2 to 7.8V.
All worked happily down to 6.0V and 60mA, just slightly less bright.
All but the two whites in series also worked down to 5.0V !!
The two whites were on but so dim they are barely visible.
Pics show operation at 6V, 60mA.
Now trying to figure out the mechanics of testing the tiny SMD LEDs!!🤔
Cheers, Doug 😎

BTW: the above tests were done with 5mm LEDs just to prove the basics.
I also have 3mm LEDs and a strip of the miniscule SMD types.
I plan to use the SMD types in 1/350 scale Plastic Magic projects😉
I'll try those next to see if there's any significant difference in voltages / resistors required and current drain.
Due to the physics I expect the same forward voltages for the same colour LEDs but significantly less current for the SMD types. I'm curious to see how the SMD brightness compares with their big bruvvers!
More soon. Cheers, Doug (aka 'All Lit Up') 😎

Endurance test has been running for 11 hours now.
'All systems GO'😊
So RN-Munich is closing down for the night.
G'night an' sweet dreams of boat sailing all.
Cheers, Doug 'ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ'

😲 get well sooooon Pete

Excellent work, Doug:

Everything looks great. Unfortunately just as my eyes have begun to feel better I’ve been stricken by a mysterious illness. Fever, headaches & weakness. Ugh. I’ll read your posts when the headaches quiet down.

Thanks again, kind sir.

Pete

Hi Pete,
have been running an endurance test, at 7.2V, for about 8 hours now.
All still burning merrily, nothing getting even warm and current stable at 93mA. Looks good👍 Cheers, Doug

You betcha Ed😲
Watch this space!
Pete has triggered my curiosity - always dangerous 😁
Cheers Shipmate, Doug 😎

The Model of course!
Some micro surgery have to be careful with the soldering iron!😲

Or even the Richardson Ed 😉
Do you mean the model or the real McCoy?

I don't envy anyone working of the mast of the Robertson or the Southampton!

Hi Pete,
JFF I built a little 'breadboard' (now where's my peanut butter!?😁) to test your LED lighting configurations.
Theory and calculation is fine but there's nowt like an acid test😉
Pics attached of the results (Christmas tree😊). Difficult to capture the colours due to the very bright white LEDs🤔 Will play with the resistors to bring up the yellows and dampen the whites a bit.
The 3 yellows at the bottom are the deck and cabin lights.
The 4 rows at the top are the mast lights, red and green self explanatory!

Applied (battery) voltage is shown on the meter top left, current drawn in mA on the meter to the right.
The circuits work fine from 6.0V upwards.
Current drain is approx-
110mA @ 7.8V (fully charged 6 cell NiMh)
103mA @ 7.5V (probable voltage after running a little while)
90mA @ 7.2V (nominal NiMh battery voltage. it will flatten out at approx this voltage after running a while - until it suddenly collapses at the end!)
75mA @ 6.6V (voltage of FLAT 6 cell NiMh battery)
60mA @ 6.0V curiosity! Below this some LEDs switch off. Brightness is noticeably reduced.
I think we can increase some resistors to reduce the current drawn without reducing the lighting effect😊
More info soon, I'm still experimenting, then I'll start modding my own tug😊 Cheers, Doug 😎

Mornin' Pete,
Mon plaisir 😉

Yeah, those surface-mounted-devices are a bit fiddly.
First thing is to clamp the board somehow so it can't slip.
Second: PLENTY OF LIGHT!!
Third: a small low power soldering iron, about 20W with a 1mm flat bit (chisel type). Temperature controlled if possible, set to about 200 - 250°C.
Fourth: a solder sucker is very useful to suck the solder off the joints, and probably the little resistor as well 😉
Fifth: a pair of flat ended tweezers. The cross-over self-gripping type are very good for this task, also to put the wire link on afterwards.
Finally: a large magnifying glass with stand, some have an area of extra strong magnification. Make sure it is very clean and the lighting does not cause shadows, reflections or refractions.
Alternative: heat the resistor with a standard 25W iron until the joints melt and flick it off with a scalpel! 😲 Just make sure no solder lands anywhere else on the board and shorts something out!!
Good luck👍
Cheers, Doug 😎
PS: my only concern with the mod is the current capacity of the switching chip / SMD transistors on the cct board.
I hope they can cope with the increased current 😉
That's why I tried to optimise the resistors and layout to keep the total current on each output as low as possible while still turning the LEDs on!
If something goes 'PoP' Don't call me - I'll call you! 😁

Hey, Doug

The drawing is excellent; thanks very much. I have one concern about something that I might not be able to do. The resistors that are to be removed & replaced with jumpers are the surface-mounted type & are microscopic. They don’t have leads passing through the board that can be desoldered. Seriously, those resistors are very tiny. They’re only about 1/8” (3mm) long. if a flea sat on one it would overhang the resistor’s sides quite a bit. I have a couple of magnifying visors but I still may not be able to do the necessary microsurgery. My worry is that the patient may not survive the operation.

Are there any techniques that help make the job of removing those tiny resistors any easier?

Pete

Morning Pete,
Hope you see something this morning cos here's your wiring diagram.
Any queries just YELL! 😁
Bon chance mon ami 👍
Cheers, Doug 😎

Sorry, Doug. I missed the LED tester suggestion. I remember the one about the bench top battery charger. I must’ve been in one of my narcoleptic fogs. I’ll get a tester as soon as I can.

You’re correct, mercury vapor lights definitely would have been replaced by sodium vapor lights by now. Mercury that finds its way into the environment is a major concern. There are still areas on our interstate highways where yellow is used because heavy fog is a concern. Maybe a special yellow tinted lens is used. Bolt-on fog lights for cars have halogen bulbs in a housing with an amber lens. They cut through fog very well. Maybe the Wyeforce has similar deck lamps?


Speaking of fog, The Goo is coming back again with a vengeance. I’ll be back when my eyes are clearer.

Pete

Hi Pete, that's one reason I recommended you get an LED Tester!!
I would assume 2V and 20mA and work up from there if the LED doesn't turn on with 2V. But 'Gently Bentley', go too high too quick and you'll pop it! A good average is 2.5V. Maximum for some colours or high brightness types might be about 3.3V.

Yep, I'd forgotten about mercury vapour, thought they'd all been phased out in favour of sodium. Nasty stuff Mercury 😡
You're right, won't make any significant difference with the deck lamps.
If they won't turn on when the battery is low just change the resistors for 120Ohms.
Ciao Doug 😎

Doug:

You’re right about halogen lights. They’re mentioned as halogen in one article but as mercury vapor in a few others. Over here mercury vapor lamps are used for highway & parking lot lights & they do have a soft, yellowish glow. Halogen would be quite harsh & hard on drivers’ eyes. Maybe a tug or similar boats would prefer mercury vapor lighting in deck areas because they’re quite effective at cutting through fog? MVs are a good choice for highways & parking areas for the same reasons, I guess.

By the way, in your spreadsheet’s Notes column I noticed that you wrote “Clear” for the two deck light LEDs when in fact they’re yellow when operating. it shouldn’t make any difference to your calculations because you used the actual measured voltage in your calculations.

Here’s a question. Suppose you were given a box containing dozens of clear & different colored LEDs, both the cheap tinted epoxy kind & the ones that have clear domes with different innards to give various colors. How do you tell what voltage they require? From what I’ve seen LEDs aren’t marked in any way with a tiny numbers or letters so how do you know their power requirements if they’re not in their original packaging? Are LED supply voltage requirements standardized?

Thanks,
The Eternal Questioner (AKA Pete)

Hi Pete,
Yep, the colour of the LEDs can be determined by doping the diode chip with various elements. The early ones were either red or clear, so the colour was added in the epoxy dome around the chip.
Cheap ones still are like that.
Nowadays you can get LEDs that light different colours according to the voltage applied! For instance in those irritating shelf / vitrine light strings that rotate through a variety of colours all the time.😡

I have some that are red or green depending on which way round you apply the voltage! They are milky white when off. Useful for checking the operation and setup in the boat of brushed ESCs and motors, esp for multi-screw boats, and the output of switching circuits.

Funny I always thought halogen lights were a hard white with a blue tint, like some car headlights. Cool on the Kelvin temp range.
Yellow is more like the warm white light of a tungsten bulb to me.
Yellow deck floodlights are more likely to be sodium lamps, like many street lamps.
The measurements you sent me indicated that the switch on voltage (Vf) of the searchlight was 3V and all the others 2V. So I based my final calc on that. if any of your LEDs don't 'strike' with 150Ohm just reduce the resistor to 120 to give it a 'shove'😁 I don't expect that though.
I have a box of 300 various LEDs and 1000 various resistors in front of me (and the mast from my Southampton tug😉) so will do some practical tests.
Cheers, Doug 😎
BTW: I can strongly recommend that you buy a simple LED Tester, like one of these-
https://www.ebay.com/bhp/led-tester
I'll help you get the LEDs the right way round in your circuits and tell you how much current they need for a decent brightness, and at what voltage they will turn on! Only a few bucks and saves a lot of aggro.
It'll also tell you what colour a 'clear or white' one will be when it turns on😊

Thank you, O Great & Mighty Helpful One (AKA Doug).

My doctor prescribed eye drops for me yesterday afternoon so the torture should be over soon.

I looked at your spreadsheets & everything looks fine to me. 👍

By the way, I’ve been reading up on LEDs during our correspondence. One thing I learned that surprised me is that LEDs require different supply voltage depending on their color. Silly me thought that different colors were made by simply tinting a clear LED. But it’s confusing to me because the LEDs used for the port & starboard sidelights on my tug are actually are red & green in color, not clear, when they’re turned off. However, the aft deck lights are clear as water when off but yellow when turned on. According to various web articles I’ve read Hobby Engine was after the yellowish color of halogen lights, which they’ve done really well.

Why are some LEDs clear when turned off but change to a color when turned on, as opposed to LEDs that are their given whether off or on?

Hi Pete,
Decided to change the 120Ohm resistors to 150s for safety at 8V fully charged! Keeps the total lighting current down to about 200mA 😉
New tables attached.
Last calc was with diode forward voltage drop (Vf) of 2.5V.
From your measurements the existing ones appear to be approx Vf 2.0V.
And I suggest you buy the same for your additional lights; Vf 2.0V, forward current (If) ~20mA.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Mornin' All, had wondered about that 3rd antenna on the model!
UHF on board is only used by the military.
The two longer (VHF) antennas are for the IMM band (International Maritime Mobile). Two are fitted according to the SOLAS/GMDSS regulations; one for transmission, one for reception.
SOLAS = Safety Of Life At Sea, introduced after the Titanic disaster
GMDSS = Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Applicable to all ships of 500t or more and boats / ships capable of carrying 50 or more passengers.
These regs were part of my daily working life for 30 odd years.
They define the COMMS equipment a ship should carry according to the Sea Area they will sail in.
Area A1: close to shore within LoS range of VHF IMM radio. Roughly 30 miles, depending on height of antenna above sea level.
Area A2: off shore within the north and south 70° latitudes, beyond which SATCOM, esp INMARSAT is not possible due to the earth's curvature.
INMARSAT and/or MH/HF must be carried. Alternative means of long range communication must be carried.
A3: Worldwide. MF / HF radios must be on board for operations beyond the 70° parallels.
Cheers All, Doug

G'night Doug!

I stand corrected Rule 30!

—INTERNATIONAL— Lights and Shapes

Rule 30 Anchored Vessels and Vessels Aground

(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen: (i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; (ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (i), an all-round white light. (b) A vessel of less than 50 meters in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c) A vessel at anchor may, and a vessel of 100 meters and more in length shall, also use the available working or equivalent lights to illuminate her decks

Look forward to the light show Ed 👍
BTW Guys; looking again at the photos of the original Wyeforce boat (sample attached) I note that she does not have the silly UHF antenna stuck in the middle of the mast on the model.
So that can be removed to give easy access to the top light and 360° visibility of it 😉
Now I'm really off to Bedfordshire, nearly 3am and still talking boats ?😲
Ciao for now

I must be thinking of a larger size vessal!
Sorry about that, Got to take a look at the rules of the road (Ships)!