I have installed new wiz bang led steaming and anchor lights. Wanting to save on a switch in the breaker board and extra wiring through small holes by maybe wiring them together just inside cabin roof. Then only need to run one twin core back to panel.

I know sitting on anchor with anchor and steaming light is unnecessary, but is there any problem with motoring at night with your anchor light on as well as steaming lights (with nav lights on too)

Yes. Not only is it against the Col Regs, other vessels will get confused. If you have nav lights on with the anchor and steaming light you will now have two white lights astern, the anchor light and your stern light, and two white lights ahead, anchor and steaming, and a nav light showing in the relevant sector. I see a red nav lght and two white lights. What are you and which way are you going? Are you two vessels near each other, one coming towards me and the stern light of another? I see two white lights, is it one vessel or two stern on to me with different height lights?

A light sensor switch that my friend hot wired from a 240volt to 12volt somehow!
A must have if you live on anchor, I never have to think about turning it on. Oh yeah I was told off for multiple lights once, can't tell who you are in the dark.

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MorningBird said..

Yes. Not only is it against the Col Regs, other vessels will get confused. If you have nav lights on with the anchor and steaming light you will now have two white lights astern, the anchor light and your stern light, and two white lights ahead, anchor and steaming, and a nav light showing in the relevant sector. I see a red nav lght and two white lights. What are you and which way are you going? Are you two vessels near each other, one coming towards me and the stern light of another? I see two white lights, is it one vessel or two stern on to me with different height lights?

ok, that makes sense.
however it would be ok to switch the steaming and nav lights with the one switch though right ?

Come on Keen Sailor, this is a joke right? You're just having a lend of us. I can't believe for a moment you're seriously considering such a dodgy nav light setup just for the sake of an extra switch but if you are then this could be for you.
I once heard over the VHF radio one evening the captain of an oil tanker that had just finished berthing in Gore Cove say to his engineer whose name was Dave, "O.K. Dave, light up the ship!" And when he did you could have played a game at the SCG with the amount of light that ship put out. I sometimes wonder if some yachtys aren't trying to emulate that captain.
So for those of you who are lets go through it. We've just finished our club race for the day or maybee lazily ghosting back to the mooring after a long lunch and the sun is about to dip below the horizon. So down below we go to the switch panel. Thats that black or grey thing with switches on it and labels that tell you what they're for. You select Nav lights or Running as they are sometimes named but just to be sure you are seen to be navigating, may as well switch on the Mast Head Nav lights as well. And because we'll be motoring onto the mooring best have the Steaming light on now. Oh and in case someone is on my mooring and I need to anchor we'll have that as well. It'll probably be dark when we arrive so lets get the Spreader lights on and we'll warm up the Spotlight just in case we can't see the mooring.
And as you look across with pity at the other poor bugger sailing into the bay who only has his port, starboard and stern lights on you reflect on how fortunate you are to have been blessed with so many amps.
Meanwhile you wonder why the 4 tugs surrounding you are are trying to attach lines to your ship. Sorry I mean yacht.
Come on it's not that hard. But if it is maybe this will help

The ones at the sides are for the ride
The one at the back shows up your track
The one at the front show you're on grunt
And the one at the top shows you've come to a stop

I don't wish to be harsh but please read and comply with the Col Regs. I'd like to know your intentions if I ever come across you at night.

If a yacht has nav lights on he is under sail and has right of way in many situations. If you have the steaming light on you are motoring and are treated as such. Stick with Col Regs for everybody's comfort and safety.

I prefer, my boat at night must be well lit.
Old fisherman are half blind.

50 bright White and Blue LED.
What about that !

I hope you a white around mast light as well?