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[BarryM]

Oil navigation lamps on masts would be lit and then hoisted into place by a halyard. Ensuring the lamp took up the correct attitude was often ensured by having fixed guide wires running through rings attached to the lamp housing, i.e. the lamp ran up and down the wires which ensured the lamp always pointed in the right direction.

Can anyone come up with an alternative guide system that was in use in the oil navlamp era?  I am trying to figure out how it was done on a vessel that had oil lamps and a mast to mount them on but does not appear to have had any guidewires fitted.

Thanks to anyone who can provide the answer and stop me banging my head on the wall trying to figure it out.

Barry M

[tassie48]

Barry i worked on two old ships that had oil lamps we use to light the lamp and hoist it up it had eye bolts in the back of the lamp that went up guide wires up the mast kept it facing fwd ,the other we use to attach a collar from the lamp around the back of the mast and tied off as you lifted the lamp via a halyard the collar went around the back of the mast kept the lamp from swing about i remember the lamp had a leather U shaped frame at the back of the lamp that the collar attached too this help hold the lamp to the mast both were old tugs back in the early 1970s.
The anchor light was hoisted up the mast fwd stay tied off the watch keeper use to check it on the hour and log the time tassie48

[BarryM]

Tassie,

Thanks for the input but the vessel is a steam yacht with auxiliary sail. Any lamp with a collar encircling the mast would have fouled the mast hoops. Despite the fact that there is no evidence of guide wires, I am coming round to the idea that there must have been and I just can't see them on the poor quality photos available.

Barry M

[gondolier88]

Auxiliary sail would usually be a gaff rig, which would mean a a collar above the gaff wouldn't foul the mast hoops, but I don't know what rig yours is.

Have a look at my Flickr group here; http://www.flickr.com/groups/steamboats_and_launches/ ,you may find a glimpse of what you are looking for.

Greg