Headlights

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A "docking light" had been installed on a Willard I owned many years ago in Oregon. I didn't think much of it until I had to enter an unfamiliar marina one night. That light was the only thing that let me see the sticks for the private channel into the marina. Not sure I would consider a fixed light a necessity - I have portable spotlights on board - but they could be a nice option, especially if single handing.

I haven't cruised at night on the East Coast, but I could see where some kind of light would be valuable in picking up all the crab pot bouys, especially here on the Chesapeake.

dvd
 
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I'd have to look a little deeper but I'm not sure it's legal to run with them on all the time...although many run with seachlights on when in narrow stretches of the AICWW...blinding other skippers is the issue.
 
..".although many run with seachlights on when in narrow stretches of the AICWW...blinding other skippers is the issue. "

Known as Cajun Radar on the GICW
 
Eeber said:
Anybody use headlights?

Thanks-
Eeber
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In Puget Sound you see all sorts of additional lighting on fishing and commercial boats, mostly due to all the crap in the water ( logs, crab pot floats, )
When I set up Volunteer for my run down the coast and up the Columbia River I added a couple High Pressure sodium lights up on the mast... wow was the visibility amazing.. I even was able to pick out a big old conventional Sony TV floating offshore at night on the trip down the coast. On the Sea Ray we currently have we have a set of recessed hull docking lights that work surprisingly well for entering strange marinas, channels at night. The next trawler that we are interested has a great mast to install high power lighting for making night runs to the islands... and will be high on the list of additions after the purchase. As far as the legal issue of lighting, I have never heard of the coasties caring as long as the correct nav lighting is also lit on the boat ( ever try to see the nav lighting on a cruise ship when they are all lit up at night? )
as a side note, the higher the light is off the water the better... water does weird things to the highest power light at a low angle to the water
HOLLYWOOD
 
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Had a remote controlled spot/flood light on the Wellcraft that came in handy a few times. I've seen other boats with built in "headlights". Mostly smaller boats that I guess would be ideal when loading on the trailer.
 
Aquabelle has 'headlights': a pair of Cessna landing lights mounted just below the anchor pulpit either side of the bow. She was built with them. They focus sharply down and their illumination area can hardly be seen from the lower helm. They are very useful for someone at the bow looking to pick up a mooring buoy in the dark. Retrofitting these is relatively common. High current draw and would only be used briefly, while searching for a buoy known to be nearby.
 
Is a searchlight considered a "headlight" if directed forward?

img_106902_0_e03533cf61f4914d0309088d1d362b6e.jpg
 
headlights, searchlights, lasers, anything facing oncoming traffic would be an issue in the eyes of a marine court if some other captain is night blinded by your lights...probably not a big deal most of the time but in crowded, narrow waterways like the NJ Intracoastal on a busy boating night...it is a problem...heck I'm also furious with many marinas and private docks that have security lights that face the waterway instead of mounted so they shine back at the dock/marina instead of blinding boaters.

I'm pretty sure in my reading I have read where no permanent forward facing flood/spot light is to be illuminated for transiting just for the reasons stated...but that would not include the temporary use of a spot to illuminate objects to ID them.
 
I like a good pair of 'high beams'.

I like them better if they are coming directly at me.
 
psneeld said:
headlights, searchlights, lasers, anything facing oncoming traffic would be an issue in the eyes of a marine court if some other captain is night blinded by your lights..
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Considering the limited illumination of most small-boat searchlights, their use for looking for floating water hazards is something less than 30 yards. So, shouldn't the typical searchlight be aimed downward and away from the eyes of other boaters unless they are "underbow" as well as far below the sightlines of a ship's mariners?
 
Moonstruck has a good remote controlled spot light that is great for picking up the reflectors on markers. Most of the time I use a good 7 X 50 set of binoculars that gather a lot of light. If there is any light available, it is amazing how clearly I can see at night. Even green cans stand out against the water. With the lights down on the boat the binoculars preserve night vision.
 
Moonstruck said:
Most of the time I use a good 7 X 50 set of binoculars that gather a lot of light.
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:thumb: My treasure is the light-gathering capability of a Steiner 7X50 binocular.
 
markpierce said:
Considering the limited illumination of most small-boat searchlights, their use for looking for floating water hazards is something less than 30 yards. So, shouldn't the typical searchlight be aimed downward and away from the eyes of other boaters unless they are "underbow" as well as far below the sightlines of a ship's mariners?
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Based on my experience with avoiding floating hazards is...if you are expecting them...go slow enough to avoid damage...if not run as fast as you feel that you can. Actually seeing anything and avoiding it is almost impossible...spotlights are for identifying buoys, charted rockpiles, etc...etc...using a light all the time to avoid hazards I think is a folly except for a very shot duration otherwise running at night would be so stressfyl it would no longer be recreational boating.
 
psneeld said:
...using a light all the time to avoid hazards I think is a folly except for a very shot duration otherwise running at night would be so stressfyl it would no longer be recreational boating.
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I have a hard time considering night-running to be recreational.
 
Wondering ... since night has serious visibility limitations, might not one want to sound his fog horn?
 
One doesn't run at night in Maine unless one has a prop cage. Have just asked for quotes on a cage from two different local fabricators. Not that I particularly want to run at night but it would give me the option to run the lobster pot minefield if I had to/wanted to, not to mention peace of mind daytime running. As long as I don't back up.

Lobster buoys | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
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CPseudonym said:
Guessing that is called Gauntlet Inlet on the charts
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Unfortunately for us pleasure boaters, its the norm around here. For the lobstermen, in spite of recent low prices per pound for their catch, its a goldfield.
 
Around here if you shine a light into the pilothouse of a commecial vessel be prepared for a sever blasting on the VHF.
Steve W
 
I can tell you with certainty that running with any lights other than nav lights on more than intermittantly will get you stopped and a citation from one of the many law enforcement agencies on the water - CG, Marine Police, Sheriffs, police depts, and game wardens. VA regulations say very clearly that any light other than standard nav lights must be used intermittantly (up to officer to determine what that means) and never shined at an oncoming vessel.

I love boating at night. Visibility is a problem only on the darkest of nights a few days a month or when overcast and we avoid unfamiliar waters then. Had an electrical failure one moonless night and came home at idle speeds from a restaurant about 25 miles away on sight alone. That wasn't fun but we made it safely after several hours running. Amazing how such an experience builds confidence. We don't hesitate to go out at night.

Gary Looking for a live-aboard trawler
 
markpierce said:
Wondering ... since night has serious visibility limitations, might not one want to sound his fog horn?
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Night isn't reduced (restricted) visibility.....by NAVRULE definition....the maneuvering signals are "in sight" or "in restricted visibility"

here's the NAVRULE definition... The term "restricted visibility" means any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or any other similar causes.
 
Steve said:
Around here if you shine a light into the pilothouse of a commecial vessel be prepared for a sever blasting on the VHF.
Steve W
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Or a blast back by a searchlight that will REALLY annoy you...:D
 
dwhatty said:
Lobster buoys | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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Yeesh. Always interesting to see why hard and fast rules that work in one place won't work in another.

Hope that bay is productive. That's some serious stock depletion otherwise.

I try not to use forward facing floods (destroying night vision, embarrassing other vessels, and all that), but last year I killed a sonar dome with a log, so what do I know?
 
VAtrawlerguy said:
I can tell you with certainty that running with any lights other than nav lights on more than intermittantly will get you stopped and a citation from one of the many law enforcement agencies on the water - CG, Marine Police, Sheriffs, police depts, and game wardens.
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In my area, boaters run at night with "headlights" on on a regular basis and I don't see them being stopped by LEOs.

Many deck boats come from the factory with headlights (they are probably labelled "docking lights").

My marina is on a river and it's also a dry stack operation with lots of these boats. Sitting on the dock after dark I can see them for a mile or more driving home with their headlights on.

Personally, I seldom operate in the dark, but when I do, I do not have or use headlights.

BTW: As tempting as it is to shine a light directly into the eyes of a captain who has just done that to you, the result will be that neither of you can see where you are going and he might hit you.
 
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Does weird things to the highest power light at a low angle to the water
HOLLYWOOD[/QUOTE]

Interesting . How so. :socool:

I love the whole mysteries of the sea thing.:pirate:

Even simple things like judgment of distance.
Looks like a hundred yards and it's more like 1/2 a mile.
Or the way sound carries.

So what is wierd. Cause and effect Please.:thumb:

SD
 
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I have a lot of lights on my boat. The winters are long and dark Here in Alaska. If it wasn't for lights I could never go anywhere in the winter.
Not enough daylight hours to get anywhere.
I am always anchoring in the dark At 4:30pm

Thankfully I am In Prince William sound in an Ice free harbor and port.
I seem to be one of the few people to take advantage of this.

Never had a complaint about the lights.

Most people say "I gotta get me some of those.":thumb:

SD
 

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