Handheld Spotlights -am I being too greedy?

Hello Sailors

One think that I have been reluctant to buy so far is the Spotlight.

The fixed ones with remote controls are way too expensive to justify.
My question here is if the handheld rechargeable ones are not as good. The only problem I see is that I will have to go outside to point the thing in the right direction.

Between hundreds and tens of dollars, that is a sustainable sacrifice.

Is my thinking correct or am I being too greedy?

Thanks for your ideas.

Portuguese said:

Hello Sailors One think that I have been reluctant to buy so far is the Spotlight. The fixed ones with remote controls are way too expensive to justify. My question here is if the handheld rechargeable ones are not as good. The only problem I see is that I will have to go outside to point the thing in the right direction. Between hundreds and tens of dollars, that is a sustainable sacrifice. Is my thinking correct or am I being too greedy? Thanks for your ideas.

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Go with a remote one but mount it where it's in sight from the PH so you no where your beam of light is going. Our Guest broke and we replaced it with an Marinco wireless one so no running wires. http://www.starmarinedepot.com/mari...control.html?gclid=CJCB9O6fqbsCFUho7Aod2mIAqg

I have owned many hand held spotlights over the last 20 0r so years. I bought one of these last year by far the best one yet. Lithium batteries and led bulb it is very powerful and with all the advantages of both features. This model is about $50.00
Stanley 10 Watt Lithium ION Spotlight - Walmart.com

Go to the recycle marine stores, they always have the remotes taken off somebody's boat and unless you go for carbon arc, you should find a reasonable example for a reasonable price and get what you want.

I have a roof-mounted one and am about to find a way to lose the giant bulb and get an LED replacement.

When I bought my boat, there were two Guest spots lights, one on the roof and the other on the bow rail. Only one would actually light and neither would pivot. I haven't replaced them yet but I'm not going with another Guest brand. I like the automatic features of the Marinco, especially the auto sweep, pan and SOS, but the truth is that I can put a hand held light on a dark object a lot quicker by compensating for boat movement, and that's why I have one of them too. For what I use a light for most of the time, the hand-held works best and it's cheap service.

Not a hand held spotlight in the traditional sense but have you looked at any of the CREE torches.

I bought a T5 the other day online, takes 3 AAA batteries and fits in the palm of my hand and it was delivered to my door for $3.74.

I was truly amazed at how bright it beams out, and this is the baby of the CREE range.
I imagine if I spent $20 on one it would probably melt metal at 500 metres.

skip forward to 45 seconds for outside

WF-501b UltraFire, Led Cree Q5, 300 Lúmenes, Plateada - www.tienda8.cl - YouTube

I have three friends with the permanent lights and they are difficult to aim and hold in place. I have a hand held and it works great. In our area we use it for small unlighted buoys and crab pot markers that are very small and cannot be seen until you are almost on top of them. the permanent light is just too difficult to aim in that situation.
John
MS390

If you are actually planning on night navigation, then a fixed, remote spot is worth the price.

I like the ones with 4 buttons to operate - up/down & left/right. The reason : in the ICW, day marks tend to be the same height off the water. Once you set the elevation, then sweeping left and right is easily and quickly done.

I like now mounting - this avoids light pollution in the foredeck from the spot. If you're planning on mounting on coach roof , make sure light doesn't spill onto the foredeck.

Doing the ICW is a two person job. Lookout manning the spot and helms person watching radar/otter while steering. Forget about stepping outside every now and then to use a handheld. One collision pYs the additional cost.

If only occasional use , then handheld may be OK. Best to have both.

Thanks for that informed opinion, Reubin. I've never traveled the ICW in total darkness and your tip of setting the elevation for markers is a darned good reason for the extra cost. It makes me wonder if you cross paths with others doing the same in the opposite direction, ....must be a lot of glare.

It's hard to put a price tag on your safety.
IMHO, I would suggest that you splurge and get both. They both have their uses, and in the right situations, you won't regret having either one.

If it doesn't have one, add a shield to the lower portion below the light to reduce glare.

OD

It's not something I like to do, but have run the ICW at night. A good search light can light up the reflectors on the daymarks quite brightly. In fact, they can be easier to see than if backlit in daylight. The 4 second lights mark the usually straight channel, and the quick flashing lights alert you to a change in the channel. Of course there is much more, but after a few times it becomes kind of routine. How about a search light that swivels on a handle through the pilot house roof? They work well, and are more intuitive.

I am a duck hunter. Which means I am heading out or coming in from the swamps and creeks off of the Tennessee river in the dark. Often times it's raining/snowing or If I am lucky it's just foggy. This has lead me on a quest to find the very best spot light. I have gone thru lots of them. By far the best manufacture is magnalight. http://www.magnalight.com. They carry any configuration of a spot light you can dream of. My personal favorite is the handheld light below. It can be plugged into a cig lighter or if you call them they will make the cord so that you can attach it directly to your battery. I am not a fan of rechargeable lights. The run time is never as long as they state. To operate the light remotely I bought a rechargeable battery from batteries plus that is 3x5x4 and attached a 15 ft cord to it. Run time 2 hrs projected. If it dies I pop the clips of and attach the cig. plug and plug into the cig outlet which is attached to the boat battery. This is the only light that has made it thru 3 seasons. Ever light prior lasted only one season. It also is the brightest light I have found. They now make a 15 million candle power light which is 3 times my light. This light comes with threads in the handle so you can attach it to anything you wish or not.

Trust me you want a good light when when you are in a 16 ft go devil boat, its raining and you are trying to find the next marker up river or a way out of the swamp. If you have never seen the tank of boats check this out. www.godevil.com. Be sure to click on some of the videos.

http://www.magnalight.com/pc-147-64...0-watt--spotflood-combo--57-lens-16-cord.aspx

I run the NJ ICW at night at 20+ knots.. have for 11 years as an assistance tower and multiple times as a delivery capt as well as a pleasure boater....the NJ ICW makes the Norfolk to Miami run seem like a flight in outer space for the width and depth. comparison

I love the fixed mount manual, there are many here's but one...
PERKO Inc. - Searchlights - Pilot House Control Searchlight

A bit easier to control than the remote types and more powerful by a longshot over handhelds...makes my job a lot easier...

Expensive but worth it if you have the money...if you don't a handheld that can be fixed in place is the next best thing...the remotes are nice but not worth the money for what they "can't" do...and that is react fast enough for where you need them.

psneeld said:

I love the fixed mount manual, there are many here's but one...
PERKO Inc. - Searchlights - Pilot House Control Searchlight

A bit easier to control than the remote types and more powerful by a longshot over handhelds...makes my job a lot easier...

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That's it. Exactly what I was talking about. If I had a pilot house cruiser it is exactly what I would want.

I've used the million (or 2 million, depends on what's on sale) rechargeables for years and love 'em. The advantage they have over a fixed mount rotating light is that you can shine them to the stern if need be.

I found the fixed mount to be a PITA to use and then when you find your target, your boat moves and you have to take your eyes off the target and realign the light.

With the hand held it's as simple as pointing your finger.

One should have both. A handheld light isn't effective unless one is outside or points it through an open door/whatever.

Place your searchlight control so there is ready access for the lookout and the helmsman can focus on navigation/steering.

N4712 said:

Go with a remote one but mount it where it's in sight from the PH so you no where your beam of light is going. ...

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I say it should be out of sight for concern of hurting one's night vision. One can determine where the beam is going by looking at the beam's target, not the light fixture.

GFC said:

I've used the million (or 2 million, depends on what's on sale) rechargeables for years and love 'em. The advantage they have over a fixed mount rotating light is that you can shine them to the stern if need be.

I found the fixed mount to be a PITA to use and then when you find your target, your boat moves and you have to take your eyes off the target and realign the light.

With the hand held it's as simple as pointing your finger.

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While I agree that handhelds are usually much more versiitile...it does require your arm be outside in the cold, hot, rain, etc..etc...

It really depends on the kind of boating you do....occasionally running at night or mostly in open water and you hardly need one at all...run places like the NJ intracoastal at night regularly and you'll want something that's left on for stretches longer than you want to hold one but much quicker and more accurate to use than a remote.

In my experience remote types just don't respond quick enough if your boat is rocking/pitching, turning....

Where there are very few other boats around at night, using a powerful spot light makes sense.

However it is not fun to be pinpointed by some bozo at night with the 20 million candle power sub atomic reflector that effectively leaves you blind as a bat, while they try to pinpoint the mooring next to you. On behalf of us bats please use sparingly.

GFC said:

I've used the million (or 2 million, depends on what's on sale) rechargeables for years and love 'em. The advantage they have over a fixed mount rotating light is that you can shine them to the stern if need be.

I found the fixed mount to be a PITA to use and then when you find your target, your boat moves and you have to take your eyes off the target and realign the light.

With the hand held it's as simple as pointing your finger.

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I'm with you on that one.
And on top of that i'll be having those cree's I pointed out earlier, just the right size to have in a pocket at night.
You're not always near the helm or a spottie when you want a beam.

Tried it out earlier tonight, I have some signage 275 metres down the road from me (google maps says) with reflecto tape like on channel markers.
It lit those up with no problem whatsoever.

Greetings,
"by looking at the beam's target, not the light fixture." Do NOT look into the laser beam with your remaining eye.

Been boating over 20 years and rarely have had the use for a light. I do have a handheld, both a plug in and a rechargable for those odd occasions.

johnma said:

I have three friends with the permanent lights and they are difficult to aim and hold in place....

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That's been our experience.

GFC said:

...I found the fixed mount to be a PITA to use and then when you find your target, your boat moves and you have to take your eyes off the target and realign the light.

With the hand held it's as simple as pointing your finger.

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Totally agree. Maybe if you're at anchor or cruising on flat water the fixed lights work but in any kind of sea, what a PIA. We have the big Perko that psneeld referenced and it looks good but there is no way we can navigate with it or dodge crab pots at night. Trying to follow a fixed object as the boat is moving around is almost impossible. We have tried changing the focal point but as you widen the beam you loose brightness. We're talking about adding solar on the pilot house roof so we may have one for sale. A good hand held or mercury vapor would be my first choice.

A good hand held used on the fly bridge with the eisenglass open works far better than the bow mounted remote control. Inside or with the eisenglass closed, the hand held is worthless.

I don't think I've seen so many lucid, well founded reasons for so many different products. OK, looks like I'll keep the hand-held, fix the remote Guest unit on the bow rail, add a manual control roof mounted unit and beg Larry & Lena to send me their spare Perko.

Or perhaps one of these: High Powered Sky Beam Search Light Systems - Nightclub Architectural LED Outdoor Lighting - Search Light Sky Beam Systems

healhustler said:

I don't think I've seen so many lucid, well founded reasons for so many different products. OK, looks like I'll keep the hand-held, fix the remote Guest unit on the bow rail, add a manual control roof mounted unit and beg Larry & Lena to send me their spare Perko.

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Larry, sounds like you will have it covered!

Actually, I use the search light sparingly. I find a darkened wheelhouse with a good pair of light gathering binoculars to be best in most instances. However, a good light is indispensable in many instances. I noticed that Will just mentioned the entrance to Dowry Creek as being easy. It is in daylight. It's quite another thing when it's pitch black dark. I know. We went in there in the dark with the turning marker in the main channel missing. A good light will light those small markers. Otherwise not so easy.

I have gone through a lot of rechargable hand helds which were all good at the beginning but the closed wet cells soon lost the ability to recharge. Most have a life of one season only. Last summer I switched and bought a lithium one from the Hairy Scary Freight folks. I am impressed. This unit holds its charge very well and is quite light as well. It is not an LED but has a halogen bulb so it is quite bright. I just checked and they are on sale at $10.99 I wish I had bought several
One Million Candlepower Rechargeable Cordless Spotlight

Dear Fellows

Thank you very much for your help.
Most of you guys made my ideas clear in the subject of spotlights. A handheld will be probably bought in the local Outdoor Sports Store or on Walmart. Then, I will see if my boating habits require a better spotlight..
There’s nothing like reading the experts opinion to come to a decision.

Thank you again