New Search Light

[danderer]

Originally Posted by dhays

I think a rechargeable hand held is more useful PROVIDED that you can keep it charged up.

I've given up on rechargeable for things that are only used sporadically. They never seem to be charged when needed.

I've got a handheld spot with disposable (ok, recyclable) batteries. New batteries go into it every year and I keep a spare set of fresh batteries on board.

[stubones99]

I have several tactical EagleTac (Now known as Eagtac) lights and love them. A guy I know has the largest selection in the US and is the US distributor for many of the better brand lights. No affiliation other than I've had lunch with him on a few occasions. Always knows what the newest / best trends are, if you want to know what's coming out and when. Talk to Tod at Illumination Gear.

His website is http://www.illuminationgear.com

PS: My favorite pocket light is a TX25C2 light (old, worn but still quite functional) and has rechargeable 18650 batteries and multiple modes, as well as double click strobe.

[OldDan1943]

I am surprised and disappointed someone hasn't start making add on red lens for the spot lights. They would be less offensive on the night vision.
Yes, it might reduce the amount of light but, at least you can use it at night.

[FlyWright]

Originally Posted by stubones99

I have several tactical EagleTac (Now known as Eagtac) lights and love them. A guy I know has the largest selection in the US and is the US distributor for many of the better brand lights. No affiliation other than I've had lunch with him on a few occasions. Always knows what the newest / best trends are, if you want to know what's coming out and when. Talk to Tod at Illumination Gear.

His website is http://www.illuminationgear.com

PS: My favorite pocket light is a TX25C2 light (old, worn but still quite functional) and has rechargeable 18650 batteries and multiple modes, as well as double click strobe.

Great site, Stubones! Thanks for the link and the recommendation.

I'm also a big fan of the LED handheld torches, especially if one has a helm door or is operating from a flybridge. A buddy who's a bit of a techno-geek working the CalTrans in solar and LED tech built me a custom flashlight from a Maglight. It's got a high quality glass convex lens, super-hi output LED (dangerously bright!), heat sink, rechargeable batteries, 3-setting switch and a charging port in the size of a 2 D-cell Maglight.

The brightness and focus is incredible but the most impressive is the very low light scatter across the bow. When I operate the light, it does not illuminate the foredeck enough to affect my night vision. I don't know if there are performance specs that address this light scatter, but it's something to consider when choosing a light.

[stubones99]

For boats, tech lights are not the best thing since they sink quite rapidly. They make a funny spiral light show in the water as they go deeper...

I found that the hollow center of a pool float noodle is about the right diameter of the barrel of the flashlight and will float the light and keep it from happening again.

One thing to know about long throw lights, is that they have to have deep reflectors. The more shallow the reflector is, the wider the beam will be. Those the coke bottle lens are the exception, and moving the focal point lets you change the beam width.

I thought I had a nice maglight one time, and was quite surprised by a tiny light Tod had that was tighter beam and many times brighter. I gave up modding lights and follow his suggestions... He has some that have 2400 lumen output from a single LED chip.

[High Wire]

My boat has an old Guest remote controlled mounted spotlight. The PO left the batteries in the remote control for way too long because the insides turned to battery mush. So the light is just pointed forward and down with a power switch to turn it on if necessary.
At Walmart for about $30 is a Black and Decker floating rechargeable handheld. You can quickly point it anywhere you need it, not just the forward half of the boat.

[aboatman]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

I am surprised and disappointed someone hasn't start making add on red lens for the spot lights. They would be less offensive on the night vision.
Yes, it might reduce the amount of light but, at least you can use it at night.

Someone does. I don't know who but they are available.

Someone left a really nice rechargeable LED handheld light at my marina. It had a red snap on lens cover. I asked the dockmaster whose it was and he said he didn't know but was going to keep it until the owner came looking for it.

If you can't find one in the typical marine retailers, perhaps a sporting store like Bass Pro would have one.

[stubones99]

A "red lens" is the wrong way to go, since a filter will cut out the light that you don't want, leaving less light to see what you want to see.

A better way to go is to get an LED with the color light you want to use (some have multi-color LEDs), so you're more efficient, making only the wavelength of light you want to use. That way, your batteries will last longer and you don't have the heat buildup and wasted light of a colored filter.

Like I said earlier, talk to Tod at http://www.IlluminationGear.com If it is available, he knows about it and probably has it in stock.

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by stubones99

A "red lens" is the wrong way to go, since a filter will cut out the light that you don't want, leaving less light to see what you want to see..

Yes, it will cut back on the amount of light but, I was thinking of retrofitting existing permanently mounted search lights.
It will also preserve your night vision and that of an approaching vessel.
Let's face it, most of the time, the light is used to search of the channel markers and to attract the attention of oncoming vessels.

[OldDan1943]

What I want is a red/white manually positioned spot light. The ability to reach up and manually position the light. I had a search light like that on my N46 and I miss it. Alas, it did not have the red/white option.
I could manually position it before I turned it on.

[High Wire]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

I am surprised and disappointed someone hasn't start making add on red lens for the spot lights. They would be less offensive on the night vision.
Yes, it might reduce the amount of light but, at least you can use it at night.

If the red light is bright enough to see anything more than needed to keep you from stubbing your toe, it will still affect your night vison. I'm sure someone versed in rods and cones will chime in to clarify.

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by High Wire

If the red light is bright enough to see anything more than needed to keep you from stubbing your toe, it will still affect your night vison. I'm sure someone versed in rods and cones will chime in to clarify.

That will depend upon the wave length of the red light, I think.

[rclarke246]

I just heard from a delivery captain that he liked the "auto-sweep" feature on a recent night voyage. He said it really helped to see the wave action.
May be worth considering.

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by rclarke246

I just heard from a delivery captain that he liked the "auto-sweep" feature on a recent night voyage. He said it really helped to see the wave action.
May be worth considering.

I have a adjustable forward looking IR camera that can be changed to red. It is good to find channel makers at night. It can also sweep

Cost me big bucks but cheap considering what happens if one misses a marker at night.

I also have a stationary IR camera pointing aft... good for back down and USCG approaching. WINK

[Benthic2]

another option: If you have a cordless drill, many of the drill companies have spotlights that use the drill batteries. That way you're not buying more systems to keep charged.