LED Night Navigation Light

[Ted]

Does anyone remember these things? Docking lights they were called and lots of boats from the 70's & early 80's had them installed. I had them on 2 of my earlier boats (PO installed) and I can't remember ever turning them on! I honestly can't even remember knowing if they even worked.
The concept is a good one for seeing what's directly ahead but who in the heck would want to cut 2 giant holes on the side of their boat for a couple of riding mower headlights?!!?

Had them in two boats.

The first was in raised bulwarks on a 27 footer. Worked good in the inlets around the islands.
The bulbs were 50 watt fog blbs with aflat beam top/

The second was 28 feet with them mounted in the hull. I got into a 10 foot
wind against the tide chop and drove water right through them.
removed and glassed the holes

Ted

 

[wkearney99]

Our current boat has the spot on the flybridge brow over the windshield. It's a terrible location as it results in a tremendous amount bouncing right back at us, ruining any chance of retaining night vision.

A previous boat of ours had a motorized remote controlled Guest brand spotlight mounted to the starboard foredeck. It provided good forward illumination. The attached picture wasn't our boat, but shows how the light was set up.

It was surface-mounted, just screwed into the deck. I never had the occasion to remove it, so I don't know if it had a backing plate or not.

Your pulpit is already pretty busy! But maybe something like that Guest unit could be fit in with everything else?

I've also see setups where there's a stainless plate welded to the top forward section of the bow rail. The spotlight gets mounted underneath that. I've never liked it as it seemed like it'd put a chunk of metal right in the middle of where I'd want to be looking ahead.

Marinco has a template for the spotlight. Might be worth taking a look at the mounting template PDF to see if it'd fit or not.

https://www.marinco.com/en/22040a

 

[C lectric]

For those whose lights light up the deck then shroud it so the light cannot hit the deck.
My fwd. nav. lgt. did that. When I redid it a donkeys age ago I made the holder with a base plate that extended forward enough that there is no fwd. deck lighting.
For experimenting use a piece of plywood.

I realize that even this won;t work for all depending upon where the light is mounted but maybe help some of you.

 

[wkearney99]

I realize that even this won;t work for all depending upon where the light is mounted but maybe help some of you.

Around here on the Chesapeake the biggest reason I'd want the light would be illuminating crab pots to avoid contact with them. I wouldn't expect to be traveling at our usual 18 knots, but even at 8 it's a challenge seeing the pots 'soon enough' to avoid them.

Where our spotlight is placed any sort of blocking plate would likely extend the distance beyond where I'd want need to see.

My solution has been to avoid the need, and thus either not travel at night, or check the lunar phases to make sure it's not going to be a moonless night.

 

[Olebird]

been thinking about trying one of these mounted under the pulpit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Magnetic-Remote-Search-Light-12v-360-180-for-Vehicles-Security-Emergency/164345420905?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D51efc09b989f4343b8a00d898478bab0%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D164345420905%26itm%3D164345420905%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A7c723031-10e7-11eb-ac22-528f508105e7%7Cparentrq%3A397b84971750ad4d8993cfa4fffd1f54%7Ciid%3A1

Looks like it folds almost flat, wireless remote control

 

[wkearney99]

been thinking about trying one of these mounted under the pulpit.

Looks like it folds almost flat, wireless remote control

Y'know, if you weren't planning on it staying there permanently, that might not be an unreasonable solution. Stuff that isn't made for marine exposure though, won't last long if left outside permanently. I'd be inclined to make it a break-away setup, so if it did come loose it wouldn't swing down on the cord and repeatedly bang against the hull.

 

[Circumnavigator]

I come down on the side that thinks that such lights are unnecessary. We went around the world on a Swan 57 with a remote adjustable spotlight on the spreaders and maybe used it once or twice. We've cruised 18,000 miles on our present boat, including a 5,000 mile round trip up the St. Lawrence to the five Great Lakes. She has a powerful spotlight on the wheelhouse roof which I've never used. We've been out at night a lot on both boats. It's a rare place and night that doesn't have enough ambient light to see what you need to see if you've paid proper attention to your night vision.

 

[Comodave]

I come down on the side that thinks that such lights are unnecessary. We went around the world on a Swan 57 with a remote adjustable spotlight on the spreaders and maybe used it once or twice. We've cruised 18,000 miles on our present boat, including a 5,000 mile round trip up the St. Lawrence to the five Great Lakes. She has a powerful spotlight on the wheelhouse roof which I've never used. We've been out at night a lot on both boats. It's a rare place and night that doesn't have enough ambient light to see what you need to see if you've paid proper attention to your night vision.

+1. Maybe look at a FLIR camera. No need for night vision loosing lights and you can use it all the time at night.

 

[Circumnavigator]

We own a good night vision monocular, but rarely need to use it. Probably less than ten times over 25 years and 50,000 miles at sea.

 

[psneeld]

Some people must cruise where it's only dark....there are many places on the ICW where keeping great night vision is really not possible.


Though they have much tighter clearances and less maneuverability, many of the tugs, especially those pushing barges use their spotlights quite a bit. Hardy would consider many of the amateurs.


Discussing using lights in open water I get it, I rarely use one there too...but if those that run in crab pot laden waters or log infested ones....I can see their point too.


FLIR is great, hopefully prices will keep coming down.

 

[jimfrens]

Having been the victim of the docking light variety - that is, another boat coming up river straight at me with those lights blinding me, and not answering the radio, I don't like them. But then, I've had folks shine their spotlights right at my helm also. I guess it's more of a user problem than the lights themselves. Just like high beams on two lane roads - too many people don't bother to dim them around traffic.

The other danger is, once your eyes get accustomed to that light, if you have to turn it off, you're now blind. Boating for the last year in a new area where there are lots of fishing and crab pot markers that are hard enough to see in daylight, I sympathize with the posts regarding those. If I ran at night frequently, I'd get a flood light and mount it out on the bow too.

 

[CaptTom]

...many of the tugs, especially those pushing barges use their spotlights quite a bit. Hardy would consider many of the amateurs.

Discussing using lights in open water I get it, I rarely use one there too...but if those that run in crab pot laden waters or log infested ones....I can see their point too.

If you watch, you'll see that the tugs generally use narrow-beam spot lights to illuminate specific things far away; the next buoy or daymarker, a bridge or bend in the river, etc. Most don't use them light headlights. These spotlights are often way up on the overhead of the pilothouse where they don't illuminate the foredeck or the water directly in front of them.

As for crab buoys, I strongly doubt you're going to find anything worse than Maine lobster buoys. Even on a very dark night, my own running lights will generally be enough to illuminate the ones I care about; those right in front of me. Lighting up a "bubble" around me only makes them harder to see until it's too late.

Being on a trawler forum, I don't think I need to point out that going slow at night is also a good idea. Bright lights don't make it OK go get up on a plane at night.

 

[Sabre602]

I, too, am careful to preserve night vision, both my own and that of other mariners. Quick use of a tight spotlight for a brief check is all that's ordinarily needed. I am, however, extremely sympathetic regarding half submerged crab pot buoys and gill net floats. In flat-calm waters it's normally possible to tune the radar to pick them up, but in any kind of a chop they are too often virtually invisible. I get the big lights in such conditions, and fully understand why the commercial boats have enormous artificial suns continuously burning.

 

[greatpapabear]

As the years pass, we find that entering a port at night has become more confusing given the increase in lighting in the surrounding port and land areas. At first, we used to use a spotlight but found that became less and less useful and only added to light confusion.

Then, we bought a FLIR thermal camera. It was magnificent and life (navigation) changing, making entering/departing port SO easy.

 

[Bill & Stella]

I don’t like the top of the pilothouse for a bright light. It will light up your forward deck and make it more difficult to see past the bow of the boat. I would rather have it out on the front of the bow pulpit. That way it doesn’t light up the deck and the water doesn’t reflect the light like a white deck does.

Right on, best place for a ICE/debris/crab pot light is on the bow pulpit. No light on deck or rails to effect night vision.

Standard on Seahorse Diesel Ducks and COOTS.

 

[Benthic2]

If its not something you need frequently, could you wire a power plug on your foredeck, and then have a light with a short power cord and a clamp to attach to your bow rail ? Then the light stays in storage until you find yourself at sunset and go plug it in and clamp it on.

 

[psneeld]

If you watch, you'll see that the tugs generally use narrow-beam spot lights to illuminate specific things far away; the next buoy or daymarker, a bridge or bend in the river, etc. Most don't use them light headlights. These spotlights are often way up on the overhead of the pilothouse where they don't illuminate the foredeck or the water directly in front of them.

As for crab buoys, I strongly doubt you're going to find anything worse than Maine lobster buoys. Even on a very dark night, my own running lights will generally be enough to illuminate the ones I care about; those right in front of me. Lighting up a "bubble" around me only makes them harder to see until it's too late.

Being on a trawler forum, I don't think I need to point out that going slow at night is also a good idea. Bright lights don't make it OK go get up on a plane at night.

Never said tugs use them as running lights..... just pointed out that a good, properly mounted light might be used by the wise and experienced when needed. Had 2 careers requiring a good or better understanding of night vision, so I get the difference in using light in confined versus open areas.

Maybe too many pots in Maine is the problem. In areas where there are lines or openings in fields of pots, lights can be useful, especially entering final destination areas where in a few minutes you no longer need night vision.

Its not about going fast, its about not hitting things that you can see in light, but not the dark.

 

[HiDHo]

I’ve researched 4” and 6” spot led lights. Many suppliers and pricing from $75 to $300, so far Rigid impresses me with the construction of their lights. I have also read reviews mainly from off road users. Looking for some feed back from boaters subjecting their lights to marine environment.
I agree the bow is the ideal location but have read setting it back on the pilothouse roof can direct the light over the bow area. I plan to test that before I mount the light, I guess that concept is used by photographers and stage lighting to direct the light with movable shrouds.
A good example of proper use of lights at night is the tows on inland rivers. They have spotlights that reach out miles ahead of the barges they are pushing. It might seem crazy but some people fish in the navigation channels not only in the daytime but at night !

 

[CaptTom]

I get the big lights in such conditions, and fully understand why the commercial boats have enormous artificial suns continuously burning.

The bigger commercial boats don't do it so they can see ahead. They're seldom even looking out the window anyway. They do it because they sometimes need the light for their work. They have big generators running all the time, so just leave the lights on, often even in daylight. And the big steel fishing boats don't care at all about lobster buoys, or even logs. They steam a straight line to and from the fishing grounds.

Maybe too many pots in Maine is the problem. In areas where there are lines or openings in fields of pots, lights can be useful, especially entering final destination areas where in a few minutes you no longer need night vision.

Its not about going fast, its about not hitting things that you can see in light, but not the dark.

I think you'll find that lobster fishermen have been around since before yotties. You won't get much sympathy with a "they shouldn't fish here" approach. It's up to US to avoid their gear. They fish where the lobsters are, not where it's convenient for recreational boaters.

Otherwise, I'm in total agreement. I'd never go out at night without some sort of spotlight I can use, briefly and when necessary.

 

[OldDan1943]

a light or a Flir camera to spot the unlighted navigational aids.

 

[psneeld]

The bigger commercial boats don't do it so they can see ahead. They're seldom even looking out the window anyway. They do it because they sometimes need the light for their work. They have big generators running all the time, so just leave the lights on, often even in daylight. And the big steel fishing boats don't care at all about lobster buoys, or even logs. They steam a straight line to and from the fishing grounds.



I think you'll find that lobster fishermen have been around since before yotties. You won't get much sympathy with a "they shouldn't fish here" approach. It's up to US to avoid their gear. They fish where the lobsters are, not where it's convenient for recreational boaters.

Otherwise, I'm in total agreement. I'd never go out at night without some sort of spotlight I can use, briefly and when necessary.

Lobstermen might have been here before yachties...but ask any Native American how that worked out.

I respect their rights ....right up to a point of greed or dangerous/unreasonable judgement.

 

[La Sirena]

I had occasion to enter the marina channel after dark, I used my familiarity with the channel plus chart plotter track and radar to safely traverse the narrow channel into the marina.

What you did was correct. Use your chart plotter and radar, and do not use lights. Lighting up 50 feet in front of you when you are going 5mph and an approaching boat is going 5mph will give you no time to react. Also, the lights will potentially ruin the night vision of you or the other captain.

It feels strange to use radar, but that is what you should use. It's light flying a plane on instruments.

One time I was exiting Newport Beach harbor very early in the dark morning. Something I had done many times before. There is usually no traffic at that time so I was a bit relaxed. I started making the final turn to starboard to exit the harbor when I saw what looked like a big, wide black hole where I could no longer see any shore lights. I thought, "that's weird" and I looked on the radar and saw a massive target. I looked up and saw the red/green navigation lights of a huge empty barge just a couple hundred yards ahead. I made a fast evasive maneuver to get out of his way and watched the phantom ship slide past on my port side. Pays to stay alert when it's dark.

 

[AlanT]

I don’t like the top of the pilothouse for a bright light. It will light up your forward deck and make it more difficult to see past the bow of the boat. I would rather have it out on the front of the bow pulpit. That way it doesn’t light up the deck and the water doesn’t reflect the light like a white deck does.

+1 I agree a top light (which I have inherited on my current boat) is all but useless.

I actually prefer a hand held for those very rare occasions when it is needed. Its easy to point where you want it without dealing with a servo wand, it can be pointed intuitively while off and then can be clicked on and off in a brief illumination so as not to annoy folk unnecessarily. In my sailing days its main use was to illuminate my sails pre AIS to light up my boat to traffic.

 

[HiDHo]

Using my radar wasn’t strange at all as I leave it on most of the time I’m underway as a recognition aid. Also using the gps chart plotter track helped. What is hard to do using instruments only is to not over steer the course or over compensate. This occurs when you have no visual feed back to your steering actions except the track back plot which is not an instant feedback. IMO a spot light use occasionally to verify your course further enhances the instrument navigation and yes a slow speed is a prudent action.

 

[CaptTom]

What is hard to do using instruments only is to not over steer the course or over compensate. This occurs when you have no visual feed back to your steering actions except the track back plot which is not an instant feedback.

Yes, there is a very disorienting delay before the new heading shows up. One trick is to use the compass to steer. The easiest way is to settle up on your intended course on the chartplotter, then look at where the compass is. Now use the compass to hold course, looking back at the plotter only occasionally.

Another advantage to this method is that if you ever lose the chartplotter, you can continue on course, or reverse course and return.

 

[OldDan1943]

I never remember where I last positioned my remote operated search light.

 

[rslifkin]

I tend to avoid running at night (and in places with lots of crab/lobster pots or debris, I just won't do it). But in general, at night, I always keep a handheld LED spot light (flashlight style) handy. In some situations, I may put a person on the bow with a spotlight. That said, adding light to a situation is a last resort in my mind, only if I can't adequately figure out the situation without it.

I've found that I can often find buoys and such by correlating where the chartplotter says they should be to the world around me. Finding an object in the dark is much easier when you know approximately where to look, both when you don't add light and when you need to point a light at it to confirm.

 

[CaptTom]

I never remember where I last positioned my remote operated search light.

I know that feeling - you flip on the switch and it's pointing right at your foredeck or something. Ouch!

On days when I'm thinking ahead, if I plan to be out after dark on a boat with a remote spotlight, I'll flip it on ahead of time to (1) test and (2) aim it.

 

[Ski in NC]

I run from the lower helm at night. I have a search light mounted on the pilot house roof right in front of the flybridge brow. The manual control comes through the roof and the handle is right above the lower helm station. Can aim it up down, left right with a motion of the handle with right hand. Breaker right there for left hand.

When picking my way through at night, it stays off. Only when I want to ID markers, whatever, I flick the breaker on, do a quick scan, breaker off. If boats are in front of me, I make sure I do not aim it at them, and minimize on time.

There have been times where some boat is approaching me head on with one of those light bars or other bright white lights left on, pointing right at me. Well, then the search light goes on and I aim it right at them. At least then they know I am there.