Simulated flaming lights...On a boat???

[boomerang]

I've noticed in the last couple of years, the trend of people clipping these charming LED lights all around their boats. Right now ,at the marina we're in, there's no less than 4 boats close by our slip that have these things burning dusk 'til dawn. In anchorages I see them nowadays everywhere, too. I understand and subscribe to the notion that, while at anchor, in addition to the standard all around anchor light, more lights illuminating the decks to assist other mariners to be able to see your boat is a good thing, even endorsed by the USCG in their Navigation Rules publication, I believe. But flaming lights? I clearly remember the first time I saw a boat with one of these things flaming away. I thought , "Geez, that dudes light has short circuited and caught on fire; I need to get over there right away and tell them ! ". Then I noticed they had similar fires burning in other areas and realized what I was looking at.
My point, if there is one, is why would anyone want to simulate a fire on a boat. Sure, we've had Tiki touches around our patio at home but on a boat I have always believed an open flame wasn't a good thing.
So now, if I see the flickering of flames in the cockpit or up on the flybridge of someones boat, I've been dumbed down to ignore the perception of a genuine catastrophe and just assume it's a yard ornament that I'm looking at and not to waste my time bothering the folks onboard.
Maybe I'm being overly paranoid and clinging to outdated beliefs. Hell, half of the people out there nowadays don't monitor channel 16 while blindly following bob423 tracks as I'm getting forced out of the channel. What do I care if their boat is on fire or not...
End of my rant. But surely not my last.

 

[Iggy]

I get it. It makes no seance.

 

[MYTraveler]

Our house is 4 stories and has a deck on the roof. That deck is a nice place to hang out, with a jacuzzi, grill, lounge chairs, view, etc. I really want a fire pit up there, but the angle is such that anyone looking up may see flames, but not the firepit itself. So, in order to avoid false fire reports, I have resisted the temptation. It seems to me that the lights you are describing are an even worse idea. Perhaps if they proliferate, people will learn to disregard them, but then early stage fires will also draw less attention.

 

[psneeld]

Once a pretty cool gimmick, now pretty blase'.

Have launched in a helo for boat fires on many occasions, either trash barges burning off NYC or sun reflections off a large commercial ship starting engines and having large plume of black smoke from its stack..... hopefully the new USCG pilots have not launched for these new torches.

One thing to use them in a slip.... not so good if in a remote anchorage.

Don't worry Shawn, with age comes a bigger "I don't give a shi* factor" and knowing when not to or definitely have another drink before posting a boating rant on the net.

 

[boomerang]

Don't worry Shawn, with age comes a bigger "I don't give a shi* factor" and knowing when not to or definitely have another drink before posting a boating rant on the net.

I know ,but sometimes I can't help myself. You know as well as I do it's therapeutic to stir the pot and point out some of the obvious "WTF" moves that we see in our travels.

 

[Shrew]

Maybe I'm being overly paranoid and clinging to outdated beliefs.

Yep, you're absolutely too worried about things. These are solar lights. They provide lovely atmosphere with no impact to onboard resources.

I honestly don't see how anyone is going to confuse what looks like a candle with a boat fire. When you see an actual boat fire, then take action. Otherwise, don't worry about it. They are not in any way a reasonable navigation light. If you don't like them, don't use them. But maybe worry less about what going on on your neighbor's boat.

 

[Mac2]

The Dickenson diesel stove (very popular in the PNW) has a viewing window to watch the flames. This was on my previous boat and now I have a Dickenson propane heater in the salon of my current boat. It also has a viewing window to watch the flames (ambience). At night the flames reflect all through the salon. I’ve always expected the fire department to show up, but they never have. I’m guessing it’s due to the popularity of these stoves. I’m also conditioned to seeing open flamed portable fire pits on boats around here. Im guessing an actual fire would be slow to be reported.

 

[Frosty]

I noticed this trend on RV's in the past year. Except the lights they had make the ones you show (which I have also seen on boats) of look like bic lighters in comparison. These were large and had "FLAMES" and were attached to the side of the RV's. I pictured the fire dept. showing up because someone had called in "an RV on fire!" They were super realistic.

Especially because RV absorption refrigerators have had a tendency to catch on fire (which then shoots out the side of the RV where the fridge vents are).

 

[boomerang]

Yep, you're absolutely too worried about things. These are solar lights. They provide lovely atmosphere with no impact to onboard resources.

I honestly don't see how anyone is going to confuse what looks like a candle with a boat fire. When you see an actual boat fire, then take action. Otherwise, don't worry about it. They are not in any way a reasonable navigation light. If you don't like them, don't use them. But maybe worry less about what going on on your neighbor's boat.

Hahaha Let me guess who has these lights on their Mainship...
Don't take offence. You're exactly correct. Its your boat and you can have all of the simulated and real fires you want on it. Please just try to understand my point of view. The same as if someone on your boat jumps overboard and pretends to start drowning. I shouldn't give it any thought. It's not my boat and I should mind my own business...

 

[psneeld]

It's OK Shawn...when it comes to minding one's own business, it's not only a favorite TF posture on one topic, but then on another topic, the outcry that forms when someone doesn't follow the norm gets me really giggling.

Blow off steam, have a rant, jump on the soapbox.... how can one go wrong posting on TF when a rat's path in a test maze looks well defined compared to half the bizarre discussions here?

My real intrigue here sometimes is, when people actually meet other members in person, how their view of that member changes from the "keyboard commando" to something else.

 

[folivier]

I bought a solar powered bug light from Tractor Supply. Put it out on my cabin deck thinking it would help with black flies. It did but it also had the same flame light as above. This was marketed specifically to farmers/ranchers. Imagine a rancher looking outside at night and seeing what appeared to be flames coming from his barn.

 

[Shrew]

Hahaha Let me guess who has these lights on their Mainship...
Don't take offence. You're exactly correct. Its your boat and you can have all of the simulated and real fires you want on it. Please just try to understand my point of view. The same as if someone on your boat jumps overboard and pretends to start drowning. I shouldn't give it any thought. It's not my boat and I should mind my own business...

I cannot be offended by your opinion. No, we don't have any of these lights. I have had them in the past. These solar lights typically last about one season. So our solar lights get swapped out every spring. Some may show up this year. Who knows what will catch the admirals fancy. We usually use Lucy Lights.

I understand your point of view. It's unfortunate you don't understand mine.

 

[Slider70]

I once saw a fire start on a boat across the harbour from me. My son ran over an put it out. It was a shore powercord that had a knot in the cord. He just got there as the flames were starting to burn the side of the vessel. (As an aside the owner later gave my son hell as he said he wanted a new boat. Jokingly I hope?)

I have also once seen what is highlighted in this post while at anchorage up the coast last year. I admit that the LED fire light simulator did give me a jolt. But, I quickly realised it was not the start of a boat fire. It just looked a bit different. But, would I put one on my baot? No.

 

[ssobol]

There are more cues to something burning besides a flickering light. These include smoke, smell, and the actual motion of the flames. It is pretty easy for people to tell when something is actually burning versus a simulation. I mean, when was the last time you were fooled by a fake fireplace into thinking there was an actual fire there (not including gas fireplaces).

 

[psneeld]

I have flown USCG boat fire missions on smoke from an accelerating tanker, setting sun reflections off winshields, flaming barbeques, etc, etc....

Different things signal possible vessel fires to a variety of people.

Things that are supposed to look like open flames from a distance just may be the best false alarm.

Distance to object is often the key.

 

[Deckape]

Perhaps they were the less expensive lights

 

[mmullins]

There are some things you do on a proper yacht and some you don't. Aspiring to make your yacht look like an RV would fall under the "don't" category.