Opinions on Lighting

[Baxter]

I rarely boat in the dark. A few times when launching super early, and a few times when time got away from me and I had to head back after sunset.

But I have been thinking for some time about adding some spot or flood lights to the boat.

Lighting seems to range in price from very cheap to insanely expensive. Is the cheap a bad idea?

I have been thinking of buying something like this (not necessarily this brand or exact product, but something similar):

Amazon.ca

There are just SO many options in the under $100 range for a pair, or even 4 or 6 of these. But are they total garbage? Anyone out there try these? I am thinking that they just wont hold up in a salt environment, but they are "waterproof".

Anyways, curious of opinions, ideas, thoughts, examples of what you have done, etc

 

[CBsqrd]

Just don't. Using those lights for running is at best annoying to other boaters and at worse dangerous and potentially illegal. A personal pet peeve is when some jackass with a floodlight ruins my night vision. There is a reason boats don't have "headlights" like a car.

If you are running at dusk or at night, let your eyes adjust and go at an appropriate speed if you are worried about hitting something. Flood lights were originally called docking lights to help pull up to the dock. Spot lights are a different and should be used only briefly to identify something specific - i.e. a navigation marker or something in the water - before being turned off.

Or look at getting a thermal or low light camera if you plan on operating in the dark and think it will help.

 

[zurk]

ive found lights are worthless. i have a 10 inch tablet with a sionyx nightwave lltv. works extremely well. for light i use a olight marauder 2 14k lumen handheld light for anchoring. i have a flir but it has too little range at speed.

 

[brutus]

I rarely boat in the dark. A few times when launching super early, and a few times when time got away from me and I had to head back after sunset.

But I have been thinking for some time about adding some spot or flood lights to the boat.

Lighting seems to range in price from very cheap to insanely expensive. Is the cheap a bad idea?

I have been thinking of buying something like this (not necessarily this brand or exact product, but something similar):

Amazon.ca

There are just SO many options in the under $100 range for a pair, or even 4 or 6 of these. But are they total garbage? Anyone out there try these? I am thinking that they just wont hold up in a salt environment, but they are "waterproof".

Anyways, curious of opinions, ideas, thoughts, examples of what you have done, etc


View attachment 96788

I use those to light my dance floor, to prep gear before leaving in the early morning, never use light was going out in the dark, radar and gps and my poor vision, lights in the dark suck on a boat like others have said, I also have a search light on the bow and never use it

 

[Brando]

When running at night in a crowded area with other boaters around don’t use your spots. If you’re in an area where you’re not interfering with other boaters this light works great and you can see clearly far enough out to run at 25mph and have time to react. https://www.rigidindustries.com/q-series-pro-hyperspot-driving-combo-544813.html

The light must be installed in such a way it’s not going to spill onto your bow at all so on your front railings or similar. The water conditions need to be quite calm and any rain or fog will limit your range of vision significantly. Don’t bother with the cheap versions if you want to see anything. the light is intended to supplement radar/AIS/gps not replace it.

There’s going to be arguments to this but it works and given the right conditions you can see out 80-100yds or more just don’t rely on it being your only method of navigation at night and as someone else said don’t be the butt hat blinding other boaters in high traffic areas.

 

[Silvercreek]

Amazon or princess auto ones are garbage, not many lumens
Rigid seems to be considered one of the best but are $$ but when you actually compare the lumens to cheap ones then it actually seems not that different
I've also used the nightrider and the quality seemed similar to rigid but almost half the price, but then when comparing lumens to rigid they were also like half. (I never compared the 2 side by side so I dont know about that for sure, they all use different terms, so its hard to know what the real life comparison is)
If it was me I'd probably buy the nightriders, they look like a good balance of quality vs price

 

[Foxsea]

I have marine LED lights mounted below the bow pulpit but only use them as docking lights. As other have said, allow your eyes to adapt to the dark and go slow. There's often a bit of moonlight. I will never travel at planing speed in the dark. - it's reckless and you miss out on the phosphorescence.

 

[Baxter]

Thanks everyone!

Responses are similar to what I expected, but wasn't really sure! Glad I delayed ordering anything until posting here.

As brutus noted, I may consider a couple (or similar) for dance floor lighting when prepping gear etc, that would be handy - but I'll avoid getting anything for navigational purposes - your responses make sense.

 

[kaelc]

ive found lights are worthless. i have a 10 inch tablet with a sionyx nightwave lltv. works extremely well. for light i use a olight marauder 2 14k lumen handheld light for anchoring. i have a flir but it has too little range at speed.

Will you be stripping the kingfisher for your cat? Sounds like you would keep the Sionyx and sell the flir?

Thanks for the tip on Sionyx. They have a scope on sale cheap.

 

[zurk]

Will you be stripping the kingfisher for your cat? Sounds like you would keep the Sionyx and sell the flir?

Thanks for the tip on Sionyx. They have a scope on sale cheap.

yes ive already stripped bits of it. the forwardscan sonar is going on the cat as is the sionyx and the FLIR as well as the tablet. the cat runs at 20kts maximum/12 kts average so the m232 should do well with the slower speeds. i was debating keeping the sionyx but i doubt i'll make more 35+kts runs in the dark anymore with the kingfisher so i'll take both with me. if i really really need to do runs in the dark with the kingfisher i'll get another nightwave+tablet.

 

[Fisher_dude]

I have a 24” lightbar on my roof and hate it. It’s only good when I go to shore at night. If you plan on putting lights on, I highly recommend they go below your eye level while driving.

 

[kaelc]

yes ive already stripped bits of it. the forwardscan sonar is going on the cat as is the sionyx and the FLIR as well as the tablet. the cat runs at 20kts maximum/12 kts average so the m232 should do well with the slower speeds. i was debating keeping the sionyx but i doubt i'll make more 35+kts runs in the dark anymore with the kingfisher so i'll take both with me. if i really really need to do runs in the dark with the kingfisher i'll get another nightwave+tablet.

20kn under sail? She’d be flying. Keep me in mind for the sionyx if you sell it!

 

[kaelc]

Monicle doesn't seem like a good solution for running solo but if you had a good first mate it would be better than the hand held spot light we used at rivers. $400 USD https://www.sionyx.com/collections/aurora-night-vision-camera-range

 

[Rain City]

I zap strapped this to my anchor for opening week last year. It helped. Otherwise I keep it on hand for anchoring/docking at night from the upper deck. Blowback is a huge issue though so you have to keep it away from you shiny rails
Rechargeable LED Flashlight,90000... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08ZSGXX8N?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Maxpri]

My boat has two lights in the bow, that are part of the hull, just below the rub rail and I have never turned them on. I find lights on the water totally useless as others have said.

 

[CIVANO]

a few years back in Port Renfrew a lot of guides and non guides fished the triangle to East point. in the early light before dawn. Every morning a boat came out with front lights blairing and blinding everyone. The radio was on fire asking and then demanding he turn them off. He didn't until it became bright out. I was there a week and he was the same jerk every morning

 

[CBsqrd]

Thanks everyone!

Responses are similar to what I expected, but wasn't really sure! Glad I delayed ordering anything until posting here.

As brutus noted, I may consider a couple (or similar) for dance floor lighting when prepping gear etc, that would be handy - but I'll avoid getting anything for navigational purposes - your responses make sense.

If you are looking for spreader lights for the back deck, I highly recommend these:

https://www.lumiteclighting.com/caprera2-bracket-mount-led-flood-light.html (or the newer model Caprera3)

Dimmable and you can get a second colour (blue or red in addition to white). The color change and dimmer is controlled by a regular switch. i.e. when you turn the light on, it gradually gets brighter. When you get to the brightness you want, rock the switch off and on and it will stay at that setting. Turn the switch off and on again to select the secondary colour.

 

[brutus]

a few years back in Port Renfrew a lot of guides and non guides fished the triangle to East point. in the early light before dawn. Every morning a boat came out with front lights blairing and blinding everyone. The radio was on fire asking and then demanding he turn them off. He didn't until it became bright out. I was there a week and he was the same jerk every morning

a few years back in Port Renfrew a lot of guides and non guides fished the triangle to East point. in the early light before dawn. Every morning a boat came out with front lights blairing and blinding everyone. The radio was on fire asking and then demanding he turn them off. He didn't until it became bright out. I was there a week and he was the same jerk every morning

I remember that lol

 

[TheNootkaRose]

I have a flood and a remote controlled spot on the front and I never use them.

Like others I just, let eyes adjust, go slow AF, mind the chart plotter/radar if needed, have you NAV lights on, and when you get close to dock, there are likely light on from the town/dock that will help you get er in close.

Good luck, I akclowedge myself that it can be stressful.

 

[SpringVelocity]

In dark I turn my electronics on night mode for less glare on windshield. Run the radar overlay.

I have a LED dimmable puck light underneath hard top that can turn red or white. I have found the red works awesome in dark conditions. Your eyes adjust right away.

Those spot lights seem a bit silly and look more for show than anything.