Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

[pred02]

A general Maglite, or a special waterproof one? What about flashlights that have the SOS morse built in for night signals?

Any recommendations are welcome.

Thanks!

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

For a serious flashlight, a full size Streamlight or Streamlight Stinger in a charger hardwired to you ignition would be tough to beat. You would always have a fresh light. They are very bright and have a long battery life. I carry a fullsize in my work car. I'd guess it is near 15 years old. I carry a Stinger on my belt. I got it in 1998. Both still work great.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

first where are you boating. lake, river, off shore?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

first where are you boating. lake, river, off shore?

that seems like a pretty good question prior to the answer......
myself, i do lakes and the river.... same flashlights for both dutys.... 2 AA mag lites. spare batterys onboard.... also a 12v 1200 candle power spot light that plugs into a ciggerette lighter socket..... all are confirmed working prior to knowingly going out at night... assumed working if going day boating....

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I keep a couple of $5.00 utility lanterns from the big box home improvement store in the boat - the yellow ones with the square 6 volt batteries in them. I also keep a few in the house since I live in a hurricane prone area. They're not fancy but they work quite well. I have even submerged them completely under water with no immediate ill effect.

For long range lighting needs, I keep a corded high output spotlight that plugs into a cigarette lighter type receptacle mounted under the dash of my boat. I don't buy the high capacity spotlights with large batteries in them because I have found them to be a pain - the batteries are so heavy that they are tiring to hold. And, as I have two very high capacity marine batteries in the boat, one of which will power the spotlight for hours, there really isn't any need for a separate battery.

 

[pred02]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

Its a small about (~16ft) which will be used on the sea (not ocean) but also not a lake. It will probably not stray more than 1-2nm from shore. I do not have an utility power outlet so the light has to be fully battery operated and preferably compact.

Thanks!

 

[jennis9]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

we have a 2million amp hand light for safety and nighttime navigating around logs but mainly use the headlamps on our hats since they give off enough light to restring rods and pack up gear

 

[ib656]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

i am on a 12 mile long lake with a 19' stingray 190 rx - 4.3 mercruiser.

i keep a 2 d cell maglight for general use and i also bring a surefire 6p w/ 2lithium batteries (they have a 10 year shelf life).... it is smaller than a 2 aa cel maglight but brighter than anything i have ever used (well, maybe not one of those 2 million candle power jobs) and can pick out a mooring buoy from quite a distance.

surefire flashlights are top quality, mostly used by police and military.

while it is a great boat light, it also acts as a non-lethal defense weapon.....one quick blast into someones eyes will render them blind long enough for you to make a safe exit.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I have a small boat that I use only on small metro lakes. I carry a Maglight and also a small (10" tall maybe) Coleman LED lantern. If I had more boat or took it out on big water I would carry better.

 

[tommays]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

All of are life jackets have a small ACR CG approved light

A whistle is required here on sailboat races that finish after sunset and we feel the light adds a lot if you go over in the dark

 

[benben]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I carry a two d-cell underwater diving light, in case I have to go over the side, and one of those little flashlights that you shake and it lights up, just for a little emergency back-up...

 

[Splat]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

Really cannot go wrong with a Stream light. Either a stinger, or a Stinger HP.

I carry one always on the charger in my truck, as well as one on my boat, and have a LED version for work. They can sit on the charger indefinably so you'll always have a fresh light as someone stated. TRUST ME these BLOW A MAGLIGHT AWAY in terms of quality and output.

If your going to keep it on your boat, and will be cutting the power to the charger like with a battery switch, spend the few extra, dollars and get the fast charger. It'll charge a totally dead battery in 2.5 hours opposed to 13 in the standard charger. The reason I bring this up is they are nicad batteries so they do self discharge at a slow rate. if your boat sits for 30 days with the power cut off the flashlight will discharge approx 10%, leaving you with only a 90% charge remaining. A fast charger will bring that back up too 100% in 15 minutes! That's like the time to turn on the bat power, run your blower and warm up the engine.

Sorry to ramble on, but I really do recommend their products.
http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_PolyStinger_Rechargeable_Flashlight.php
http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_Stinger_HP_Xenon_Rechargeable_Flashlight.php

Bill

 

[ilmostro99]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I have a small hand held crank type (read - no battery required) that also has a radio and weather band built in for backup, but my main light is a headlamp. LED, red light, white light. I stumbled onto these a few years ago backpacking, and they are by far the most useful lights I have ever used. Both hands are free, and it is always pointing at what ever you are looking at. Great battery life also. Got mine at Costco for about $20 and I love it. 1 in the house, 1 in each car, and 1 in the boat... now, if they would just make them waterproof I'd be set.
Erik

 

[AltheaToldMe]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I have this hybrid rechargeable xenon/LED powered by the 12 VDC utility outlet or the 110 VAC charger off of the power inverter.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Which flashlight do you carry on your boat?

I night fish almost exclusively so my boat is lighted, all the storage wells, live wells and cockpit area have really bright leds all wired to a dash switch.

I built a light bar using the LEDs to see the rods with too.

I have a small Mag light and a 2 mill spot too and I keep a lantern on board just in case I lose the battery on the boat.