Night Cruising Lights

[jurgenscraft]

I would like to mount a light on my boat so that I can do some night cruising,I have the normal navigational lights fitted. At the moment I use a hand held high power spot light which I have to recharge from time to time, I would like to fit a similar light as used in motor cars.Spot lights draw to much current for what I want to do, some of the local boat dealers want a arm and a leg for the lights imported from the United States , I am sure that a correctly mounted sealed beam automotive type headlight will do the same job, any body try this before.<br />Regards, William Wright.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

You shouldn't have headlights because they'll confuse other boaters who expect to see the red/green bow lights & white stern light, you'll blind oncoming boaters, and with your eyes adjusted you see only what's in the headlight beam. You lose all peripheral vision, which is okay on a highway because your car has to stay on the highway, but on open water you need to be able see all around you.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

I agree. If head lights were a great idea every boat would come standard with them. You will not make any friends on the water when you lights blind ever other boater out there. A hand spot light to check a buoy number is about all you should need. <br /><br />Go slow and keep track of your position, turn your GPS and Depth Finder light down low. Any dash light or compass lights should be low and red.

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

Headlights bad, very bad, blind oncoming boaters. Maybe a small bow mounted remote spotlight is what you're looking for. And don't leave it on all the time........................

 

[mikebc]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

Please don't blind me! All you should use a light for is a bouy reading or for docking. That's why they call em docking lights. Night is no wake on every lake I've ever been on.

 

[jurgenscraft]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

Thank you all for the very good and usefull information, all appreciated.Yes quiet right I will not improve my popularity rating by cruising up the river on high beam,my particular boat has the red and green bow lights fitted and a white light fitted at the stern of the boat.What I want to do is substitute a sealed beam headlight in stead of the highly priced (here in SOUTH AFRICA ) remote spot lights, I want to use this type of sealed beam instead of the remote light.I will only use this light for docking etc and will not be on permantely. Regards William Wright.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

Why not just modify an automotive headlight for your purposes then?

 

[cuzner]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

Just a thought, I,ve seen a lot of kit fog lights,in a sealed tub. May not be bright as headlight,but plenty for docking. Also check a truck accs. store.I've seen lights mounted on roll bars on pick up trucks They are scary bright. Can't be that expensive, I,ve seen lots of local kids with them mounted.<br /><br /> Jim

 

[jurgenscraft]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

I am going to the local automotive spare part supplier this morning and I will look what they have available, I saw a rubber moulding enclosed sealed beam on a fork lift Yesterday and this , I think, will be the solution to my problem ,all I will have to do is fabricate a suitable revolving base unit, I will keep you posted,<br />Regards William Wright.

 

[jurgenscraft]

Re: Night Cruising Lights

I went to the local spare shop and I was able to purchase a rubber bodied automotive lamp fitted with a sealed beam , these particular light assemblies are used on forf lifts and are constructed to be completely waterproof,with a little bit of engineering here in my workshop I will make up the necessary brackets, in stainless steel, to mount the hand controlled docking light. here in SOUTH AFRICA there is legislation that govern the strength of automotve and industrial automotive head lamps so this single headlight using only the low beam will not be as bright as some of the remotely controlled spot lights I have seen advertised on some of the web sites, I will be using this light for docking purposes mostly so I do not see the necessaty for a high powered spot light, so , it looks as though I have solved the problem.<br />Thank you all for the very imformative information, it is amazing all the information available on this web site,<br />Kind Regards.<br />William Wright,