Ever since I was young and took a flashlight under the bedcovers to read adventure books at night, I have had a fascination with flashlights. (Marie has other words for my fetish of flashlights)
I recently went to rechargeable batteries for nearly all of my flashlights. I thought I would share some of my boat favorites.
Flashlights:
Starting from the top:
Key chain Streamlight logo Keychain light. This is very small and light, and is on all of my key chains, including the boat. It has 10 lumen on the brightest of 3 levels, plus blink mode. The C2016 lithium, battery seems to last forever. It is ideal for finding your way over the gunnel or the keyhole. I have a number of other "keychain lights" but this is my favorite.
Maglite Mini PRO LED /b]: This sits in a nylon holster, which also has a leatherman tool, and a Swiss Army knife of the Evolution series. The Maglite is rugged, and watertight. It has a bright beam, and long lasting AA batteries. We know where it always is located.
UltraFire W-878 CREE XM-L2 This came with the boat, it had a dedicated location above the galley. There are spots of luminescent paint on it for easy finding in the dark. It is only a $11 light and seems to be very rugged. There is a zoom type of lens, for a broad floodlight, to very focused beam. There are 3 power levels, strobe and "SOS". It uses 3 AAA, or a single 18650 Li battery (I have another device which uses this battery and it is charged in two of the below mentioned chargers.
Surefire G2X Pro 600 Lumen Tactical Which also lives in the galley, and is the go to for a high power quick to grab flashlight. First click is 15 lumen, second 600, 3rd strobe. It uses a CR123A Liithium battery. There is not a perfect rechargable for this battery.
Coast PX20 LED This is a 15 lumen white and 10 lumen red (separate tactical sensitive switches) rugged flashlight which is at the bunk side in the boat and bedside at home. I use the red light when getting up at night to keep my night vision.
Nitecore EC11 This is 1, 70, 160, 300 and 900 Lumen in white, strobe and SOS, plus red @ 0.8 lumen soiid and beacon. This is my everyday carry flashlight--also bedside and bunk side. If I was to have one flashlight--this would be it. This can use the CR123A Li battery, but also a rechargable IMR18350.
Energizer Headlamp A headlamp is the staple for going ashore with the dog. We start with red on the first press of the button. (and red lighting in the boat). We use the red light until almost to the beach, then Marie switches to white--and I keep one eye closed--with my head lamp on red. If we need it the combined white on these lights is about 300 lumen: 150 spot and 150 flood. The button also allows the white modes to dim to about 50% of max power. Although we are usually anchored in areas rarely traveled by boats at night, we do keep a white light for an all around, or identification, if we see another boat.
We also have a 3 cell Maglight, right by the companionway. There is a West Marine rechargable Spotlight at the helm. It its an older model, with a very focused beam, and about 600 lumen, and low of about 50 lumen, plus SOS.
Chargers.
From the top down.
Nitecore New i4 Intellicharger Smart Charger for Li-ion IMR Ni-MH NiCd
This is a smart charger which is able to recharge almost any small battery. I have had batteries which had been completely discharged, and would not even begin to charge on other chargers, and this would bring them back to life.
EastShine S4 I like this charger because of the information it gives. It identifies the battery, its voltage and capacity in milliamps. It then gives the proper charging profile for the battery. It also will charge any small rechargable battery.
Panasonic smart charger. A small and simple charger. Panasonic Enlope batteries are probably the best generally available. I use Enlope, Energizer and Amazon Basics.
What do others use?
I recently went to rechargeable batteries for nearly all of my flashlights. I thought I would share some of my boat favorites.
Flashlights:
Starting from the top:
Key chain Streamlight logo Keychain light. This is very small and light, and is on all of my key chains, including the boat. It has 10 lumen on the brightest of 3 levels, plus blink mode. The C2016 lithium, battery seems to last forever. It is ideal for finding your way over the gunnel or the keyhole. I have a number of other "keychain lights" but this is my favorite.
Maglite Mini PRO LED /b]: This sits in a nylon holster, which also has a leatherman tool, and a Swiss Army knife of the Evolution series. The Maglite is rugged, and watertight. It has a bright beam, and long lasting AA batteries. We know where it always is located.
UltraFire W-878 CREE XM-L2 This came with the boat, it had a dedicated location above the galley. There are spots of luminescent paint on it for easy finding in the dark. It is only a $11 light and seems to be very rugged. There is a zoom type of lens, for a broad floodlight, to very focused beam. There are 3 power levels, strobe and "SOS". It uses 3 AAA, or a single 18650 Li battery (I have another device which uses this battery and it is charged in two of the below mentioned chargers.
Surefire G2X Pro 600 Lumen Tactical Which also lives in the galley, and is the go to for a high power quick to grab flashlight. First click is 15 lumen, second 600, 3rd strobe. It uses a CR123A Liithium battery. There is not a perfect rechargable for this battery.
Coast PX20 LED This is a 15 lumen white and 10 lumen red (separate tactical sensitive switches) rugged flashlight which is at the bunk side in the boat and bedside at home. I use the red light when getting up at night to keep my night vision.
Nitecore EC11 This is 1, 70, 160, 300 and 900 Lumen in white, strobe and SOS, plus red @ 0.8 lumen soiid and beacon. This is my everyday carry flashlight--also bedside and bunk side. If I was to have one flashlight--this would be it. This can use the CR123A Li battery, but also a rechargable IMR18350.
Energizer Headlamp A headlamp is the staple for going ashore with the dog. We start with red on the first press of the button. (and red lighting in the boat). We use the red light until almost to the beach, then Marie switches to white--and I keep one eye closed--with my head lamp on red. If we need it the combined white on these lights is about 300 lumen: 150 spot and 150 flood. The button also allows the white modes to dim to about 50% of max power. Although we are usually anchored in areas rarely traveled by boats at night, we do keep a white light for an all around, or identification, if we see another boat.
We also have a 3 cell Maglight, right by the companionway. There is a West Marine rechargable Spotlight at the helm. It its an older model, with a very focused beam, and about 600 lumen, and low of about 50 lumen, plus SOS.
Chargers.
From the top down.
Nitecore New i4 Intellicharger Smart Charger for Li-ion IMR Ni-MH NiCd
This is a smart charger which is able to recharge almost any small battery. I have had batteries which had been completely discharged, and would not even begin to charge on other chargers, and this would bring them back to life.
EastShine S4 I like this charger because of the information it gives. It identifies the battery, its voltage and capacity in milliamps. It then gives the proper charging profile for the battery. It also will charge any small rechargable battery.
Panasonic smart charger. A small and simple charger. Panasonic Enlope batteries are probably the best generally available. I use Enlope, Energizer and Amazon Basics.
What do others use?
:lol: 