Great Product for fog light option

C

capt. meares

New member
I just mounted this Light on my 22 Cruiser directly in front of the middle window, under the eyebrow. It does not block any vision while looking out from the inside and you barely notice it is there from looking at it from the outside. It took some trials to get the angle just right. I epoxyed some wooden wedeges using West Six10 under the eyebrow and then mounted it with screws into the wood. The beam amazingly looks like my car with brights on, and seems to go through the clear spot un unobstructed, above the anchor and below the bow rails with almost no glare or reflection. Whole project was under $100. no pics yet but the link below is the exact light used.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... &ppt=C0325
 
I am having a problem visualizing how a "Fog light" and no glare back from either the fog, deck or railings will work.

To me a fog light in a car, shines on the edge of the road--white line right, mid yellow / white line left, way low, so the glare back is minimized. For example when I put the utility light with a magnet on the anchor--that puts the light, and its beam below the line of sight. In this case, the light beam is above the line of sight, and would reflect back from the fog?

How does your light improve your ability to see forward in the fog?

Thanks.
 
Capt Meares,

First, let me say, I'm glad to hear you are considering and doing something about lighting. It has been a longtime issue with me and I have looked at dozens of options. I have not thought of where you put your light, but I have thought about the same type of lights and in multiple configurations.

The issue of back splatter, and glare off the fore-deck and the stainless out front have always bugged me. I looked at RidgidX LED's with very narrow light patterns, (5 or 10 degree) as possibilities, but they are $$$. I looked at putting them up high, like on the radar tower, and down low, like the bottom of the bow pulpit posts. For me it is still a work in progress. Good to see you got something that sounds like it is working.

OK, some really big news, Direct from the Seattle Boat Show 2016. And it's done with mirrors and LIGHJTS ---> LED's .... actually they are RIDGEDX lights. Yup $$$ and they are on our cousin boats the new Sea Sports. YES :!: Did anyone else notice them .... on the bow, just under the anchor in a pocket, a good dose of LED light power, right where you need it. For me, it was almost worth the $228,000 for the boat. BUT (of course) for somewhat less than that I could take my boat to the factory and have them do that for my C-Dory, yeah except $$$ probably wouldn't cover it.

Now, I don't know if those lights were options or standard but they were on each of the SeaSport boats there. And from my RidgidX research form before, they are [probably about $500 plus just for the lights.

I'm really anxious for you to get some photos, and hear more about the efficacy. I have seen lights like that on tractors, on trucks, and on boats. Thanks for sharing.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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As I read here, I'm somewhat reminded of some of the pontoons I see running around at night with their docking lights on. Needless to say, not quite in keeping with the regs for boat lighting... Colby
 
I agree with Thataway, every time I've Used a spotlight in the fog it results in a big grey dot about ten feet in front of where I'm pointing it. I guess I don't see the advantage, no pun intended. Colbysmith: Living on the river I see those pontoons with their dock lights on all the time. Almost as embarrassing as cruising all day with your fenders out. :wink: :wink:
 
I agree with Colby and Fairbro, 1. I see those lights on the big fish boats. They are on and it makes no difference, day or night, clear or fog. BUT (and they may have their nav lights on too) the first lights you see, especially in the fog are those big, high halogen or sodiums. I have seen them in 100 foot visibility fog, before I could hear the engines when there was no chance of seeing the nav lights, and they are running without a fog horn.

Doesn't make it right, but they do show up. Being that those lights are pretty high up, maybe they don't back splatter like the low lights do.

I have found that when I use my spot light (a West Marine LED/Laser combo) that a Pringles potato chip tube, about 10 inches long, slid over the front of the spot light makes it very directional and I can point it through the bow pulpit stainless without lighting up the fore-deck or shiny stuff up there.

I am going to follow up with Ron Wright at Sea Sport about their new addition on the new boats at the show.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey,
Are these lights recessed into the hull, such as docking lights? Or are then on a bar which is adjustable?

Despite the fishing boats using the large lights--and tugs keeping their high powered spotlights on all of the time, these bright lights are a problem, for other boaters. Basically they kill the night vision for those on the boat, and for boaters approaching.

The docking lights are just for that--docking. Unfortunately we could see an epidemic of boats with "headlights". Despite perceived safety by seeing debris in the water--they don't make boating any safer.

I have 3 ways of lighting forward (beside the legal running lights). One is a low power--probably in the 50 lumen range, to light up the fore deck, when docking. Second is a 960 lumen array which shines forward, and again, is used in the narrow bayou when coming to my home dock and similar times. 3rd is the utility light mounted on the anchor under the gunnel that is probably 120 lument--and used for docking and in the canal. I don't run any of these when in open water, or not involved directly in docking. As Harvey, I do have a hand held spotlight or flash light to ID navigation buoys.
 
hardee":1cjphqp9 said:
I see those lights on the big fish boats.... I have seen them in 100 foot visibility fog, before I could hear the engines when there was no chance of seeing the nav lights, and they are running without a fog horn.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, BUT... for me, part of the reason I *can't* see nav lights on boats like that is that they are blanked out by the other super bright lights. Just try to see the red/green on a cruise ship at night. I know the ship is there, because I see a wall of bright lights (and a radar image), but I sure as heck can't see the nav lights very well.

I know fish boats are working, and they use the lights for that; but I personally wouldn't use lights like that on non-fishboat craft, just to be seen. Reminds me of one of the first sailboats I crewed on. We had a fine set of nav lights, but the owner would put on the strobe (!), spreader lights, steaming light (when underway with sail only) and etc. "just so we can better be seen." Well great, but with the nav lights we can be seen AND people can tell what we are and what we're doing. If he felt the nav lights were too dim, then I would have preferred brighter versions of the nav lights, not just throwing on a bunch of other non-meaningful lights.
 
If you blind another boater with those lights and there is a collision, YOU are 'at fault'! Colregs does not allow 'headlights' on boats.
 
I have had a remote spot light on my 22 and loved it for many uses. You have to have the light forward of the rail or the rail blacked out. If you dont do one of those two things you will be very disappointed with the results. We used it in the dark most of the time. Great for checking out a anchorage when you con in late and none of the fing sail boats have anchor lights on, its always the sail boats.

Its also great to spot the boat that is dragging anchor at night. Also good to to line up on a tree on shore at night so you can check if you are dragging. Susan and I fish until dark and like to have a light to make our way home. That said its only some what useful at speed.
 
The Lights I saw on the SeaSports were set into a pocket, directly under the anchor. Seemed like a good idea for the light not to create back splash lite, but not so good for the light if the anchor took to banging. The were RidgidX lights, and if you look at that web site, they are very nearly indestructible though.

Brent, that picture looks like a perfect place to mount a light to avoid the bright reflections. It looks like a combo, wide or flood and spot. I think a good choice.

I agree with Sunbeam and Bob, they may be more than necessary, but there may be an occasional instance where you need light, and single handing, holding a spotlight and driving, plus any other chore at the time gets to be pretty dicey.

Part of the reason I don't intentionally boat after dark.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Hi C-Brats, and a quick story. I guy and I were talking about boats recently and he said the Coast Guard academy used to teach this---"when all three lights I see ahead, I turn to starboard and show my red, green to green, red to red, Perfect safety go ahead. I don't know if this is true or how long ago it was, but I enjoyed the story and the character I was talking to.

We hope to do some serious cruising this spring and summer, but I can't make real plans until I get my lighthouse dates for Stuart Island. We hope to see you all and safe travels. A bit of good water news. We are loaded with snow in Idaho, and may be even able to do a aquifer recharge this spring. We have over ten feet at the local ski resort so look out Columbia- in three months, here it comes! Roger
 
I just added two new photos of the light in my album. I made the error of calling this a "fog light". Did not intend to confuse anyone. Whatever the correct word may be, fog light, search light, spot light, What have you....I have a VERY bright LED light. Without getting too scientific and carried away with geometrical angles and formulas, I will again say, after many experiments in the dark, through trial and error I have got this particular light adjusted to the one perfect spot that has nearly no glare or back flash from any of the many shiny objects in front of it. The top cross bar on the bow rail makes a shadow about 50 yards out. This same bar is the only thing that the beam slightly hits on the way out, and even then very minimal.

Among the many reasons I placed this light in this location, one is because I really like how it will be out of the weather and not in the way of anything.

I don't plan on blinding other boaters, but there likely could be times where it will be needed. A friend of mine in the past was locked outside the Tillamook Bar and had to wait until tide change before the Coast Guard would open it back up. By this time it was dark. He had radar, but no lights. Even with radar, I still do not want to ever have to do this in the dark, as he did.
 
Capt Meares,

Thanks for adding the photos. Looks like a good job. I agree that there are times when a light like that could come in handy. I wouldn't be running with it on all the time, but there are times.

BTW, I like your T-Shirt in the B-Day photo, too.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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