Bow mounted LED lights

JarJar48 · 19 December 2018, 00:05

Hi All ,

New to forum was just wondering who has some experience with Bow mounted LED lights on a zodiac hurricane, i have a 753FRC with a aluminum bracket to get the light away from the bow stag. looking for a light to be used in night time operations at potentially high speeds, brighter the better, last kicker..smaller the better

any help with this would be great!

jwalker · 19 December 2018, 19:08

It'll only be of use if it shines onto something. I know that sounds dopey but you won't illuminate the sea if that's your thought. The light is so low to the water that the beam will bounce off the surface and travel off into the sky. You will see the seagulls just before you pass under them or over them. It will be useful for recovering onto the trailer at night but whoever is at the trailer won't see a thing because you'll be dazzling them.

Don't ask me how I know all this...

JarJar48 · 19 December 2018, 19:47

Hi there, i'm not worried about illuminating the ocean i just want to try and see the drift wood or any other hard objects that would damage the propellers in time to maneuver around it. currently looking at "Rigid marine d2 driving lights".

jwalker · 19 December 2018, 20:17

Good luck with it but I don't think you will see much unless you're going slowly and the water is flat calm.

Xk59D · 19 December 2018, 20:35

Breezeblock had a bow mounted LED light bar on his last boat and has roof mounted one on his new boat, last tango is same. I'm about to do the same to help with pitch black trips which we sometimes get here if cloudy at night but more so for docking.

Do they light up the sea, of a fashion yes, immediately in front of the boat will be lit up but it won't be hundreds of feet, it is maybe 30ft of decent ish light but it may let you see debris/pots etc yes.

I've got 22" light bar but I haven't tried it in anger yet, it isn't even on the boat yet! But I know breezeblock has them and they work as I could see what was in front of his boat last time we were out but not what was in front of mine.

Here is a crap piccy of what breezeblock can see at night with his light bar, he can see maybe up to 40ft I guess in theory.

From the Helm · 20 December 2018, 02:40

They make a good light, the beam is highly scattered, you will get glare.

At speed, go as dark as you can, you can see well, just dim everything as dark as you can. I have a towel over my instrument lights, only dim red lighting. Zero reflected light from boat, that's tough.

I have powerful spots and Hella floods, they are great in the docks and in the river.

Light bars are great for spotting buoys and running rivers at slow speed.

Last Tango · 20 December 2018, 08:44

Yep.

I'm with "Jwalker" & "From the Helm" on this.

I have some pretty powerful lights fitted but they don'get switch on other than for docking.
I'm pretty sure the "colregs" also state your lights shouldn't cause glare and all they do is blow your night vision.

Xk59D · 20 December 2018, 14:17

At least with them you have option of trying it, I would have gave good money for a light when that piccy was taken above as there wasnt much light from the sky that night.

Running with lights off is probably the preferred option ofcourse but I understand the OP wanting something.

Probably worth saying that if you can dim your dash it is worth doing or make a cover of sorts to do it, my gauges don't dim at night and the white running light is amazingly bright when in dark, so worth addressing that type of thing too.

Last Tango · 20 December 2018, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

......and the white running light is amazingly bright when in dark, so worth addressing that type of thing too.

I've the same issue. It's a PIA. Problem is, it's not high enough that a mask under it would make much difference, going to have to try and come up with a solution for that.

breezeblock · 20 December 2018, 17:15

right heres my 2 bobs worth the lights work quite well on mines but they are mounted up very high and a bit backward from the front lip of the roof as with the old boat the glare of the tubes was quite bad they are 120w the centre section of them is a spot light and the 2 outers are flood they are as cheap as chips of fleabay I find them well worth the money but as j walker states the light gets lost you need mega output lights to make it work even then at high speed things come up very fast as they have a limited range

HDAV · 20 December 2018, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by JarJar48

Hi there, i'm not worried about illuminating the ocean i just want to try and see the drift wood or any other hard objects that would damage the propellers in time to maneuver around it. currently looking at "Rigid marine d2 driving lights".

Thinking outside the box......night vision goggles have dropped massively in price under £500 here I am sure there far far cheaper

Xk59D · 20 December 2018, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last Tango

I've the same issue. It's a PIA. Problem is, it's not high enough that a mask under it would make much difference, going to have to try and come up with a solution for that.

It's called a bit of black duct tape at the front of it in my case. Just enough to stop lighting up the inside of the boat, people in front will still see the light out sides I would think