Need Illumination About Boat LED Spotlight Issue

[Kiggsia]

I do a lot of nightfishing on Maumee Bay in Toledo Ohio and up the Maumee River. A lot of sunken logs to be ever on the alert for there. I bought a 27Watt 12 volt LED Headlight advertised as a 8 degree pencil beam spotlight. It is so bright you can't look at it without eyestrain. But it makes an area of light only about 6 feet in front of the boat, like a floodlight. Raising the light up spreads the light out over so much area that the light is very weak, and it would be all but impossible to see the sunken logs I am trying to spot. Can anyone recommend a specific brand and model of similar wattage LED spotlight that would do the job for illuminating ahead of a boat like a 100 watt halogen spotlight does? I want to use an LED spotlight though, so I can use it with my car jumper battery when my current deep cycle boat battery wears out.

 

[tanker1983]

Here is what I use. Works amazingly.


http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Recha...=1444290593&sr=8-5&keywords=coleman+spotlight

 

[JoLin]

Here's a comparo test from Boating Mag that might help. It's from 2013...

http://www.boatingmag.com/gear/boatinglab-tests-spotlights

 

[tanker1983]

Good to see mine made the list. I have the one with the removeable cord. So no limitation there.

 

[Kiggsia]

Thanks for your replies, folks. These hand helds are very popular now, I know. But I need one permanently mounted on bow with a bracket. I have rigged up 2 lawnmower cables to linkages to make the one I bought (that doesn't do much lighting ahead of the boat) pivot up and down, and side to side. So I'm hoping I might get some replies concerning permanently mounted bow spotlights (not floodlights) that work well, shaped like the one I bought as seen in this link:

 

[smokeonthewater]

You are wasting your time if you want headlights on a boat... You are far better off turning off the lights and letting your eyes adjust to the dark... Then move at idle speed.

I bright light does very little to help you see anything in the water as 99% of the light simply glances off the surface and away from you.... You will be blinding other boaters for a couple miles tho.

Lights are useful for seeing docks and such that stick up from the water substantially but should only be on within say 100 feet of the dock.

 

[Kiggsia]

Thanks for your reply and info. I surely agree that LED spotlights are troublesome to boaters ahead of a boat using them. Reminds me of what LED and HID auto headlights do to oncoming drivers at night. But the boating obstacles such as partially submerged logs where I do my boating need a bit more illumination then our night vision where we allow our eyes to adjust, then look either just to the right or left of an object. I had been using a bow mounted homemade remote system halogen spotlight with first a 55 then a 100 watt bulb. This did an adequate job and was focused narrow enough, and my policy is to turn it off when there are boats ahead of me. Most of the time there are no other boats nearby where I go. I have been wanting to switch to LED spotlight to cut down on battery drain. My motor has no generator. .

 

[smokeonthewater]

I am a river boater as well... As a kid I was on the Maumee, Huron, and Sandusky on a regular basis and now am on the Ohio.

Floating debris is mostly a non issue at idle speed as it generally simply parts for the boat... I carry a spare prop but have never damaged a prop on floating debris... Only on submerged rock which no light will find.

 

[smokeonthewater]

The best thing you can do is eliminate as much light as possible... If you have dash lights turn them off... Shield your nav lights so that you and the boat are in a shadow...
Other boaters need to see them but you don't... If you can see the nav lights or any part of the boat they illuminate you will lose a huge amount of your night vision.

This may require a much taller stern mast for a small boat but is sooooo worth it

 

[poconojoe]

Where I am in northeastern PA, it is illegal to use any type of headlight except for docking. So, check your laws before you sink money into a lighting project.

 

[smokeonthewater]

As it should be

 

[H20Rat]

Reminds me of what LED and HID auto headlights do to oncoming drivers at night. .

Slightly off topic, but factory LED and HID's cause less glare than incandescent. The real problem is people who retrofit LED's or HID"s into fixtures meant for incandescent bulbs. Vastly different emission pattern out of the bulb, so the end result is a massive amount of light being thrown in directions where it shouldn't be. Also, factory LED/HID's are required to have active self levelers connected to the suspension, so they will lower themselves if you hook a heavy trailer on the back.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Slightly?

 

[BWR1953]

Slightly off topic, but factory LED and HID's cause less glare than incandescent. The real problem is people who retrofit LED's or HID"s into fixtures meant for incandescent bulbs. Vastly different emission pattern out of the bulb, so the end result is a massive amount of light being thrown in directions where it shouldn't be. Also, factory LED/HID's are required to have active self levelers connected to the suspension, so they will lower themselves if you hook a heavy trailer on the back.

That was very illuminating!

 

[Volphin]

How about an LED light bar? http://www.ledconceptslighting.com/collections/led-light-bars

 

[aspeck]

http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Parts-Ac...d.1--session_id.698603499?q=led docking light

Here are some iboats suggestions. That said, docking lights will be good for, well close to the dock. the Optronics Docking/Utility light might be more of what you are looking for. However, as has been mentioned, because of the reflective nature of water, lights that illuminate the surface also blind anyone that is heading your way. It is really not recommended, especially on crowded waterways (as mentioned in PA it is illegal, except within 100 feet of the dock, I believe ... would have to check the distance for sure).

Good luck with your project, and remember to be mindful of others on the water.

 

[Kiggsia]

Volphin, good amount of light but I'm trying to seriously lower wattage.

 

[Volphin]

Sounds like you are looking for fewer lumens not watts. Perhaps some LED fog lights might work. They are typically lower lumens than a spotlight.

 

[Kiggsia]

A website just for aluminum crestliner boats....

 

[airshot]

Kiggsia......welcome aboard....I am a neighbor boating in your area. Me and my family frequent the Maumee river and bay on our summer evening cruises and I know fully well about the floating logs. I do have a mounted remote spotlight on my bow and tend to keep it pointed quite low into the water to help see the debris.
Let me caution you.....the coast gard and river police will make you turn it off if they see you with it on while running. I just flip it on for a minute then back off when no other boats are near. I have been stopped for it, but just issued a warning because I do not leave it on continuously. They understand a quick flash just to check then back off. However as stated in others posts, keeping your speed down is your best bet. Hope you find the light you are looking for, mabey we will see you on the water next season. I am in a 22' starcraft Islander called the "debt finder". May the wind blow in your favor.