Docking Lights - How Important ??

[LazyCruiser]

So my new-to-me boat came with a broken docklight. I can replace it with the same or I can spend a couple hundred and get a better one at 500,000 candlepower.

I don't see a docking light as so crucial and I am tempted to spend less on one unless I'm missing something as to their benefit.

Are people using these, relying on them much for pleasure boating?

thanks

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Hi Sarah , Whats a docklight, Is it just a spotlight used for docking ? Mounted to the boat...Forgive my duh

 

[OldePharte]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

I never saw much a need for them. 'Course I never boat in an area that has no lights from some source - dock, house, bar, moon, etc.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

when i'm docking at night. i use a hand held spot light (no option, i don't have docking lights), sparingly. i can't imagine that docking lights, that likely points stright ahead would be particularly useful... ya need to scan with light momentarily, and then go w/io light imho...

 

[JoLin]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Ditto what Oldpharte and Ziggy said. They're of limited utility. If you already have 'em, fine, but I wouldn't spend money to add or upgrade them.

My .02

 

[5150abf]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

It really depends how much you boat at night and what your dock is like, if you have a light at the dock you really don't need them and as others have said a handheld spot is alot more usefull.

I fish almost exclusively at night and use a handheld just to check things on the water, find stumps ect.

I see alot of people on pontoon boats trying to use tham as headlights and it just doesn't work, I actually think it makes it harder to see, the water is pretty easy to read in all but a dark moon.

I would spend the $40-$50 buck for a handheld spot myself.

 

[LazyCruiser]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Thanks everyone!
I kind of figured they're not exactly crucial.
I will probably replace what's there but will also keep my eyes open for a hand-held.

As always - thnaks and I appreciate the help!
Sarah

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

I go out all the time at night and my Red/green light up front illuminates the dock perfectly as you're coming in.

The only use I can docking lights being good for is preventing drunks from from stepping into the water..

 

[Ronder]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

I see alot of people on pontoon boats trying to use tham as headlights.

Illegal to use docking lights while traveling in Wisconsin. Only to be used for docking.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Illegal to use docking lights while traveling in Wisconsin. Only to be used for docking.

Illegal in NC as well, doesn't stop the idiots from using them.

Some folks (me included) around here use a quick flash when crossing under bridges, just to make sure there aren't any fisherman under there without an anchor light on (it happens). I also use them for there intended purpose, but I could fairly easily do it without them if I didn't have them. If I leave a light on at the dock in the evening I attract every bug in NC.

 

[skargo]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

I have docklights and a remote spotlight on my bow.
I've used the docklights twice, and to be honest, I could have gotten by without them. They came with the boat, but I wouldn't have added them if it came without them. They look cool though

 

[rwidman]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

"Docking lights" are BS. Some people think they are headlights, which they are not. If you don't use lights (spotlights, docking lightd, etc.) your eyes become adjusted to the dark and with the light of the moon, stars, surrounding city lights, etc., you will be able to see just fine to run the boat and to dock it.

Turn on a bright light, even for a few seconds, and it will take twenty minutes or so for your night vision to completely return.

Those lights also temprarily blind other boaters, which is rude at best. Now they cannot see for twenty minutes.

You don't need docking lights and using them shows you up as an inexperienced boater.

 

[skargo]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

"Docking lights" are BS. Some people think they are headlights, which they are not. If you don't use lights (spotlights, docking lightd, etc.) your eyes become adjusted to the dark and with the light of the moon, stars, surrounding city lights, etc., you will be able to see just fine to run the boat and to dock it.

Turn on a bright light, even for a few seconds, and it will take twenty minutes or so for your night vision to completely return.

Those lights also temprarily blind other boaters, which is rude at best. Now they cannot see for twenty minutes.

You don't need docking lights and using them shows you up as an inexperienced boater.

WHAT? Using them for their intended purpose makes you an inexperienced boater?
What if there is no moonlight, starlight, or city lights LOL. I'd rather have someone who isn't as experienced as you or any other master mariner use dock lights in a dark situation, or a foggy situation when docking. To say they are BS is a little ridiculous IMO.

Using them for headlights is stupid, I will agree.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

WHAT? Using them for their intended purpose makes you an inexperienced boater?
What if there is no moonlight, starlight, or city lights LOL. I'd rather have someone who isn't as experienced as you or any other master mariner use dock lights in a dark situation, or a foggy situation when docking. To say they are BS is a little ridiculous IMO.

Using them for headlights is stupid, I will agree.

I used the term "inexperienced" because I didn't want to use a word that might offend someone. If you do something wrong over and over again, I suppose you would not be "inexperienced", but it would still be wrong.

What I would suggest is that you look around at boats in your area. Go to marinas, go to boat shows, even manufacturer's websites. Most boats are not equipped with docking lights because they are not necessary if you understand how to operate a boat at night and how your eyes react to light and dark.

As I look out the window at theboarts in my marina, I see about fifty boats, none with docking lights. Boats from 18' bow riders to 40' sport cruisers, to trawlers.

There is one drystack boat that I am aware of that is equiped with docking lights and the dumb ***** that owns it thinks they are headlights and I can see him coming two miles away. Of course, as I posted above, he is blinding everyone else on the water and since he has already blinded himself, he thinks he needs to use his "headlights" to get into the marina. As long as he's not around, I can see just fine to dock my boat at night without any docking lights.

 

[G-Money-Sunbird]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Glad that I ran across this post. Been trying to decide if I wanted to put docking lights on my Sunbird or go with the handheld spot. Got caught out late one night and had a hard time coming back to the dock but from reading this, its illegal to use the ligths as headlights (which is what I was thinking of doing). Thanks for the great info. Will add the handheld spot to my Christmas List....

 

[skargo]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

I used the term "inexperienced" because I didn't want to use a word that might offend someone. If you do something wrong over and over again, I suppose you would not be "inexperienced", but it would still be wrong.

What I would suggest is that you look around at boats in your area. Go to marinas, go to boat shows, even manufacturer's websites. Most boats are not equipped with docking lights because they are not necessary if you understand how to operate a boat at night and how your eyes react to light and dark.

As I look out the window at theboarts in my marina, I see about fifty boats, none with docking lights. Boats from 18' bow riders to 40' sport cruisers, to trawlers.

There is one drystack boat that I am aware of that is equiped with docking lights and the dumb ***** that owns it thinks they are headlights and I can see him coming two miles away. Of course, as I posted above, he is blinding everyone else on the water and since he has already blinded himself, he thinks he needs to use his "headlights" to get into the marina. As long as he's not around, I can see just fine to dock my boat at night without any docking lights.

While not on every boat, they are on plenty here. They seem to be on more "sporty" boats for some reason.
I have NEVER seen anyone running them as headlights around here, maybe people on the Chesapeake are more experienced than boaters in other areas?

Like I said, I used mine twice, they came in handy once with no other light out, it was close to pitch black. I put on my port dock light to light up the dock and so that my wife, who is my line monkey, could see.
The second time was an overcast night with light rain, again, it came in handy.
I used them for their intended purposes, and I think they were very beneficial.
Call me inexperienced for not groping along in the dark, but I feel in both instances I enhanced our safety, not a bad thing in my book.

If I didn't have them, I probably wouldn't shell out the money for them as they are salty! I do have a remote spotlight which alone would suit my needs.

Everything being said, I would NOT say they are BS, or useless. I would say if someone uses them as headlights, I would hope someone would inform them in a friendly way that what they are doing is wrong, instead of calling them names on an internet forum

 

[DianneB]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

They look cool though

I agree! My 1966 Lone Star has them. I have never used them but it gives a definite "evil stare" from straight ahead LOL!

 

[QC]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Drives me nuts when I see them used as headlights, but I often use a hand held spot . . . I cruise at night in a narrow section of the Colorado with shallows and NO Channel markers I need references once and a while and prefer to confirm what my GPS, instincts and sounder are telling me. Generally I shoot it off to the side to hit a point or bluff or even telephone line markers to keep me from freaking out. I won't let anyone "help" me though as they tend to overuse it and then I have the night vision problem. Started this before GPS was common, and on the river I like it. Not really necessary on the lakes . . .

 

[45Auto]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Not really necessary on the lakes

Lots of unlighted channel markers on the lake here (Lake Pontchartrain). I know about where they are, but I consider a spotlight necessary when operating at night. They're impossible to see on a dark night against a dark shore.

I'm not real anxious to end up like this guy ....

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Docking Lights - How Important ??

Once I realized that docking lights are useless (on my boat) as headlights, I really like them when putting my boat on the trailer at night. First time I turned them on I was like WTF? they are pointed almost straight down! My wife softly asked me if thats why they are called DOCKING LIGHTS! Anyway as usual she was right again. I do think that they really don't need to be over powered though.