would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

[rickryder]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

This makes my head spin!

 

[JimS123]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

Leaving a boat moored at anchor is never a good idea. Not just for the boat itself, but for the occupants as well. If you think you might die, you need to think it through a lot more before you do it. Dying is never an option.

Leaving a boat beached is never a good idea. Mostly because it will hurt the boat. Paint on the hull notwithstanding, just don't do it.

I got my first boat when I was a teenager as well. I HAD to have one, but had no money, so my Grandpa helped me build one. I didn't try to do it all in one year. The motor was added the second year, convertible top the third, etc. I was lucky in that my Dad helped as well. Every time I got a new motor, depthfinder, etc., etc. Grandpa came along for the first ride to check it out.

That was over 40 years ago. Grandpa still watches over me from above, but sadly he doesn't get the first ride any more. Now, my kids are into boating and I help them along the way.

If you have a Dad, or Grandpa, or Uncle to help you, please take good advice and let them help. If not, please find a local neignbor that can mentor you.

You need mentoring! Listen to reason! The guys on this forum are here to help you and have your best interests at heart. Don't try to do everything in one year. Learn as you go., and go slowly. Take the boating course before you ever put the boat in the water.

God bless and be safe.

 

[tin]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

OK I have no value add here so I'll just post in this topic to help get out of Seaman class But on a lighter note maybe a Tea candle or one of those battery operated fake scent candles so they could smell ya out there...........

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

Ive taken a boater safety course i know about boating. i just need to get my boating licence at the dem when they start doing them again. Just wondering how could i die from anchoring my boat to a mooring. i was just planning on making it look like it anchored so the patrol boat won't hassle me.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

. If you think you might die, you need to think it through a lot more before you do it. Dying is never an option.



Young SBL's grammer & spelling are so not great--but he was refering to the Battery Dying.

SBL-- I think if you switch to 1 battery and when time to go boating swithch to the other. but recharging might be a problem if you do it often. like the others have said- it might be worth installing a LED anchor light--cost a little but save alot of effort on battery charging.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

good advice, Jim. SBL needs an experienced local adult to guide him; Lord knows we all are trying.

SBL talk to a local!!! The question has been asked and answered a few times now. Without seeing your whole set-up, no one can advise you what is best. What are the other boats doing? Watch and learn!

Next post, don't start with a vague "should I do X?" and leave it to us to guess the circumstances, and then in later posts dole out facts buried in stream of consciousness typing, and argue against the advice you get.

Back on topic, I might also consider a kerosene lantern, although yes, open flame concerns me. It would have to be done right. Has been done for centuries. I don't recommend it for you, though.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

thers no other boat that go around other then a zodiac. all the other big boat are moored in deeper water.

 

[shrew]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

SBL:

1) You cannot simply use someone's mooring when they are not. That would be like tying up to someone's slip in a marina just because it is empty.

2) Anchoring is not a permanent means to store your boat. Particularly not unattended.

3) You cannot install a mooring without a permit.

Trailer your boat or find a way to properly store it. You are essentially asking for advice on how to cheaply and illigally store your boat. If you cannot afford to secure and store your boat properly, you cannot afford to boat. If you're boat breaks free and causes damage, your parent or guardian is responsible.

 

[jcupo6]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

SBL:

1) You cannot simply use someone's mooring when they are not. That would be like tying up to someone's slip in a marina just because it is empty.

2) Anchoring is not a permanent means to store your boat. Particularly not unattended.

3) You cannot install a mooring without a permit.

Trailer your boat or find a way to properly store it. You are essentially asking for advice on how to cheaply and illigally store your boat. If you cannot afford to secure and store your boat properly, you cannot afford to boat. If you're boat breaks free and causes damage, your parent or guardian is responsible.

+1000

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

i know what your saying but about the moorings the people i know down there don't care about it because they don't use them mostly because they don't have boats. and from what i'm told there a waiting list of a year to get a mooring.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

There are unused moorings... but there's still a year long wait for one? I'm no economics genius but that doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[jcupo6]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

i know what your saying but about the moorings the people i know down there don't care about it because they don't use them mostly because they don't have boats. and from what i'm told there a waiting list of a year to get a mooring.

If I pulled up to MY slip/mooring and a boat was using it, even a friends boat, I would be furious... I'm sorry, this is a terrible idea. If it's not yours and you don't have permissions to use it, don't.

 

[JimS123]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

Ive taken a boater safety course i know about boating. . i was just planning on making it look like it anchored so the patrol boat won't hassle me.

The Marine Patrols aren't out there to hassle anybody. Their job is to keep people safe and help protect their property. Pursuing illegal activities and trying to conceal it from the police is not a good way to start out boating. Passing a Boater Safety Course only means you were exposed to some of the basics, not that you know even a fraction of what it is to be a boater. Go to the library or a local West Marine and read all the books you can about boating. Better yet, join your local Power Squadron or Coast Guard Auxilliary.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

around were i boat mooring if you know the person and they don't have a boat on the mooring they don't mind if it's being used. theres at least 8 mooring that aren't used were the house my family own is. so every one around friendly and shares the moorings. but i understand what your saying i would be mad to if saw some one on my mooring and i didn't know them. and ya about the year long wait it because apparently so many people want mooring and they can the harbor patrol guy can't check and assure there all in OK spots. they have two people on harbor patrol in one boat. ya so theres a wait which is kinda dumb so most people can't get the mooring. that's kinda dumb if you own a house on the water and can't put a mooring in till the patrol approves it. it's like saying you can't park in your driveway.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

well searching around my grandma's garage which is big with tons of shelving i found this camping light that you comes with a metal base that sits about 4' in the air and in small metal pole that go together i bet i can use this for the boat it works off battery and shines a mile.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

------- ya so theres a wait which is kinda dumb so most people can't get the mooring. that's kinda dumb if you own a house on the water and can't put a mooring in till the patrol approves it. it's like saying you can't park in your driveway.

Can you imagine what a shoreline would look like if there were no rules/regulations regarding shoreline and property use. Shorelines would be lined up with old school buses and beat up mobile homes used as cabins. Old tires would be used as shoreline breakwaters, and list goes on. Where I live there are very strict regulations and permit requirements for most lakeshore use. I can only guess how old you are but when you reach the age and status in life where you begin searching for your first home you will learn in a hurry what the word "covenants" means.

 

[captain zac]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

One if by land
Two if by sea

 

[seaboo]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

Stern light

Looks to me like the simplest solution, though not elegant, is a portable stern light powered by D cells. Link above is to one of several available at the iboats store.

What I did is walmart sells a mini led latern (powered off 3 AAA batteries....made by coleman). It will actually "burn" for 24 hrs and cost about 5bucks. I velcro strap it to my stern light pole. Cheep, works great and saves my battery. Remember a stern light doesn't need to be bright but should be an "all around" light and up kinda high.

 

[1fishbone]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

Start contacting the local marinas, they rent moorings.
Post and look on Craig's List to rent one.

This has gone from mooring light to "I need a mooring:facepalm::facepalm:

 

[JimS123]

Re: would leaving the stern light on all night kill my battery?

What I did is walmart sells a mini led latern (powered off 3 AAA batteries....made by coleman). It will actually "burn" for 24 hrs and cost about 5bucks. I velcro strap it to my stern light pole. Cheep, works great and saves my battery. Remember a stern light doesn't need to be bright but should be an "all around" light and up kinda high.

Why not just scotch tape a candle on a bromhandle and hope it doesn't get too windy and blow it out? Or flick a bic? Of course a camping light should be just fine - I;m sure the Coast Guard would applaud the effort!

Doesn't need to be bright?....hummm....the regs say visible 2 miles. Maybe it doesn't need to be bright if the moon is out.

Makeshift all the stuff you want, but if you really want to get the Marine Patrol to hassle you, duct tape on safety items that don't meet USCG standards.