WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Search lights?

Helirich

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2024
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
I almost got caught out at night last week. My boat has the required nav lights, but it only has a cheap hand held search light that is not even as powerful as a car headlight. I want to get something better. Not sure if I want hand held, but the installed ones are not so good looking. I definitely want power. I was thinking of an aircraft landing light. Do you guys got any recommendations?

if it makes any difference, the boat is a 25’ Formula that can do close to 60. I don’t care to run into a channel marker.
 

Dog

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
1,419
Reaction score
4,353
I almost got caught out at night last week. My boat has the required nav lights, but it only has a cheap hand held search light that is not even as powerful as a car headlight. I want to get something better. Not sure if I want hand held, but the installed ones are not so good looking. I definitely want power. I was thinking of an aircraft landing light. Do you guys got any recommendations?

if it makes any difference, the boat is a 25’ Formula that can do close to 60. I don’t care to run into a channel marker.
I would post this is the lounge or ask a mod to move it. You might not get much down here.
 
Last edited:

17 10 Flat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2023
Messages
1,352
Reaction score
3,343
I almost got caught out at night last week. My boat has the required nav lights, but it only has a cheap hand held search light that is not even as powerful as a car headlight. I want to get something better. Not sure if I want hand held, but the installed ones are not so good looking. I definitely want power. I was thinking of an aircraft landing light. Do you guys got any recommendations?

if it makes any difference, the boat is a 25’ Formula that can do close to 60. I don’t care to run into a channel marker.
I may be the first but anything over 20 mph at night is crazy
 

2Driver

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2007
Messages
17,528
Reaction score
33,146
I have the model 1 step below this model and its crazy bright . They are killer. Not sure how you intend to use it but its bright.

 

pwerwagn

Inmate #4800
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
3,056
We do a lot of night boating, its sketchy without a good light. Its also REALLY nice to have a reliable GPS of some form, so you can at least follow a previous path that you know you didnt hit anything. The hard part about the GPS is you need one that will dim adequately, otherwise it overpowers your own vision and makes it harder to see.

I keep both the big ryobi spot light in the boat, as well as a cigarette lighter powered one. The cig powered one is a somewhat cheapie off amazon, says "1 million candle power" on the side. Its bright enough. The big ryobi spotlight is a tad brighter, but I'm afraid ill get caught with a dead 18v battery so having a backup makes me feel good.
 

Helirich

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2024
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
I have the model 1 step below this model and its crazy bright . They are killer. Not sure how you intend to use it but its bright.


that thing is impressive. They are proud of it to.
 

Mikes56

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 11, 2019
Messages
1,452
Reaction score
2,622
No flashlight, I don't care how powerful it is, is going to work on the water at night. The water and darkness just absorbs the light. Get a good set of NVG’s or monocular.

It’s terrifying being the passenger, when the driver is hauling ass at night and can see clear as day with his NVG’s on.

When I worked at Pyramid Lake we had night fishing tournaments. We’d be doing 50mph on the water at night, no problem. The passenger was sure we were gonna hit something. Good times…
 
Last edited:

DarkHorseRacing

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Messages
6,462
Reaction score
12,817
Do NVGs become a problem with moonlight or full moons? Or do they work better with moonlight vs none?
 

Mikes56

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 11, 2019
Messages
1,452
Reaction score
2,622
Do NVGs become a problem with moonlight or full moons? Or do they work better with moonlight vs none?
NVG’s apparently gather all available light so moonlight or a full moon isn’t a problem.

The only problem is that they are expensive.
 

Helirich

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2024
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
Get off the water before sunset ;)

The NVG sounds like your best option, a bright light is great, but if you night-blind other boaters, not so good.
This is my main plan. I just want a good light if I get caught. Also, I won’t be doing 50 at night.

What I would really like is some kind of “clamp on” light that could be put on the windshield. (I don’t want it on during the day time.)
 

Mikes56

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 11, 2019
Messages
1,452
Reaction score
2,622
This is my main plan. I just want a good light if I get caught. Also, I won’t be doing 50 at night.

What I would really like is some kind of “clamp on” light that could be put on the windshield. (I don’t want it on during the day time.)
We stayed a little too late at The Springs one year and had a terrifying trip coming back to The Nautical at night. The sides of the lake blended into the water and you couldn’t tell where the shoreline was. I had a handheld Q-Beam that plugged into my lighter socket and it was useless.

Don't waste your money, it’s not gonna work.
 

Orange Juice

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Messages
5,201
Reaction score
6,180
I almost got caught out at night last week. My boat has the required nav lights, but it only has a cheap hand held search light that is not even as powerful as a car headlight. I want to get something better. Not sure if I want hand held, but the installed ones are not so good looking. I definitely want power. I was thinking of an aircraft landing light. Do you guys got any recommendations?

if it makes any difference, the boat is a 25’ Formula that can do close to 60. I don’t care to run into a channel marker.
Best to plan your night cruises around full moons.
 
Top