Cockpit Light Suggestions?

[zeehag]

i use 3 dollar per light garden walkway solar lights-- they work quite well and they are cheap as hail to replace should they by accidunce fall overboard,a smine do regularly--remember i did say dunce..LOL... goood luck... why pay retail or high prices when something cheap and practical works......

[allanpeda]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i use 3 dollar per light garden walkway solar lights-- they work quite well and they are cheap as hail to replace should they by accidunce fall overboard,a smine do regularly--remember i did say dunce..LOL... goood luck... why pay retail or high prices when something cheap and practical works......

I'm with you on this point, as long as the lights don't bother my eyes. I'm starting to seriously hate those bluish LED lights, and I'm not so fond of many fluorescents either.

[zeehag]

i found some yellowish ones and i wont give em up for nothin-- i gt them in a cheapo store--might a been a return outlet in sd-- daves outlet in national city-- they take in returns from costco, so these may be 5 dollars there.. gooodluck..i love these.

[Pyxis156]

Originally Posted by mrohr

What? no sugestions for the old kero/lamp oil lights? Nothing gives a more welcoming glow,ZERO amps used ,never a failure;can't be used under water though.
Whatever happened to tradition?

I am with you on this... despite having lights down below and in the cockpit for when we need them, our go-to light source at night is our oil lamp. We love that thing!

[zeehag]

i have oil lamp also--i dont use in HOT areas, as makes it a bit warmer-is only 85 here in the shade--i wont use a kerosene lamp in htis heat, thankyou-but i LOVE mine. didnt realize y'all were talking alaska for the cockpit lamps..LOL

[boatman61]

[Pyxis156]

Originally Posted by zeehag

...is only 85 here in the shade...

The last time we saw something over 70 degrees in the Puget Sound area was November 2nd. They say this weekend we might hit the low seventies for the first time this year. So yes, any heat from the lamp is a bonus here!

[zeehag]

alsoi found , for hot places, a 5 dollar unit at walmart--lol canbe used as a lamp for anchoring or for accent in a cockpit--i use mine as an indirect light source in cockpit and in head and anywhere i need light without using boat power.. they work great and last a loooooong time. had them -- bought 3 on leaving sd and still havent changed any batteries and used them 5 nights in a row as anchor lamps......they look a bit like the light boatman posted......

[HopCar]

Take a look at the new LED rope lighting by Imtra.

[SV Demeter]

Thanks all will check out the solar patio lights. Kerosene lamps are nice I guess in cooler climes. My boat came with 6 of them and everyone has a leaking base. Each has a different tiny leak so slow that they were not noticed on filling but made a hell of a mess the next day. I'm very cautious with led lights too as so many have that horrible icey blue light. Yeah great they don't consume any power but the light is awful. Optimistic about the bebi light though.

[mjwarner]

The great thing about ANY LED lights are that they don't seem to attract bugs like all the regular type lights do. Not sure why, but it was always the main factor in my LED cockpit lighting decisions.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I have solar christmas tree lights that on one mode can stay on continously. These give a lovely warm happy light that you can eat dinner by, etc. Not broght enough for reading.



Mark

I use a couple of strings of coloured LED Christmas lights in my breakfast room off the kitchen, which we use for dinner when we're just having the two of us. I have thought that they'd be nice on the boat as is even through a small 700 W inverter because they draw 5 watts or so...enough, however, to make the boat cockpit into a Mexican cantina.

[SV Demeter]

Originally Posted by mjwarner

The great thing about ANY LED lights are that they don't seem to attract bugs like all the regular type lights do. Not sure why, but it was always the main factor in my LED cockpit lighting decisions.

Have to differ with you on this one. I got the Bebi light and it is fantastic except for its ability to attract mayflies. Holy cow! Was anchored last weekend off Galesville (west river chesapeake bay) and had to turn the light off and use citronella candle as the mayflies were swarming the light and undeside of boom and sailcover so badly. I thought they were mosquitoes at first but they did not bite. Tried the light again last night working on boat in my slip at Chesapeake Harbor and within a few minutes the mayflies were all over the place again. Sort of strange because I have never seen mayflies in Chesapeake Harbor and they are not attracted to my Alpenglow compact flourescent cabin lights which were all on below.

So other than the bug issue I love the light. I do have to share a stupid moment though. I picked the light up at the post office and as soon as I had it I plugged it into the outlet in my car to try it out cause I was so excited to have it. The light blinked a few times then went out. I jiggled the wire a few times and the light went on and off. I was getting really bummed thinkig I got a bad light until I remembered it has a photocell to turn itself off...

[gonesail]

i bought a rubber outdoor edison bulb socket wired to cigarette light plug .. and 12V LED light .. this is a great anchor and cockpit light.

[mjwarner]

Quote by SV Demeter:
Have to differ with you on this one. I got the Bebi light and it is fantastic except for its ability to attract mayflies. Holy cow! Was anchored last weekend off Galesville (west river chesapeake bay) and had to turn the light off and use citronella candle as the mayflies were swarming the light and undeside of boom and sailcover so badly. I thought they were mosquitoes at first but they did not bite. Tried the light again last night working on boat in my slip at Chesapeake Harbor and within a few minutes the mayflies were all over the place again. Sort of strange because I have never seen mayflies in Chesapeake Harbor and they are not attracted to my Alpenglow compact flourescent cabin lights which were all on below.

Wow! and Yuck! I stand corrected, and will try to avoid the mayflies like the plague! In several years of usinf LEDs in the cockpit, I have been lucky, blessed, and pest free. (knock on fiberglass)