Headlights on catamarans?

[Rigamarole]

Originally Posted by Morndenkainen

Personally, I'm more concerned with running into something that was entirely avoidable had it been visible than the opinion of some crybaby who's got a problem with a bit of light that's going to be gone in a minute.

Hilarious. We have a lot, and I mean a whole lot, of crybabies in the sailing world. "They anchored too close" is probably the biggest group followed closely by either the generator runners and music hater's.

[rwidman]

Around here, people buy "deck boats" and they often come with what the manufactures call "docking lights". These novice boats think they are headlights like on their cars and run with them on.

Boats are not supposed to have headlights and any such lights not only kill your night vision, they kill anyone else's as well.

Please don't install or use "headlights" on your boat!

[EngineerRetired]

Well,,,, I don't use them so no one else should...

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Morndenkainen

That's pretty much exactly what I was planning for and wanted to know. Seems the biggest pain in the butt is going to be running the wire up the mast to the spreaders and through the boat.

Personally, I'm more concerned with running into something that was entirely avoidable had it been visible than the opinion of some crybaby who's got a problem with a bit of light that's going to be gone in a minute.

I ran the wires up the mast while it was laying on the deck, Very easy,
I used an existing hole in the mast for the wires and then siliconed the wire to the outside of the mast for about a metre, I didnt want to drill a new hole in the mast,

Running it thru the boat was a major PITA as I had to run it thru cupboards and under my steps inside which meant drilling holes and poking a steel bar through to get the leader in, Then up behind the fridge and into the dash,

With out the Mast lights, I would not even attempted mooring at Piers, Marina's or getting into creeks, Etc Etc at night,

Even my Marina where my boat is usually moored,
At night with out the mast lights, I would have had to sit at the end of the first channel on anchor and wait for daylight,
That means getting battered by what ever the waves and wind is doing at the time, Totally exposed,
2 metre waves and 40 knot winds are not pleasant to anchor in,
Which happen quite frequently at the channel entrance to my Marina,

After sailing for 30 hours straight or so in Bass Strait, I dont want to sit on the anchor and wait for daylight, I want to Moor my boat in the Marina and go home to a comfortable bed,
Even tho I do have a comfortable queen sized bed on board,

I very much doubt if the whingers complaining about spreader lights would ever be out sailing at night,
So would have no Idea on how dark it is sailing at night in total darkness,
The lights have saved me a few times from hitting the channel pilings that had no lights on them,

Cheers Brian,

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Top left are $8-00
middle one is $10-00
Top right is $15-00/
Free delivery from Fleabay, China,
They are exactly the same lights I have, and those prices are what I actually paid for mine,

You will pay extra for any thing, so called Marine,

Which is the middle one in a row of 4?
https://store.marinebeam.com/exterior-led-fixtures/

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by LeeV

Which is the middle one in a row of 4?
https://store.marinebeam.com/exterior-led-fixtures/

I only seen three,

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I only seen three,

It must be the view on my iPad:

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by LeeV

It must be the view on my iPad:

Take the black one as the centre one, I have those on my RV,
Top right, I have on my top spreader,

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Take the black one as the centre one, I have those on my RV,
Top right, I have on my top spreader,

If I'm looking at the same thing as you are, they are floodlights or "deck lights", "headlights" are gerenally much more narrowly focused and longer range (i.e. spotlights).

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by StuM

If I'm looking at the same thing as you are, they are floodlights or "deck lights", "headlights" are gerenally much more narrowly focused and longer range (i.e. spotlights).

They are spot, Flood lights, They do both,

They have a long reach forward and also light up the area in front,
They have different Leds in them for both,
One row is flood, one row is spot,

One thing for certain, They do the trick, I can see where Im going,

Another one, If your in a tite spot, Just circle around and you can see every thing around you,
How close both banks are, Any other boats moored there in the darkness, How close are you to Rocks, Shoals, Pilings, Trees, Dead trees in the water,
Piers,
None of which you can see at night, With out lights,

My decks lights, even tho they are great for working on the deck, Are bloody useless for looking forwards and only blinds you if you want to see ahead of the boat,

[Cherod]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Take the black one as the centre one, I have those on my RV,
Top right, I have on my top spreader,

that is 18v,, do you recon that is enough , 1 or 2 or what ?

[dhenline]

I see nothing wrong with having dedicated spotlights on your boat. As far as ruining your night vision, well it is only temporary while using the light and for a bit afterwards.
I know that every airplane I have ever flown has lights on them for night landings and as a pilot we are very concerned about night vision. One of the common upgrades on my plane, was to get even brighter lights!!!! Makes a big difference.
I think bright lights could have some usefulness when coming into a marina or anchorage field at night.

[goboatingnow]

Steam locos thundering through the English landscape at 70-80 mph didn’t have or need headlamps. Boaters rarely need them either

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Cherod

that is 18v,, do you recon that is enough , 1 or 2 or what ?

Its 12 volts and I have a 12 inch long one on each side of my top spreader,
Conversion factor from Lumens works out to be about 400 watts in each Led Bar,
They are actually Car Led bars, Which I originally bought to put on my RV,

It lights up the ocean in front of my boat like daylight,
No, it doesnt reflect back onto the boat,
So my vision in front of the boat is crystal clear,
They are 12 metres above the water line,

The only time I turned my lights on and off again, I was in a Gale with well over 40 knots of wind, ( BOM report ) I turned them on coming into Westernport Bay heads at 2-30 Am, Coming out of Bass Strait, after coming out the RIP (Port Phillip Bay) the night before when the Gale hit about 10-00 PM, , ,
There was a 20 foot hole in front of my boat, Nah, I dont want to see that, So I turned them off again, That was a bit on the scary side, Hahahaha Even for me,

What other people think of my lights is not my concern,
The safety of my boat, my passengers and myself is my only concern,
No matter where I am or the time of night Im sailing in,

FWIW, I love Driving, Riding, Sailing, Walking at night, Its very peacefull,
Snow Skiing at night in Japan was Absolutely Grouse,


Cheers Brian,

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Steam locos thundering through the English landscape at 70-80 mph didn’t have or need headlamps. Boaters rarely need them either

What are you talking about, Steam Locos had a huge Headlight and you could see a long way ahead of any steam train,
Not only that they were adjustable for their Brightness, They dimmed them for stations,

I should know, Im an Engineering Blacksmith and actually Hand Forged Steam Engine parts under a steam and drop hammer, , All the moving parts on a steam engine were hand made individually, And I have made them all,