Before this thread blows up into a legal debate about what lights are legal to use and where , I’ll just start by saying I don’t care about any of those issues and my question here is strictly based on needing to see a good distance in front of me, sort of like headlights for my Kayak. Most of the threads when I searched for night time lighting are regarding the green/red/white lights, those are not what are in question here, and I know boating at night is dangerous. This set up for me will be purely for emergency use for example “missing boater, stranded boat, mismanaged time and emergency lights needed to return to a safe location”.
I’ve googled kayak lighting several times and usually results are for low powered fishing lights/navigational lights/very weak spot lights. What I am looking for would be a flood, or spot/flood combo that I could be transferred from Kayak to Kayak (So drilling and mounting would be out) and could easily allow to see 50-100 feet in front of me. I’ve found several hand held fishing lights, but that would interfere with paddling and could be dropped over board. Ideally, something that could be mounted in a fishing rod holder would be very helpful, but I doubt that exist.
I’ve never dealt with marine lighting on a human power craft, so I’m not sure of all the different ways to power these portable lights, I’m assuming battery is the only way, especially with high powered lights. I would prefer something that is rechargeable or would have a very long run time off batteries.
Do any of you have any suggestions or setups that you would be willing to share? Even if your setup is mounted or not what I was describing above, I would still be interested in seeing what options are out there. I’m grateful for any help and info.
Do you have a paddle kayak or a pedal kayak? If you have a pedal kayak, you could buy a hand-held spotlight and direct it while pedaling. If you have a paddle kayak, you’ll need a base and a moveable mount which is located where the spotlight won’t interfere with your paddle stroke. You could easily make a mount using bases and rod holder type accessories manufactured by Scotty and other manufacturers. In either case, you could store the floodlight inside your kayak until you needed it in an emergency.
For certain scenarios (Watertribe races) landing at night on unfamiliar shores found me wanting far more lumens than the Princeton Tec EOS gave me. For flood and distance vision I use the Petzl Ultra Rush which can put out 760 lumens which seems to be the equivalent of a good quality automotive high beam. This makes it far easier to resolve obstructions on a beach 100 yards out. At its lowest setting of 36 lumens it’ll run for 38 hours before needing to be recharged. For just reading charts at night while preserving my night vision I have a Princeton Tec white Point light clipped to the headband of the Petzl. 5-10 lumens.
For flood and distance vision I use the Petzl Ultra Rush which can put out 760 lumens which seems to be the equivalent of a good quality automotive high beam.
I didn’t think about headlamps, I guess because I’ve always had the cheap ones that don’t throw out much distance. This would probably be great.
http://www.princetontec.com/apex I use it a lot on construction jobs, working on cars or machinery, and night kayaking. It throws a good bright beam long distance. Waterproof not sure on rating I would not take it diving. Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty. I probably own about 6 of them. I had one 2-3 years using it on construction site turning it on and off 50 times a day or more. Switch stopped working so I called them they said mail it back. Week later I received brand new one. No receipt no questions. Uses 4 AA batteries and I use rechargeable ones duracell made in the USA also. There are a few different rating on those batteries last time I purchased them they were 2350 rating lower ones are 1500. Light has blink / strobe mode and three light settings. Great light I go out a lot at night and it helps me through the marshes at night. Also have a Vizz which has a red and white light which I keep with me all the time with three rechargeable AAA batteries. No light like Apex but good to be seen and look at compass with red light. Love their products and no BS warranty like where’s the receipt and all that crap. Like I said in trucks and cars for an emergency, in deck bag, on work bench, and good for glass work were you can’t see good. Hear a boat just turn your head at night and they will see you unless they are under the influence or brain dead. Apex has a small O-ring which you can lose if not careful. I guess you could put a few tiny dabs of silicone on one side to not lose it if you were out at night changing batteries. Specs are all listed on the web site for burn rates probably lower settings. I also use Paddler Supply deck lights front and rear on kayak at night. Light’em up! I see they make lanterns now also which I have to check out. http://www.princetontec.com/helix-rechargeable. Charge phone off lantern which is good also. You could also bring another set of batteries also which I do also.
A decent headlamp has always served me well, both on and off the water. One that has varying levels of brightness will be more useful, and turning it down low will reduce battery usage considerably. Mine wasn’t that expensive, maybe $30 CAD or so. It’s a lower/mid range Black Diamond, but I don’t recall the model. I’ve had it a few years and it still works very well but the elastic headband has lost much of its stretch and needs replaced.
I do wish that the useability was slightly better. I don’t like how mine alternates between “spot” and “flood” every time you turn it on. I makes for a lot of fumbling to get the setting you actually want. I do like the variable dimming feature that lets me turn either one WAY down in power. That’s a great way to save power when you’re in a tent looking at a map that’s right in your face. Some way to LOCK IT off is also a very good feature. I can hold the button on mine for 6 seconds to lock it and another 6 seconds to unlock it. It prevents inadvertent activation most of the time.
Stay away from department store and discount store headlamps!! I have a large collection that “looked good on the shelf” but turned out to be complete crap.
A practical limitation of using bright lights on a human powered craft, is that the cone of illumination will make you blind to what is outside of the cone of illumination, you will lose your night vision for things like rocks or waves in the periphery or coming from behind. This may not matter to your application, but not great idea if you are paddling in surf or where there are rocks and hazards in a river. From years of hiking at night in the desert and camping, I’ve found it’s best to use a small light when you need it, preferably with a red filter and to use your night vision as much as possible, if there is enough starlight/moonlight.
@SeaDart said:
A practical limitation of using bright lights on a human powered craft, is that the cone of illumination will make you blind to what is outside of the cone of illumination, you will lose your night vision
…And the night vision of those paddling with or near you.
@SeaDart said:
A practical limitation of using bright lights on a human powered craft, is that the cone of illumination will make you blind to what is outside of the cone of illumination, you will lose your night vision
…And the night vision of those paddling with or near you.
I know what you mean by having a blind spot just past the beam, but we know this area very well and the light is much more helpful when looking for a brightly colored boat from a lost or stranded boater or someone who is trapped or stranded in the water. When you look without the aid of light, their boats just blend in with the bank and are impossible to see. As mentioned above, it’s only being used in an emergency use situation if needed I do like using red filters at night, and especially when we go cave exploring!
Thanks everyone for the input, it looks like I’ll try some higher priced headlamps and see how they do out on the water. If I find something I think is a great setup I’ll update my post so anyone looking for the same solution will have something to go on.
Thanks everyone for the input, it looks like I’ll try some higher priced headlamps and see how they do out on the water. If I find something I think is a great setup I’ll update my post so anyone looking for the same solution will have something to go on.
Which light did you go with and how do you like it? I have some decent Petzl headlamps that have worked well enough but I’d like to wean myself off of disposable batteries, as opposed to something that has a built-in rechargeable battery. I like the Goalzero and Gear Aid lights but like you, I think it just makes more sense to stick with a headlamp. Or I could go with one of the USB-rechargeable headlamps, I think I gave my sister a Black Diamond Revolt last year.
For long distance races I carry both a headlamp (which is usually better for flood), and a handheld (which is usually better for spot). FYI, flood means the light fills a large area, but doesn’t penetrate far (poor “throw”). A spot is the opposite.
FWIW, my Watertribe kit is a Zebralight H52 headlight, that can go from 300 lumens down to a very nice .01 lm for preserving night vision. I carry a backup too. I wear a baseball cap with the headlight to keep most of the glare away from my glasses/eyes.
I also carry a Fenix PD35 handheld flashlight. The Fenix puts out 960 lumens with good throw, so it can really light up a landing beach or let you see underwater, to check if you are about to land on oysters, etc. My Fenix is waterproof enough that it has ridden on my deck for 2 years, with no issues. I also bring a NightIze headband that allows the flashlight to be worn on the head, as a backup headlight.
A lot of your choice of model will depend on what kind of battery you want to use, and their availability. For example. the CR123 models pack a lot of power, but you probably won’t find them in a convenience store, should you need to buy new ones during a trip.
Most of the new generation of LEDs can put of an amazing amount of light, but please note that the figures given for maximum lumens can often only be sustained for a fairly short period of time – when the batteries are fresh.
It would seem likely that rather than find a light that mounts to the boat, it would be easier to find a light that meets your needs and build a fitting and mount to connect to the boat.
For an emergency situation, scanning with a hand light would probably be more useful than a light in a permanent mount. For this reason, it may be advantageous to be able to build a mount with a release so that the beam can be controlled by hand. This should not be terribly difficult to do, though such a mount would probably have to be made of metal (aluminum might be best) since most other materials will degrade too quickly in salt water.
It is not only important for rescue/searching to have a highly directional beam, but one that casts a wide arc, as well. It is as important to be seen as to see when seeking victims. If conscious, their ability to see you can give them the lift in spirit long before the rescue can arrive. There is a powerful incentive to survive, rather than give up, if rescue seems nearby. A directional beam that points in the wrong direction may not even be detected by a victim.
In general, it sounds as though you know what you are doing and I doubt that you are not the only person who has raised this issue, but I cannot say that I know of a good, waterproof, light that meets your needs - not that I’ve looked for same.
For a directional beam, there are some inexpensive diving lights that are very high intensity and have excellent range. I’ve tested mine against some of the mounted 12v lights on cars and they do just as well, though the beam isn’t as wide. Since they are already waterproof, sturdy, comparatively small for their power, relatively light (especially if you use rechargeable - non alkaline - batteries), the only issue is mounting and releasing.
Thanks everyone for the input, it looks like I’ll try some higher priced headlamps and see how they do out on the water. If I find something I think is a great setup I’ll update my post so anyone looking for the same solution will have something to go on.
Which light did you go with and how do you like it? I have some decent Petzl headlamps that have worked well enough but I’d like to wean myself off of disposable batteries, as opposed to something that has a built-in rechargeable battery. I like the Goalzero and Gear Aid lights but like you, I think it just makes more sense to stick with a headlamp. Or I could go with one of the USB-rechargeable headlamps, I think I gave my sister a Black Diamond Revolt last year.
So how is your light working out?
I ended up picking up a Browning Nitro headlamp. I was a bit skeptical at first but it does have some amazing range. Seems to be decently water resistant and has the different color shades.
I finally got to break it out a few months ago when we had miscalculated how long one of our trips would take and we ended up trying to find out take out spot in the dark. I had no problem finding the ramp on the bank from the middle of the river. When this one dies I’ll be picking up the Petzl or hand held.
It’s not quite what I wanted for river rescue type set up but it does function very well for a headlamp. I have some off-road lights that will be coming off the car this winter and I will be trying to mount those to my boat. If I get a decent setup I’ll certainly post in this thread.
I am still working on a setup for the Texas Water Safari. What I am planning on testing is the following. A 1 cr123 “p60” host (from solarforce). A (300 lumen at 800mah at 6v) dropin from Malkoff. A dummy cell, a remote cap switch rewired to provide external power. 2x4 cell external battery packs (6000mah at 6volt). I got a pair of snap on T fittings connected via a close nipple. I will tighten with tie straps as needed. The double snap on T’s might work for my solo boat, but will find a better option for my tandem, as I need more access to its grab handle. Probably just put a pvc spike into the floatation foam.
The Malkoff drop in is very bright, but I should get about 8hrs of light (but can go to 3x4 cell packs for 12hrs) of light per set of batteries. That way 4 packs of lithium AA disposables should last the race. I will check, but I think it should also work fine with my 7.2 rechargeable packs. (The race is heat of summer, so 8hrs might make it from twilight to twilight). The other issue to test is if some newer aa lithium cells will eak out better than 3000 mah, and the voltage drop of alkaline cells deals with the voltage regulation of the drop in. Lithium cells save weight, but cost significantly more-but then again $30 for one race a year is not bad.
I have most of it available to test already, just have to do some soldering. Accidentally got 2 cr123 host bodies, so that will not stop testing, but will take a few weeks to fix.
I might also try a 175lumen 300mah drop in. It will run cooler and probably allow a 1x4 pack to last the night.
I was warned about using headlights with a canoe. Huts will get the paddle in the light, flashing the paddlers. Flashes ever few seconds for hours is a migrane at best.
I keep a Pelican 1920B [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QTXWP6Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=] on a lanyard in my PFD pocket. It’s IPX7 waterproof and the amount of light it tosses out is pretty amazing, doubly so considering it’s diminutive size. With respect to finding one’s way back to the ramp. I’ve put SOLAS reflective tape on the back of my truck and try to park such that I can illuminate it from the water. I’m not sure the exact distance at which this would become useful but I also always mark the launch site with a waypoint on my GPS.
Thanks everyone for the input, it looks like I’ll try some higher priced headlamps and see how they do out on the water. If I find something I think is a great setup I’ll update my post so anyone looking for the same solution will have something to go on.
Which light did you go with and how do you like it? I have some decent Petzl headlamps that have worked well enough but I’d like to wean myself off of disposable batteries, as opposed to something that has a built-in rechargeable battery. I like the Goalzero and Gear Aid lights but like you, I think it just makes more sense to stick with a headlamp. Or I could go with one of the USB-rechargeable headlamps, I think I gave my sister a Black Diamond Revolt last year.
So how is your light working out?
I ended up picking up a Browning Nitro headlamp. I was a bit skeptical at first but it does have some amazing range. Seems to be decently water resistant and has the different color shades.
I finally got to break it out a few months ago when we had miscalculated how long one of our trips would take and we ended up trying to find out take out spot in the dark. I had no problem finding the ramp on the bank from the middle of the river. When this one dies I’ll be picking up the Petzl or hand held.
It’s not quite what I wanted for river rescue type set up but it does function very well for a headlamp. I have some off-road lights that will be coming off the car this winter and I will be trying to mount those to my boat. If I get a decent setup I’ll certainly post in this thread.
I keep a Pelican 1920B [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QTXWP6Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=] on a lanyard in my PFD pocket. It’s IPX7 waterproof and the amount of light it tosses out is pretty amazing, doubly so considering it’s diminutive size. With respect to finding one’s way back to the ramp. I’ve put SOLAS reflective tape on the back of my truck and try to park such that I can illuminate it from the water. I’m not sure the exact distance at which this would become useful but it seems as if that stuff lights up from a pretty long way’s out when directly illuminated. I also always mark the launch site with a waypoint on my GPS.
I do like using red filters at night, and especially when we go cave exploring!