Dinghy Light Survey

[seadaddler]

My many years

The one I have has been used sparing a few years now and even fell in
salt water a few times and it floats and still going strong and made of rubber/plastic or something.
Defender has all the different model from 700389 to 7000692
I have 2 -700389 yes a back up but the one I use just keeps going and I
do put electrical grease on the contacts and batteries AA.
Both are white lights but just got the Led model red/green bow light model
and have not used it yet but it came with a flat mount and clip and string
to keep from losing and they do float water proof and will screw the mounting plate to top of outboard soon and mount the red/green bow one some how maybe glue to inflatable.
We have had reports of sheriff giving tickets here in florida if no bow light and just white stern light.
Nick

 

[caguy]

Looked like a "where's waldo's dinghy" photo.

It looks way to orderly. This how we do it in the Land of Fruits and Nuts.

 

[Sailm8]

Friend of mine was in Key West. Water police were giving out tickets for no lights, so he decided to use the suction cup type white light on his bald head. Worked like a charm until he tried to get it off. Had a big head hickey for weeks afterward.

 

[Bill1565]

Friend of mine was in Key West. Water police were giving out tickets for no lights, so he decided to use the suction cup type white light on his bald head. Worked like a charm until he tried to get it off. Had a big head hickey for weeks afterward.[/QUOTE

Not me!! Not me!! I have hair.

 

[capta]

It looks way to orderly. This how we do it in the Land of Fruits and Nuts.

Please, where is that in the pic? Absolutely amazing, and a bit frightening.

 

[jeepsailor]

Liking the Navisafe

The Navisafe does seem like a pretty slick product.

It's a little pricier than I would have wanted, but if I can get 3 seasons out of one, I'd come out ahead. I may have to give those a try.

I like my Navisafe lights. LED, so they run forever, waterproof, floating, puck sized for low profile.

Here's the bow light: http://www.navisafe.co.nz/products/navilight-red-green.html

And here's the 360º stern light: http://www.navisafe.co.nz/products/navilight-360.html

And the stalk mount for the stern light: (Navisafe telescopic pole) http://www.navisafe.co.nz/products/attachments.html

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Friend of mine was in Key West. Water police were giving out tickets for no lights, so he decided to use the suction cup type white light on his bald head. Worked like a charm until he tried to get it off. Had a big head hickey for weeks afterward.

I read his write up on that- hilarious

 

[Joe]

It looks way to orderly. This how we do it in the Land of Fruits and Nuts.

You're making a case for having a red dinghy...... weekenders.... sigh...

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

It looks way to orderly. This how we do it in the Land of Fruits and Nuts.

That looks like the dinghy dock out FRONT in Marathon. Or in places in the Bahamas.

One thing you really need is a LONG painter so the other dinghies can be pulled in close for boarding. Makes folks upset if you tie off really close.

And in many spots we carry and use a stern anchor- to hold the dink off the dock. Still with the long painter though.

 

[caguy]

Please, where is that in the pic? Absolutely amazing, and a bit frightening.

I posted that on Google Earth a few years ago. It's at Two Harbors Catalina. I had the mooring right next to the dinghy dock last time I was there, a front row seat for closing time at the bar.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Please, where is that in the pic? Absolutely amazing, and a bit frightening.

Yeah, dig it. I've never wanted to go ashore that bad..

In the military that is referred to as a clusterf***.

 

[seadaddler]

jeepsailor

Try the ones I have shown that defender sells at $23.00 +shipping
and you will get many years use and they float water proof bright and I have used mine in salt water for many years working great,fell in water and still works
and will not use suction cup and instead use the flat one with screws.
Nick

 

[caguy]

A simple head light works well. Costco sells them occasionally 3/$15.

 

[Gunni]

I use a NaviSafe 360 white LED light. They provide a small disk that center-bolts nicely to the cowl top of my outboard and connects via super strong magnets to the lamp. Goes on and off easily. Floats. Also provides a backup stern light for the boat and meets the CG 2.0 NM requirement. It replaces my old Aqua Signal lamps which were a pain to attach to the RIB:

 

[talbotb]

response to survey

I use Aqua Signal, with results similar to yours (see earlier post).
I think the problems are:
1. The contacts are very lightweight and mass-produced. Any corrosion or defect in stamping creates enough resistance to dim the light or break the circuit.
2. The contacts are not tinned, so they are particularly prone to corrosion.
3. There isn't much economic incentive to build a really hardy marine-grade temporary light, because those of us who buy them don't plan to use them much and don't want to pay a lot.

We installed permanent 2-mile sidelights because:
1. We often come in after sunset.
2. Bigger, faster boats are zipping around out there in the dark with us, and we really don't want to get hit. (BTW some of these boats, well over 20', have no lights at all.)
3. We had already installed a 12-volt system for an electric auxiliary motor, and as long as I'm lugging around 50lbs of battery and cable, I want to get lots of use out of it.
4. Our boat (O'Day Daysailer) has a foredeck geometry that doesn't accept the Aqua Signal mount. The Daysailer Class Association forum has a number of creative solutions, but all of them involve at some point crawling out on the foredeck while underway.