I need flashlights for sailing

I am going sailing for 2 weeks an I need flashlight recommendation. I need 3 types of lights:

1. SMALL AA LED light 3 lumen output waterproof ( backup/emergency/EDC/low light tasks)- I have CMG Infinity Ultra already which is great
2. FLOOD LED light 10-20 lumen output, need to be build like a tank (very durable lens or no lens at all), waterproof, should have 10-20 h runtime- battery type is not important- it would be used as a primary light for sailing needs, forest walking, also camping etc. Price is not important here.
3. SPOT incandescent light 50-100 lumen output mainly for shore landings, and high output needs, battery type and runtime is not important. It would not be used frequently, it should be rather cheap, water resistance is not crucial but welcome.

Maybe you can recommend me a light that has 2 and 3 features in one package? Thanx a lot, mapet

1. CMG Ultra is not really all that waterproof, but it's not too bad. Another choice might be a UKE 2AAA eLED which is about the same size/weight as the Ultra but uses two AAA's and is dive rated to something like 500 feet. Another possibility is the PT Attitude which is a bit bigger and brighter.

2. UKE 4AA eLED, put a little frosted scotch tape over the lens if you want to spread the beam a bit more. 12 or so hours on four alkaline AA's, somewhat more on L91 lithiums. You can also put the eLED head on the 2L body for a very compact light with 8 hours runtime on two CR123 lithium cells.

3. Vector 2MCP spotlight or something comparable (500+ lumens). 50-100 lumens isn't really enough. But if it is, go for the good old Eveready 6 volt floating lantern with a high power bulb.

like paul said, i recommend Princeton Tec and UK products.

they are pretty waterproof, tough, reliable, and inexpensive.

Bob

Number 1 and two have been covered rather well by Paurl, I also think that a spotlight is better for landing but if you think that a 100 lumens is good enought I highly recommend the Princeton Tec Surge, it very small for a diver flashlight that runs in 8 AA, and produces 115 lumens
it sell for about $24.00 to $27.00 and also come in bright yellow color.
I have five of them around the house and in the car, so I guess I most like them!!
Juan C.

Attach an Eternallilght Marine to you PFD. With Li AA batteries, the Marine will float.

I would use dive rated lights for the rest....UK 4AA eLED, Pelican Saberelite LED submersible, PT Surge, ARC AAA (if you can find one, Ultra .

The Uk, Surge, and Ultra all use AA batteries which would cut down on your logestics.

yup... infinity ultra, UK 4aa eled, and PT Surge....

I'm surprised Pelican was only mentioned by Roy. They are very well made, perhaps more rugged than PT from what I've read. I only have waterproof Pelicans and not PT to make a comparison though.

I sail competitively, cruise the caribbean and live on a large river where I own a sailboat. Here is what I recommend:

1. Spot incandescent/low LED: No doubt, bar none, the Surefire A2. It is essentially waterproof (but not a dive light). It has an awesome beam with little spill so you can be riding in your dinghy on a moonless night looking for channel markers, rocks, and unlit boats without the spill ruining your night vision when it hits the inside of your dinghy. You can clearly see to the mast top looking for tangled halyards at night. The LEDs are sufficient to see when walking, general flood sorts of things. With the regulation on the incandescent beam, you get consistent brightness for the life of the batteries which is very important for marine activities. I actually have two A2s I like them so much. I use the one with Red LEDS for checking the boat at night, for dinghy work etc... anytime I need to preserve night vision. I use the white LED version for more around town sorts of things.

2. AA - the Arc AA for sure. Waterproof to 50', bulletproof and regulated supply so the beam is constant through the life of the battery. There really isn't anything that compares.

3. LED Flood - one of the ARC LS or ARC 4+. The 4+ would my first choice since it has adjustable levels. Set to the lowest, I think it would not be hard on your night vision.

To all of this I would add a Berkley point lanyard to prevent dropping in the water. I would also add either a headlamp (LED) and/or the Nite-Ize headstrap to which I would add the A2, ARC LSH or 4+ for hands free work.

Overall, if i could have one light for sailing, it would be the A2 though. The spot beam can really reach out and see things at distance. Finding moorings, seeing to the masthead, channel markers - you name it. It really performs. I used mine on a two week sailing trip to the BVI this winter and they really worked well. We do a lot of serious sailing including multiday passages and this light really exceeds expectations.

My sailing experience was all in the Merchant Marine, as opposed to recreational. I am mainly concerned with the light you carry on your person. There are a number of very tight plastic lights that would serve you well in your pocket, as others have previously mentioned.

I would pick one that you feel you can carry, and attach a wrist-sized lanyard to it which can be attached to a QD clip on your belt. It is imperative that it be attached to your belt at all times. The personal light should be securely attached to you throughout your waking hours, without exception. If something happens in the middle of the night, you should be set up like a fireman, so you can grab your pants (and with it, your light, your knife, and perhaps your pill safe -- all attached) on the way out. If you don't wear a belt you probably shouldn't get leave the dock.

Be prepared. This is very serious.

You must have it when you need it or your careful selection will do you no good.

One light which hasn't been mentioned is the Tektite Expedition 300. I think this would be your best choice for the purposes you mention....."2. FLOOD LED light 10-20 lumen output, need to be build like a tank (very durable lens or no lens at all), waterproof, should have 10-20 h runtime- battery type is not important- it would be used as a primary light for sailing needs, forest walking, also camping etc."..... The Tektite will run for 40 hours before it reaches half-brightness, and then another 60 or more hours at slowly diminishing levels. It's rated for diving to 1000', and casts a very wide, smooth flood beam. The UK 4AA eLED is not rated for diving, although it's waterproof to some degree. I think you'll like the beam of the Tektite a lot more.

I agree with JohnJ80 regarding the Surefire A2, it's a terrific light.

I's also carry a UK 2AAA eLED in place of, or along with, the Infinity Ultra.

I'd go with Roy on the Eternalight w Lithiums for #1, apart from what Roy has mentioned, the Eternalight is also dimmable, has flashing, strobe and pulse (Morse code) functions, and also a built in SOS blinking function.

Otherwise another one that might be considered as a 2 in 1 light could be the SL Twintask 2L or similar (3C or 2D), although its not rated to be waterproof, but should be water and splash resistant enough.

#2: Agreed on UKE 4AA eLed also, great runtime and totally waterproof and indestructable. Else the UKE 2L which is small and bright, and swappable lamp modules with the 4AA eLed as well.

#3: UKE C4/C8 (you can even buy the eLed modules to swap with the incan module) or even the Light Cannon 100.

I was going to stay out without adding my 2 cents but I haven't seen anyone recommend a red low output light yet or have I missed something? If you are sailing at night, I highly recommend something low and red for cockpit use, ingress and egress through the companion way where you might be flashing the helmsman and other non specific tasks that require little illumination. The suggestion of the A2 I think is a good one and if I were to head offshore with some night passages in the plan, I would have an A2 with red LED's as one of my lights I believe. I would scuff the red LED's for a smoother and more dispersed flood beam.

If you do go with one of the incans, consider a red filter for it. I got interested in LEDs initially specifically for their application in low level illumination for sailing. The white LED's are good at very low output. Red is also great and a red LED is so much more efficient than filtering an incan.

The Inova 24/7 would fit into a low output beam. I would suppose its 3-4 lumens because its as bright as my arc aaa permiunm on the highest setting. Im not sure about its waterproffness, but it seems to be water resistant. The other signal setting would be a plus to have in a boat as well.

Just a thought.

Thanx a lot for all your recommendation.

I've forgotten to mention that I prefer these lights to be rather compact so you can easily put them on belt or in the pocket. It's important to have fast access to the light when it's needed. In fact I don't need a flashlight for diving so modest water resistance ( 50 feet) will be enough. It should work ok during rain and storm weather. I do not intend to submerge it more than 1-2 meters.

I have read the reviews of the lights you recommended and I like the most surefire A2 with red LEDs and Eternallilght Marine. Probably I will buy them but I still consider surefire G2 and Inova X5. What do you think? Thanx,

mapet

[ QUOTE ]
mapet said:
I have read the reviews of the lights you recommended and I like the most surefire A2 with red LEDs and Eternallilght Marine. Probably I will buy them but I still consider surefire G2 and Inova X5. What do you think? Thanx,
mapet

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I think you're one of us already... Buy em both! (or in your case, Buy em all!!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I am thinking my favorite lights would not be appropriate for sailing. I am thinking one of the most important characteristics would be for it to float. I don't think any of my favorites float.

reasons for being about to float.
1. So you don't loose it the bottom of the water.
2. If you you sink. At least there is the possibility of somone seeing the light even if you do not have the light, kind of a marker bouy.

Can you compare the beam of A2 to G2? I would appreciate any long/medium distance pictures.

I am a charter skipper and I only take with me Arcs for sailing in my pocket with a lanyard to a belt loop, recently I have purchased an Arc 4 R2 and it is perfect for the boat otside on the deck or reading charts with the lowest level, a good option to take it safely is the BK recoil tether, good spring-attachment to move the light until a meter from you. A good incandescent option is the Streamlight Propolymer C cells, virtually indestructible and with clip for the belt.I like the UK, the most water-proof light, I think

Simbad and McGizmo have it right.

Get the A2 with Red leds for the boat. The white leds are too bright for night work on a boat. You cannot compromise your night vision if you intend to be walking around on a boat at night wether underway or at anchor if you want to stay aboard. The Arc 4 on lowest is ok for that, but the red is still better. Arc 4 is a good backup in this regard.

The Arc 4+ on a lanyard would be my backup light and I would either carry a Arc AA or a princeton tech aurora headlamp for night reading and hands free work. The Arc AA would clip on the brim of my ball cap in a pinch.

You will find that you will be using the A2 Red LEDS about 70% of the time, 20% will be the incandescent and 10% will be the others. The A2 is easily carried in your pocket. It is not big at all. I would however, get a belt sheath for it - maybe one of the ones from Maxpedition and keep it there right along with my multitool. In point of fact, I had a sheath made that holds my multitool and my light for night use. Both get lanyards too.

Incidentally, whether the light floats isn't really an issue at all. The issue is making sure you don't get disconnected from it. If you drop a floater underway, you'll never see it again anyhow. You need to make sure it is connected to your body. Use a Berkley Point lanyard or a wrist lanyard (2nd best).

So, I recommend the following:

SF A2 RED
Arc 4
Arc AA or PT Aurora
NiteIze head strap.
Berkely Point lanyard
Belt Sheath (optional)

If there was a good CR123 headlight (maybe when the HDS light comes out) then I would change that out for the Aurora.
J

Paulr and several others have already made some excellent recommendations here, I'll try not to be too redundant /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

It's been a few years since I've participated in any organized sailing, and I didn't have access to any of these lights back then. I still get out on the water when I can though, and based on my experience I'd recommend the following:

PT Aurora Headlamp - It's a great low intensity, long burntime task light. If you're reading charts, walking on deck or trail by night, it keeps your hands free, it's relatively cheap, and robust. It's rated as waterproof, though probably not below 3-10ft., it's definitely sealed against splashes and heavy rain.

Inova 24/7 - If you buy the headstrap for it, or have a place to clip it on (like a PDF or vest), this makes a great substitute for the PT Aurora. Rated as waterproof (though only water-resistant when tested), you get several modes in one light, High White, Low White, and Red being the most useful. It also has several flasher and SOS functions, in addition to a "find me" setting that helps to keep track of it at night.

UK 2AAA LED - Your CMG is probably fine, but the UK is cheap, and designed to be around water. It's completely waterproof, handy, and solid enough that you can drop it and accidently whack it without feeling bad. You can also buy a Red LED module for it. If you decide to go with the PT Aurora or Inova 24/7, this becomes more of a neck lanyard/pocket backup.

Eternalight - EliteMax, X-Ray Elite, or Marine. Though with all of their functions they might seem more like a toys than a serious flashlights, they are completely waterproof, float with the included lithium batteries, and are quite solid. Like the Inova 24/7, its variable light output is very useful, and you shouldn't have to replace the batteries, at least very often. As Roy already mentioned, this one really shines when attached to a PFD or vest. When I take my EliteMax, it rides in a Compass/Strobe pouch on my vest.

UK 4AA or UK 2L - I really love these lights. With the new LED modules, and the 4W bulbs (which I'm excited to try out). They work like a system. Choose your battery type, (4AA/Q40 vs. 2L) then whichever head is appropriate for the task. I actually bought a pair of UK 4AA LEDs, then a pair of UK 2Ls, and so I have an LED and an Incan head for each body type. Aside from my EDC, the 4AAs (both Incan and LED) see the heaviest use of the lights I own. The 2Ls are more expensive and harder to use one handed, but are more compact and far lighter.

For a heavier light, I'd recommend either the Pelican SuperSabrelite or PT Surge. I've used both, and the Pelican definitely seems more robust. The tradeoff is C cells, and it's nearly impossible to use it one handed. I think the decision comes down to battery type, operation, and personal preference.

The one thing I haven't heard mentioned, and I'm hoping that's because you already have one, is a dedicated strobe. I always have my ACR MS-2000 attached to my PFD, riding in a Tactical Tailor Strobe/Compass pouch. As great as LEDs are, they don't match the intensity of a search and rescue strobe. Any of the standard ACR strobes work well, I prefer the models that use AAs rather than the hard to find and extremely expensive lithium types. You can buy an adapter to use 123As, but they're aftermarket and don't guarantee the depth rating while you're using it.

I enjoyed Sub_Umbra's post, and I though he made some excellent points.

As a personal preference, I tend to shy away from SFs, or any Incandescent without some kind of water-resitant rating in general, especially the more expensive models like the A2. Salt water is about as harsh an environment as it gets for electronics, and SF doesn't give a definitive "waterproof or water-resistant to x" rating. In my experience any equipment you take on deck with you is bound to get kocked around... aluminum or any other metal isn't very kind to the bulb or whatever it hits on deck. Again, this is just my opinion, I'm sure the A2, and a variety of other lights, work fine on a day to day basis for most people.

I hope some of this helps, if you have any questions feel free to drop me a line. Oh, and though the X5 isn't my first choice when sailing or camping, it's a fantastic EDC. Hasn't died on me either, like my Arc AAA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Have a safe trip!

Sail fast, live slow,
- Corliss