Do you ever use oil lights on your boat

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BACUS

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Hello all
In this day of led lighting is it worth having a oil lamp as a back up, or are they to much trouble
Thanks for your time
Bacus
 
Not as backup - quality LEDs connected to a properly-built electrical system are more than reliable enough for me. But for ambience in the cabin, the oil lamp on Kindred Spirit was great. Like having an open fire in your living room at home; on a bigger boat I might have had a stove, but in 24 feet the lamp was the best I could do.

If you mean for navigation lights, I don't think oil is a sensible backup in this day and age. As it happens I do have a set of backup lights, but only because I had the fittings spare in the shed anyway. Bought some cheap eBay LEDs to put in them (which I wouldn't for main lamps, but I never really expect to use these) and added some long wires out the back, and if one day something ever happens to my main lights I can pull these out of a deep storage locker and clamp them on where needed.

Pete
 
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We carry an oil light which we do use, cockpit light rather than anything to do with nav lights. However ours is filled with citronella oil to minimise nuisance from biting insects (mosquitoes, midges). Virtually all our lights, nav and domestic, are now LEDs - so the need to use oil to save power has largely gone away. (our engine/steaming light is still incandescent). We also have 2 sets of nav lights, masthead and deck (so we have fallbacks)
 
I have two of the Fastnet gimballed lamps. Previous owner had one too close to the coachroof so I am moving it down about 4 inches this year. We don't have any electric lighting in the cabin at present, although I will at some stage put a light over the chart table.


I have a hurracane lamp but have never used it on board. It seems to give out quite a lot of heat and I have not worked out how to hang is up as an anchor light wihout the risk of fire. It has a 5 inch handle but that seems to get quite warm. Any suggestions?
 
I have a hurracane lamp but have never used it on board. It seems to give out quite a lot of heat and I have not worked out how to hang is up as an anchor light wihout the risk of fire. It has a 5 inch handle but that seems to get quite warm. Any suggestions?[/QUOTE]

A suitable looped length of welded, not soldered, light chain with a s/s carabiner clip.
looped at lamp end, clipped ends at boat end.
'ornamental' chain from an ironmongers will do, but must be welded/heatproof:o
 
I use an oil lamp on the cabin table (in a wooden doughnut for stability) every night I spend on the boat. For reading I use the 'lectric side lights as well. It gives off useful heat, keeps bugs at bay and keeps me in spiritual touch with Nelson. I find the cheapest parafin possible and seldom have problems with it, I also have a parafin heater but it only really gets used in the winter.
I gave a yachtsman a lift back to his boat last year and when the lights came on it was lit like a post mortem studio. A very stark, and cold, led light which would not suit me. I understand the "warm" lights are better or maybe he had the "warm" lights I don't know.

For an achor light look for one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1311&_nkw=eccles+miners+lamp&_sacat=0&_from=R40

They have loads of advantages: they are solid brass copper and/or stainless, they will not blow out not ever, the glass is c1/4 in Pyrex and the wicks are thick and round and need little adjustment. They do need to be opened with a magnet or gently modified. If you can find one with a lighting hole in the glass, ideal; these were used for applications other then mining eg carrying the Olympic flame in aircraft. When you could buy them new they cost about 350 quid, you might get one for £20 or £30.

The ritual of lights at twilight is oddly comforting as is the glow of real fire. You will find filling much easier if you decant the parafin into small bottles, with a long nozzle. Cut the top off a gallon oil bidon and store all of your stuff, and the riding light, in it. That way any spills are contained, nothing gets lost and storage is easy.
 
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sailorman said:
we have a large Dutch lamp hanging in the saloon all the time, it hangs below the lewmar hatch & has bungee rubber from the bottom to the mast step /sole to stop it swinging about
Click to expand...

Glad we are not the only ones adding "unnecessary" weight..

We went out looking for LED lights for the chart table as recommended on here from:

http://www.calibramarine.com/shop/

We came back with one of these...

Lamp_zps48b62df2.jpg


If your thinking about buying the cheap ones look at the expensive ones first. This one came with 2 mounting brackets, so you can use it at home or your other boat/ caravan.

We have used it 5 nights so far this year, we had it as a light of an evening and turn it down to supply back light and warmth at night.

Should we of bought the LED's hell no...
 
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