Flash of inspiration,,,,!

I

ianwright

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"2,000,000 candle power torch" "a beam two miles long" "more power than a car headlight",,,,,,,, and so forth.
Visions of me illuminating the bridge of a big bulker and hearing the THUMP as the beam hit the windows,,,,,,,,,,,,
I know I want one,,,,,, but do I need one? Talk me out of it please.

IanW

Vertue 203, Patience
 
Save the bucks and pick up an old Aldis lamp. You may never use it for morse, but the beam is something that can't be ignored.
I was given mine by the skipper of a decommissioned fishing boat... but they turn up in junk shops, jumbles etc.
Spend the saved cash on a bottle of malt... far better inspiration.
 
in 1976

my late father, who had certain attributes in common with Old Harry, assembed an old copper saucepan, a sealed beam headlight, the handle part of a Dymo tape labeller various small screws and some copper for contacts, and produced a 12v lamp that seemed remarkably bright.

We used it, too, but shone it on the sails rather than at the bridge. Lasted for years.

A few months ago I saw an Aqua Signal version of the same thing going cheap at the London Yacht Centre's closing down sale, so, after a quick haggle, I bought it and bore it home in triumph......

....but it's 24 volt!
 
for cheap money (under £30)...they're great, esp for finding your way back to unlit marina in narrow channel, or spotting "keep away,submerged piles" signs (from experience). Tend to be too bright to use looking for things on deck,esp if trying to see in the dark shortly afterwards.
 
I have such a gizmo - only 1 Million cp. Unfortunately, you pay cheap you get cheap. Mine doesn't work any more. When I can get a round tuit, I intend sorting it, but the one time I needed it, zilch happened.



IMHO, of course.
 
You certainly ought to have a high-powered light on board (a requirement for RORC) - but whether you really need 2 million is another matter. I would imagine that at that power the battery life is very limited, and many of them won't run directly from the boat electrics.

500,000 now cost about £9.95 and seem to be a good compromise.

Incidentially although a 2mill light may be visible at twice the distance of a 500,000 - I don't think it would be any better for spotting things (e.g. MoBs)
 
Re: in 1976

If it's really bright, I'll take it off your hands, I need 24 volt stuff. But it'll have to melt supertankers at 100 paces!
 
Its not the size - it\'s the way you use it!

Problem with these torches if you are using it to see rather than be seen (in which case wot are your flares for) is the stray reflections off the mist, dust and other clag in the atmosphere or off the rigging. In good conditions, these reduce the effective range of the beam (well mine anyway) to about 300 - 500 metres.

In the circumstances you most need it, it's probably at night, drizzling and in an unfamiliar harbour, the effective range is much less - and it ****s up your night vision - big time. I had just this experience trying to get into Broadhaven in W Eire this summer at night in 50-100 m viz - the stuff of nightmares.

Having a brighter beam will not much increase the effective range, just make the stray reflections brighter.

That said I have two. One 500k and the other 750k and I woudl not be without them. I woudnt get anything stronger for the reasons above.


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