Portable lights for a Sonata - which ones & where to put them?

[MissFitz]

As a follow-up to my post on Scuttlebutt about getting my newly purchased Sonata back from Brixham to the Solent, a few specific questions about lights. As mentioned in that post, the boat doesn't have a leisure battery or fixed lights. I'm not looking to sail overnight but obviously need to have something on board in case we get stuck in Lyme Bay (or elsewhere).

Several posters suggested either bike lights or the new generation portable LED lights (eg Navisafe). The bike lights are obviously cheaper but, price considerations aside, would the others be better? And if so, which ones are the best & would it be better to get a tricolour or just an all-round white? (Price is a consideration, so I'd be reluctant to get both - particularly as I do plan to install fixed lights at some point.)

Also, with both bike lights & portable lights, what's the best way of displaying them? The blurb on the Navisafe ones seems to imply that you can stick them on your head, which seems a bit bizarre! Would hoisting them up the mast with a spinnaker halyard (assuming it's not being used for its primary function) be viable/sensible? Or do you just lash/tape them to pulpit & pushpit?

All help much appreciated, thanks!

 

[RupertW]

I haven't bought any for years but had duct tape ready to lash them to pulpit and pushpit and would go for separate navigation lights of the correct colours.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

The ideal solution is two Navisafe units - one using the rail mount on the push pit showing green and red and one on the stern rail showing white. Plus a large, powerful handheld waterproof spotlamp for highlighting your position to anyone who might be of concern to you.

I know this doesn't give you the proper lights if you were motoring, but it shows willing and is much better than any solution I saw on a Sonata during the overnight races at Rover week in Scotland. There you had to have proper 'plumbed in' lights, but everyone used a motorcycle battery as the power source. These had pretty much all gone flat by the time we got to Brodick Bay, so during the spinnaker run back towards the mainland as a close formation pack of maybe 12 to 15 boats, you could only keep position by keeping an eye on the bioluminescence coming off the quarter waves. Dawn couldn't come too soon.

 

[lw395]

I would go for an all around white and a few decent torches.
A fog horn is worth having too.

I think I'd want to get the light as high as possible, to minimise hiding it with the sails.

Have you got a date and had a look at the tides?
Quite possibly the only time you'll need lights is leaving Brixham at horrid AM. There tends to be a lot of fishing vessels inbound at this time who will shout at you if your lights are too mickey mouse.

 

[doug748]

I would go for an all around white and a few decent torches.
.

So would I.

Those pukka nav items are great but will cost you over 130 quid. You could improvise a very strong light from the cheap shop for under a tenner including spare batteries. Hoist it up the backstay with the topping lift.

 

[crewman]

I have LED Navy lights on my Sonata. Cost about £40 from Force 4 I think. Clip on and off so easily removed plenty bright and run on AAA batteries which seem to last for ever.

 

[VicS]

As a follow-up to my post on Scuttlebutt about getting my newly purchased Sonata back from Brixham to the Solent, a few specific questions about lights. As mentioned in that post, the boat doesn't have a leisure battery or fixed lights. I'm not looking to sail overnight but obviously need to have something on board in case we get stuck in Lyme Bay (or elsewhere).

Several posters suggested either bike lights or the new generation portable LED lights (eg Navisafe). The bike lights are obviously cheaper but, price considerations aside, would the others be better? And if so, which ones are the best & would it be better to get a tricolour or just an all-round white? (Price is a consideration, so I'd be reluctant to get both - particularly as I do plan to install fixed lights at some point.)

Also, with both bike lights & portable lights, what's the best way of displaying them? The blurb on the Navisafe ones seems to imply that you can stick them on your head, which seems a bit bizarre! Would hoisting them up the mast with a spinnaker halyard (assuming it's not being used for its primary function) be viable/sensible? Or do you just lash/tape them to pulpit & pushpit?

All help much appreciated, thanks!

The closer you can get to a set of "proper navigation lights" and with the visible range specified in the regulations the safer and happier you will be if you do get caught out at night.

It should not be difficult the power a set of LED lights

Not sure if it was mentioned in your other thread but do not forget that it is a legal requirement ( Solas V) to carry a radar reflector ( and, FWIW, a table of "life saving signals")

 

[Uricanejack]

My emergency lights come with two small LED flashlights.
One is a Red Green combo. I can attach to pulpit.
One is a single all round white which I can attach to the jack staff.

I also carry some black tape. If one of my nav lights fails I can tape over the color I don't need and attach near the blown light.
If you at sailing you wont need the all round white. Covering part with tape will provide a stern light.

If you drop the sails and put motor on. a second all round white will work. or take the tape off.

 

[William_H]

As Vic said I think the best idea is to move towards your ultimate arrangement. I am convinced that individual LED P and S mounted on the side of the cabin is best arrangement. I use a COB LED made or flood lights for the stern light giving very close to required visual angles and very bright. I actually throttle it back with a resistor to a more reasonable brightness.
There are many options for a battery from buying what you will finally use to borrowing a car battery to even stringing D cells together. (8 in series soldered) > This will give you confidence if you are caught out sailing in dark. Only you can decide the chances that you will get caught and prepare accordingly. olewill

 

[VicS]

As Vic said I think the best idea is to move towards your ultimate arrangement. I am convinced that individual LED P and S mounted on the side of the cabin is best arrangement. I use a COB LED made or flood lights for the stern light giving very close to required visual angles and very bright. I actually throttle it back with a resistor to a more reasonable brightness.
There are many options for a battery from buying what you will finally use to borrowing a car battery to even stringing D cells together. (8 in series soldered) > This will give you confidence if you are caught out sailing in dark. Only you can decide the chances that you will get caught and prepare accordingly. olewill

Two 6 volt lantern batteries might be a better idea

 

[Gwylan]

As a follow-up to my post on Scuttlebutt about getting my newly purchased Sonata back from Brixham to the Solent, a few specific questions about lights. As mentioned in that post, the boat doesn't have a leisure battery or fixed lights. I'm not looking to sail overnight but obviously need to have something on board in case we get stuck in Lyme Bay (or elsewhere).

Several posters suggested either bike lights or the new generation portable LED lights (eg Navisafe). The bike lights are obviously cheaper but, price considerations aside, would the others be better? And if so, which ones are the best & would it be better to get a tricolour or just an all-round white? (Price is a consideration, so I'd be reluctant to get both - particularly as I do plan to install fixed lights at some point.)

Also, with both bike lights & portable lights, what's the best way of displaying them? The blurb on the Navisafe ones seems to imply that you can stick them on your head, which seems a bit bizarre! Would hoisting them up the mast with a spinnaker halyard (assuming it's not being used for its primary function) be viable/sensible? Or do you just lash/tape them to pulpit & pushpit?

All help much appreciated, thanks!

Anybody mention Plastimo. Have a set that we have never used. On eBay for £20 - not mine, but a new set.

 

[Simondjuk]

I third the ideas of Vic and William of buying proper LED nav lights now since you intend to fit them later anyway. Just mount them in the correct places, even if with temporary fixings for now, cobble up some temporary wiring and run them from a small battery.

Why waste money on a mickey mouse setup that you're going to bin when you can have the benefit of superior results from something you're going to keep and use long-term?

 

[bbg]

The ideal solution is two Navisafe units - one using the rail mount on the push pit showing green and red and one on the stern rail showing white. Plus a large, powerful handheld waterproof spotlamp for highlighting your position to anyone who might be of concern to you.

+1 I used Navisafe as emergency lights. I may even have some photos kicking around somewhere showing them in action. I'll try to post them if I can find them.

Edit - although now I see the price of them on Force4 I might consider other purpose-built LED battery operated lights, which are available for £30-£40 or so.

 

[Iliade]

If you are planning to fit 'proper lights' later, why not just do so before setting off? Twenty minutes work and peace of mind assured. With the advent of LED I would not bother with a masthead light, just deck level ones. An emergency light could be strapped to the mast for legality when you were motoring at night.

 

[MissFitz]

If you are planning to fit 'proper lights' later, why not just do so before setting off? Twenty minutes work and peace of mind assured. With the advent of LED I would not bother with a masthead light, just deck level ones. An emergency light could be strapped to the mast for legality when you were motoring at night.

I'm rapidly coming round to the idea that this is the best solution. The boat was previously fitted with deck level lights, so it should be reasonably easy to replace those. And I have an offer of a free battery. Will get one of the Navisafe all round whites for emergencies though, they look great (particularly like the blink mode).