Underwater lights

[jfm]

Why are the lights better underwater fir safety finding the boat and transferring? Surely hull or deck lights would be more effective for the former. And lights for transferring from the tender are only needed at the one place used (eg side or stern) and a Eur10 sensor would switch them on only when needed.
I can't believe they are other than a fashion item. And what research has been done on impact on water life of the light pollution?

Deck lights do so much but - purely imho - there is a much better result if the water itself is glowing with light.

You're right that they are a pleasure/ fashion item. As is a boat itself.

No idea about research but as there is sunlight for 16 hours a day squirting in a zillion times the lumens of UWLs in the full colour spectrum of wavelengths, logic tells you there isn't a meaningful problem. Fish seem to love them.

 

[jrudge]

I'm quite happy to buy the "I think I look cool" line - who doesn't want to look cool; the pretence of it being a safety feature just doesn't wash

If you come back to the boat at night they are absolutely a safety feature. They also help you find the boat which in a crowded anchorage can be harder than you imagine

They are also lovely to swim by at anchor and attract fish.

It is personal choice so feel free to disagree

 

[Fire99]

Would it?

Well my theory is that every search light or deck working light I've ever seen has been white so I'm thinking there's a reason for that.

 

[Fire99]

I have them. To be honest I rarely turn them on, but when I do I love to watch the fish and other sea creatures that seem to be attracted to them.

I like them and as I say I'm sure if they're reliable enough and I can bring myself to have a a few more holes in me' boat, I'd have them. They do make the underwater look rather funky. But unless I dozed off or forgot, I couldn't leave them on all night.

 

[Fire99]

I suspect (but correct me if I'm wrong) that you haven't taken guests - perhaps nervous guests and/or small children - in your tender to your anchored boat in total darkness with no UWL, then tried it again with bright UWL, and felt first hand the safety/convenience/pleasure difference.

Since I don't have any under water loomy-watsits, I concur I haven't tried it with underwater lights. But I've done enough people ferrying from tender to boat in the night. We just kinda do it. No fatalities yet.

 

[Fire99]

Re “ cool “ the really cool boats don’t need any add ons , gimmicks etc ..

I find the coolest sailors are the guys / gals who turn up in something a little different (or a classic) with no flash or drama and quietly get on with it. Then when you chat to them you find out they've been half the way around the world on the boat. I find that pretty cool to be honest.

 

[MapisM]

And what research has been done on impact on water life of the light pollution?

Are you implying it would be worth investing time and money in a scientific research on this topic? Seriously?
It doesn't take a degree in marine biology to expect that the result would be a ban of pleasure boats altogether, regardless of U/W lights.
In fact, the pollution of the smallest genset is bound to have a much worse impact on marine life than the most powerful lights.
And that's without even considering to turn the main engine(s) on - even on a sailboat!

 

[MapisM]

Re “cool“ the really cool boats don’t need any add ons, gimmicks etc ..

Good luck trying to convince anyone that this 170 feet Royal Huisman ain't a cool boat.

 

[Fire99]

Good luck trying to convince anyone that this 170 feet Royal Huisman ain't a cool boat.

Strewth!!! Won't you take a look at that!! The green lights are a bit Disney but what a boat!!

 

[MapisM]

The green lights are a bit Disney but what a boat!!

I can't be positive, but I would think those lights are actually white, and the green-ish glow is a photo effect, probably triggered also by a not exactly crystal clear harbour water.
Just saying - pretty sure that would still be as cool as a boat can be also with no u/w light at all.
But I also think it's hard to argue that she's less so because of them!

 

[jfm]

Good luck trying to convince anyone that this 170 feet Royal Huisman ain't a cool boat.

That's the beautiful s/y Meteor.

Again each to their own and i don't wish to argue, and I wish merely state a different point of view, but I totally don't care about the holes in the hull that u/w lights require. We are talking about 25mm hole with massive aluminium bronze flanges each side sealed by 4200 or whatever. No way will that create meaningful risk of leak. There are plenty of other holes in hulls. Just sold my last boat after 10 years with 12 u/w light holes, 19 seacocks, perhaps 30 through bolts for this and that, plus 2 drive shafts, 2 rudder shafts, 2 stabiliser shafts and 2 thruster shafts. Lets call it 60 underwater holes. Completely normal. Never leaked in 10 years. Modern lip seals and polyurethane sealers just work.

 

[harvey38]

Why did you have to raise the matter? We're out next year for some planned maintenance and Coppercoat, I find myself researching UW lighting as a couple below the waterline at the stern wouldn't harm, would it

 

[Boathook]

If you come back to the boat at night they are absolutely a safety feature. They also help you find the boat which in a crowded anchorage can be harder than you imagine

They are also lovely to swim by at anchor and attract fish.

It is personal choice so feel free to disagree

So if every boat or a lot of boats in the anchorage had the lights you would struggle to find the correct boat.

 

[Portofino]

Good luck trying to convince anyone that this 170 feet Royal Huisman ain't a cool boat.

Billy no mates sat there on his own doesn’t need them imho .Aside as far as the things go ( the UW lights ) they are not that impressive.
The lights do nothing to it , except detract a bit of coolness from a huge number it’s already got on the scale as not to notice .

No neighbours either which is the point the OP s making if I understood his opening post #1?

 

[Boathook]

@MapisM really nice looking boat apart from the underwater lights.

 

[Elessar]

So if every boat or a lot of boats in the anchorage had the lights you would struggle to find the correct boat.

No lights = anchor light only
Lights = you see the shape of your boat and they’re probably not all the same colour.

I have definitely struggled to find my boat on the way back from the pub in the past. I don’t have UW lights but only because they seem to have a shocking reliability record at a high price point. That may change.

 

[Portofino]

No lights = anchor light only
Lights = you see the shape of your boat and they’re probably not all the same colour.

I have definitely struggled to find my boat on the way back from the pub in the past. I don’t have UW lights but only because they seem to have a shocking reliability record at a high price point. That may change.

We all have struggled to some degree or other .It’s part of the fun .We ( mates / lads trip ) have even clambered aboard some others , a FR guys ITAMA ! Woke them up.

Beer goggles +++ , we lost our ability to read transom names .

 

[Elessar]

We all have struggled to some degree or other .It’s part of the fun .We ( mates / lads trip ) have even clambered aboard some others , a FR guys ITAMA ! Woke them up.

Beer goggles +++ , we lost our ability to read transom names .

Back in sailing days and inadequate batteries and pre LEDs we used a hurricane lamp on the boom. Avon red crest, seagull engine, no lights, no moon, heading out to a dark sea as the lamp had gone out. No lifejackets either. Fond memories but I wouldn’t do it now!

 

[MapisM]

We ( mates / lads trip ) have even clambered aboard some others , a FR guys ITAMA ! Woke them up.

See? That's a mistake which is bound to happen, with those soulless, copycat boats.
If you would have fitted a rainbow of u/w lights on yours, the Fr guy could have enjoyed his sleep.

 

[Scubaboy79]

We were moored on a buoy in the Beaulieu River last week with our underwater lights on. Later on that evening we were treated to a seal playing in our underwater lights hunting the fish that were attracted to the lights. It was a magical experience.