tower lights

Kiffa · Post by **Kiffa** » Nov 18th, '06, 07:19

Hi all,
I have just got new Murphy gauges but without the lights. I plan to install a tower on my Bahia Mar and would like to install a light on it over the consoul for night running. I noticed a few of the larger boats use red hallogin lights which the captains say dont hinder night running at all. Is this correct and if so can i use a blue light instead?

Chris

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Nov 18th, '06, 08:20

Red is better than blue. My gauges are all red except for the one that is blue and the blue makes it hard to read when its real snotty. Science wise says that the rods and cones in your eyes take the longest to percive red than any other color in the spectrum. The ability of your eye to return to seeing well at night quicker after looking at an area lit with red light may be true.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Nov 18th, '06, 09:34

I think you will find running at night with any light at all is annoying. If I did not have lights on my gauges I would get a red l.e.d. light to spot check the guages. Just my .02

Kingfish · Post by **Kingfish** » Nov 21st, '06, 21:55

Brewster Minton wrote:Red is better than blue. My gauges are all red except for the one that is blue and the blue makes it hard to read when its real snotty. Science wise says that the rods and cones in your eyes take the longest to percive red than any other color in the spectrum. The ability of your eye to return to seeing well at night quicker after looking at an area lit with red light may be true.

Thats why the U.S. Navy lites their bridges with red lites, at least they used to in the 60's.

Skipper Dick · Post by **Skipper Dick** » Nov 22nd, '06, 08:21

I was a rescue crew member for almost 20 years in the USAF and every aircraft I was qualified in and aboard was rigged for night vision and that meant red lights everywhere including all the dash panels, courtesy lights and reading lights. This helped tremendously when you still had to physically look out the windows for signs of lights or flares on the ground at night.

Dick

randall · Post by **randall** » Nov 22nd, '06, 08:58

cool....tell us more....both my father and my son have been involved with open water rescues (from the wrong end) ive been lucky so far.....

Skipper Dick · Post by **Skipper Dick** » Nov 22nd, '06, 09:28

Randall,

I spent most of my Air Force career in the Air Rescue Service as a Pararescueman. I was one of those weirdo's that would jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I was involved in a couple of sea rescues where we had to parachute into the North Pacific with SCUBA gear and was also on an APOLLO capsule recovery team. Every time there was an APOLLO shot, we were deployed all over the world in case they had to bring the capsule down some place other than the intended splash area. Except for my tours in the Vietnam war, it was a lot of fun and excitment. Now, I'm content just keeping my Bertram up to speed and running her with my wife.

Dick

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Nov 22nd, '06, 10:39

very cool!

Dave Kosh R.I.P. · Post by **Dave Kosh R.I.P.** » Nov 22nd, '06, 12:16

Yes Red for sure but no lights is better for most runs. USN uses all red lights for night running in birthing compartments etc. All submarines use red for night running so you don't fall on your can and still retain some vision for darkness.
I'm thinking about running with IR goggles. Any of the faithful using them. Fishing here requires early morning departures which means running in the dark. I don't like running with limited visability but sometimes I have to. I refuse to run in crabpot waters at night however.
Dave K

randall · Post by **randall** » Nov 22nd, '06, 12:33

skipper....theres an air rescue base near here in westhampton....it was the one deployed in the "perfect storm"....a real pleasure to meet you....cyberspacially speaking.....randall

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Nov 22nd, '06, 12:53

I have night vision goggles but do not count on them spot trap buoys unless conditions are perfect. One anchor light on in your line of vision and they are useless. Not sure about the IR goggles. I have found that I can see the most when I dim the radar to least amount and black out the GPS, granted I know where I am. No guage lights, no bottom finder light....nuthin. You would be shocked at how much you can see. Make sure your all around 360 white is high and does not light up any portion of your own boat. That is what will deteriorate your night veiwing the most.

Charlie · Post by **Charlie** » Nov 22nd, '06, 16:33

Red, all my airplanes had red interior lights. Red does not mess up your night vision. Blue is way cooler though and the new green leds are even cooler. I have red white and blue with their own switch on my flybridge and the cockpit has red all around.
Plan to add some greens over the winter.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 22nd, '06, 16:51

A previous owner installed the flush mount Morse docking lights into the bow flare on my boat. As this one is currently under construction I have been debating with myself if I should leave them or get rid of them and glass up the huge holes??

What's the opinions on these lights? Are they of any use underway? I do know they are expensive and would hate to do away with good stuff if I would benefit by having them, but it's a bit hard getting use to the look they add to the boat....sorta like a set of eyes up front.

Scot

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 22nd, '06, 23:30

I use my docking lights while running at night all the time. They show up crab pot bouys and floating debris and don't hurt your night vision. Also they make you very easy to see, which is important with some of the yahoos on the water now!!

Rocket · Post by **Rocket** » Nov 23rd, '06, 12:10

Scot, I had the same lights on my B25. The only problem I had with them is they "hydrauliced" out when running in big seas. I wound up siliconing the S**T out of them and it was okay, but then one burned out and it was impossible to change etc...Long story short, they have since been removed and glassed over.

Ironman · Post by **Ironman** » Nov 23rd, '06, 12:58

Happy thanksgiving to all.:
Hey Skipper Dick thanks for your service.!
I run at night here in so Cal.Have my nav lights on the anchor pulpit out of reflective sight,& leave all my gauge lights off & spot check with a red lL.E.D. small flashlight.(surefire)
Last week the fog was so thick most of the day I had radar (R41x)spotting lobster pots,in the closest setting.amazing .Then coming into the harbor at night the last 5 miles was exhausting... Had to wake up oneof the guys to man the radar.While I m steering& looking at the GPS...
Now I got to get a decent auto pilot... had vertigo SP? a few times going real slow, when I thought Im turning slightly right & actually turning left..
fun times.going through the shipping lanes.

..
Wayne

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Nov 23rd, '06, 14:00

One word of caution when using red lights for night vision..

After many years of offshore long distance sailing, where we were underway day and night for several days at a time.. red lights do preserve your night vision, but they make it IMPOSSIBLE to see the magenta or red items on a chart! We used red lights in the cabin (also they make it easier for the off watch to sleep), but we kept a white light with a dimmer for chart reading.

Kiffa · Post by **Kiffa** » Dec 21st, '06, 08:00

Thanks guys for all the advice. Since I will be using the boat for a couple of months with just a bimini top I will purchase a Led flash light to do the job. When I do install the tower I will put in a red halogen light which I will use to spot check.
I do have another question. It is getting close to the time for my launching, I would prefer not to install a swim platform, what would you guys recommend as a boarding ladder. I was looking at one of the Windline ladders at west marine http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... rtial/30/0 .
Do you think this will work or is there a better solution. Thanks,

Chris Hackshaw

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Dec 21st, '06, 08:09

Chris,

Glad to hear that you're almost ready to get wet again... That ladder is a good one and should be easily stored.

When you rig your red lights, think about installing a dimmer. Red is a good night color, but intensity can often be a bigger factor in retaining your night vision.

Br,

Patrick

Kiffa · Post by **Kiffa** » Dec 21st, '06, 10:29

Hey Capt Pat, I have sent an email to Windeline and garilick asking them which of their ladder they recomend. My boat is commming along great she looks fantastic! I hope to have her in early next year. Happy hollidays,

Chris

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Dec 21st, '06, 17:07

Pats right on the dimmer but one other suggestion.

Any large electronics display such as a GPS map like the Garmin 2030 will change your vison perception.
So looking up after viewing the screen will lengthen your time to adjust to darkness.
Keep your background intensity down and the display covers on when not viewing them at night.

Kevin,
Watched a late night cop program last night based out of Monroe counties Marine and Sheriffs patrol during the keys Bartenders Weekend party.
You couldn't pay me enough to deal with that crowd. Man that was bad.

bertram31.com

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