Spot light recommendations

[Pop]

First night with new to me this year coming back to harbor in the dark. Looking for recommendations on a spot light. I am thinking wireless and ability to rotate. I have a hard top and a pulpit to mount to.
Any suggestions are appreciated

thank you
Steve

 

[JJF]

Hi,

When you "say" wireless, do you power or remote?

ACR (model ACR RCL-95) makes an excellent spotlight wired for power and wireless remote for operation.

 

[Pop]

Hi,

When you "say" wireless, do you power or remote?

ACR (model ACR RCL-95) makes an excellent spotlight wired for power and wireless remote for operation.

I was thinking with a remote so i did not have to run wires

 

[JJF]

I didn't look for battery powered, so I can't offer any suggestions on that aspect.

 

[Pop]

I didn't look for battery powered, so I can't offer any suggestions on that aspect.

I am not looking for battery powered - just remote controls

 

[JJF]

ok; got it...

the ACR one I mentioned above is a good unit

 

[SkunkBoat]

Get a hand held rechargable battery one.
Its way easier to point your hand than to fiddle with that damn button.
No installation necessary.
Its a no-brainer.

something like this...Amazon spotlight

I've had a remote spot and it was just stupid......it did look cool though....

 

[everwhom]

I went with a single row LED lightbar mounted on my hard top far enough back so that no light spills on the bow or even the bow rail. Works great, and I only use it when I'm not interfering with other boaters' night vision.

 

[wahoo33417]

I went through two RCL-75's. Both died shortly after warranty. For the second light, parts were very hard to come by and no repair service was available. I was disappointed in ACR.

So now I've gone with the much cheaper LED light bar. If I have to replace it every year it will still cost far less that my ACR experience. I also carry a rechargeable handheld spotlight on boat trips as a backup.

I should say that I'm not looking to turn night into day. I just need something to reflect off the channel markers when I head out at oh-dark-thirty.

 

[brdawg2001]

Radar

 

[SkunkBoat]

Radar

radar can't see cedar channel markers and logs floating in the channel and kayaks...and a man overboard...

 

[Automated14]

I went through two RCL-75's. Both died shortly after warranty. For the second light, parts were very hard to come by and no repair service was available. I was disappointed in ACR.

So now I've gone with the much cheaper LED light bar. If I have to replace it every year it will still cost far less that my ACR experience. I also carry a rechargeable handheld spotlight on boat trips as a backup.

I should say that I'm not looking to turn night into day. I just need something to reflect off the channel markers when I head out at oh-dark-thirty.

same here... my canal has some BS ligthts at the end but you can't see them till you are about 10 feet away. they are solar powered and prob cheap. I had a remote light on hardtop but took it off to put the radar there. thinking about relocating that to the pulpit

 

[Ekea]

radar can't see cedar channel markers and logs floating in the channel and kayaks...and a man overboard...

they can. i have seen radar pick up crap pot floats.

regardless, if i wanted to run when its dark, the first thing i would look at would be ultra low light cameras (sionx or black oak). no brainer

 

[drbatts]

I have been using a handheld for a while now. If its something that is only used infrequently and to mark channel markers it works fine. The Sionx stuff does look really nice though and maybe a future upgrade down the line.

 

[Automated14]

they can. i have seen radar pick up crap pot floats.

regardless, if i wanted to run when its dark, the first thing i would look at would be ultra low light cameras (sionx or black oak). no brainer

Thats how I roll now... but still looking to mount my search light as a backup

Nightwave Install

 

[Halfhitch]

Thats how I roll now... but still looking to mount my search light as a backup

Nightwave Install

How much dinero?

 

[DennisG01]

You've got to run power wires so adding control wires to pull isn't any more difficult - just an FYI.

But, I agree with the others that while a spotlight looks cool sitting up there, it's not the best solution. Plus, also like said, they sit unused so much that when you go to use it may not work - too many moving parts that get corroded. Been down that road a few times over the years

A light bar on the hard top - or even a wide angle spreader/flood light (or two) at the bow - might be a better/simpler/easier/cheaper choice.

 

[Automated14]

How much dinero?

1350. Have a relative with a west marine employee acct. very big discount. They MSRP for over 1800

 

[ttles714]

I had a Marlin and wiring to the bow was a pain, so I got lazy and mounted a remote light on the hard top >>>> Too much glare off the bow...
My second Marlin I mounted a Marinco Wireless Remote spotlight on the Bow Pulpit .... I ran a short "circuit breakered" hot lead piggy backed from the Anchor windless hot lead, to the light ... The wireless remote only needed a low amp power circuit which I powered off the Nav light switch. .. Works well and no glare. ( so the remote doesn't get power unless the Nav lights are turned on .... just my preference.)

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

I am not in light bars on boats, but know some for cars.
As the glare on the bonnet is often a issue I would not like to have that on a hardtop on a boat.
The glare would blind me more than the advantage of seeing in front of me.

I use some times a hand held flashlight, but for frequent use and the problems you have in US I would use a pulpit (or bow mounted removable solution) to reduce glare as much as possible and if available, a dimmable solution would be my choice.

Chris