Remote Spot and Aft Lights - Good or Bad idea?

[Annie1996]

Would like to hear recent views on whether or not to get remote spotlights and aft lights or spreaders. It seems from a majority of folks I asked in the last couple of years, that it might not be worth the investment as the lights tend to shift over time and not work properly with the control from the cockpit. If in favor, what brand and model would you recommend for a 285 freedom?

 

[oldrusty]

Hi Annie, I bought a wireless remote (ACR Electronics Rcl95 White Led Spotlight With Wired Point Pad And Wireless Hand held remote) just this summer and I installed it with both the pin pad at my helm and the handheld wireless kept nearby. I have only had the opportunity to use it once this past summer and I thought it was great. Of course it was like having a new toy so I was happy with it. Some people like them and some don't. matter of preference I guess.
Dennis

 

[Fishtales]

I put Lumitec LED aft spreaders (replaced the stock Hella Halogen) and under gunnel Lumitec light bars (can be white, red or blue). I've had no issues and really like them. Not a fan of underwater lighting especially on wood cored boats.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I've got the stock ones from Grady White on my boat from the factory and while I like the look of them, they rarely if ever get used. I've got a beach cabin where I put my boat out on a mooring buoy during the summer for a few months. Of which I'll row out to the boat in my dinghy or kayak and then start trolling or fishing from there. Usually I wait until it's light enough out to see and I've got better than perfect vision, so I've only used the spreader lights a few times when my uncle who is in his 70's has gone fishing with me early in the morning. They work fine, and I'm sure they'd be vital for guys motoring in the dark while trying to rig up their gear and so forth. That being said, I've got everything ready before I go out fishing and literally just have to mount the downriggers, attach the lines together with my swivels and I'm ready to fish. I'm thinking this winter or early spring I'll swap them out for LED versions, as well as the lights for the steps on the walkaround and bow lights just because they're easier on the electrical system and use less power. If my boat didn't have the spreader lights though, I probably wouldn't bother adding them. Just my experience and opinions, though I couldn't tell you about a spotlight as I don't have one on my boat. My uncle had one on his old boat with the handheld remote that we only used a few times. While I think the spotlight is better than a fixed light bar in that it won't blind you as badly if it's focused in the wrong spot, we still only used the spotlight a few times. Because as mentioned above, we rarely ever go out fishing when it's still dark, or not light enough to see. If you do fish in those conditions then I'd think it would be extremely valuable.

 

[trapper]

I had a spot light on a previous boat and only used it on overnight boat camping trips. Getting up in the night to check the proximity to the beach and just having a look around at any other yachts anchored nearby for any anchor dragging. Tried not to shine it directly into sleeping quarters as no doubt the folk would think the sun was coming up and leap from the sack believing the day was well under way.

 

[everwhom]

I have a forward facing light bar and 2 very wide angle aft facing spreaders all from black oak LED. I use the light bar when picking my out of my harbor at night and am always super-careful about not blinding other boaters. The spreaders get used on the open ocean when trolling. I consider them to be essential safety items for running at night and where I fish from the only other boaters around at night are commercial boats with insanely bright lights on in all directions at all times and other recreational people like me.

If you mount a forward facing light bar or spotlight be sure that no light can hit any part of the bow or bow rail. This usually means mounting it far enough back on the hard top or putting it on or under the pulpit.

 

[Fishtales]

The Mossy Oak light bars are awesome but pricey....

 

[Gulffisher]

I consider remote spot light and aft spreader lights 100% necessary. My spotlight is an ACR RCL-95 LED and my aft spreader lights are Lumitec Caprera2 LED. When the spotlight stops working correctly, I toss and replace it (two in 18 years). The aft spreader lights are fixed mounted and I don't understand what you mean "shift." If they stop working I would simply toss and replace them (haven't failed yet). The fixed mount light bars are nice and light your way but... they annoy the crap out of approaching boaters (me included). So if you use a light bar, consider turning them off when another boat is approaching.

 

[Uncle Joe]

I have a GO Light remote spot (hard wired) mounted on the hard top of my Offshore and spreaders for the aft deck. They don't get a lot of use but they are invaluable when I need them.
The Go Light is not cheap at $500+...but it works as advertised.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Definitely get rid of Halogen spreaders for LED. You can run LEDs all night. Halogens suck power.
IMO your better with a handheld rechargable spotlight. Cheap. Easy to install cause you don't have to install it. Easy to point at what you are looking at.
LED floods under pulpit or on top of hardtop definitely help at times. You want them switched separately from the deck spreaders

 

[Annie1996]

Thanks everyone. Following up, I’m leaning toward getting a Golight Stryker LED Spotlight and will dispense with the aft spreader lights. I’m doing this at the same time that I’m having a Garmin Fantom 18x radar dome installed on my hardtop (Scantrust 6”). The question now is where to install the Spotlight - either at the bow, left of the windlass hatch or on the hardtop Immediately in front of the radar dome or slightly to the left. TIA.

 

[DennisG01]

Annie, something to keep in mind with placement of the spotlight is glare. You either have to set it back far enough from the front edge of the hardtop so it doesn't shine down AT ALL on the foredeck, or mount it far enough forward that it doesn't shine on the deck or the anchor. If mounting it forward, it likely would mean mounting it on the rail above the anchor. If you get ANY glare, it's useless.

Also, as noted above, do not run with the spotlight on if there are any boaters nearby. It's actually illegal to do this. The problem is... if you have the spotlight on, you may not see a boater that's a decent distance from you... but they WILL see your spotlight and that could disrupt their vision, causing an accident. So you have to be VERY conscious of this. I'm not saying don't run with the spotlight on - but you really have to be aware of others... and only use the spotlight at slow speeds.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Good point Dennis!

I was teached to never run with any spotlight on other than docking for the same reason you mentioned and also as others can't see the navigation lights and that will eliminate the possibility for them to see where the boat is directed to.

As others already wrote, any forward pointing must be mounted in such way that it will not illuminate not the slightest way any part of the boat as it will reduce captains vision too much. And most likely the only point would be on the bow most foreward, but that is not the place i would like to have one installed. I have a spotlight, but as Skunk already mentioned i have a handheld but powerful flashlight to use in case of entering a total dark inlet/shelter, to search the water surface for something and once docked to climb off the boat.
I am very experienced in night boating and honestly i prefer to steer even in pitch dark than having a spotlight giving me a tunnel vision seeing only there where the spotlight points.
It may be that i boat in less complicated waters (ICW, channele, rivers, etc) than you do over there in US and the main risk is to run over a non illuminated fishing buoy i can't see at night. The other problem i have some times are dumbasses fishing in front of the harbour without or very weak illumination and for that reason i will install a radar in such way that he show me what is in front of my boat.
However, honestly i hate to drive back in pitch dark conditions, even if it happens sometimes, but i love to drive back with the moon illuminating enough to reasonable safe cruise slowly back to the marina.
Chris