Why not a solar garden light?
Issue 23 : Mar/Apr 2002
The sailing club we belong to has limited dock space. Therefore, the majority of us have our boats on moorings. This is not normally a problem, but the bay is small and filled with boats, so rowing to our mooring on a moonless night can be challenging.
I decided that some type of light on my boat would make night identification and boarding much easier. Having only one battery and relying solely on my motor (which I use infrequently) for charging, I didn’t want the added battery drain. To add night illumination in my cockpit without any wiring or battery load therefore, it had to be solar-powered.
A quick trip to the local discount store (not marine store) provided what we needed . . . a solar-powered garden accent light! There were literally a dozen models to choose from. But a hanging model, along with a double snap hook, made installation instantaneous.
The unit is designed for outdoor use. Sunlight charges the replaceable AA nicad battery during the day, while the light-emitting diode (LED) turns on automatically at night by means of a built-in photoelectric cell.
Compared to standard solar lights, the new LED technology in these units provides longer run time. Our unit has multiple LEDs that afford brighter light output. It also has a lens that disperses the light evenly.
While sailing, we clip our light to a lifeline, where the sunlight charges the battery. Once at our mooring, we clip it to the end of our boom (more specifically to a grommet in our sail cover) where it’s ready to do its work.
With the addition of our new solar light, night identification and boarding of our sailboat is easy. As an added bonus, when staying aboard at night, we have a cockpit “night light” for less than $25.
Gregg and his wife, Joyce, sail their O’Day 222, Splash, out of Bush Bay on Pymatuning Reservoir, which borders Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
