It’s the law to have navigation lights on when underway in a boat at night. Red (port/left) and Green (starboard/right) lights must be visible from the front and sides. Also, an all-around light must be visible for a full 360 degrees at the stern of a boat under 12 meters in length. Even when anchored, you are still required to have an all-around light on if you are outside of a designated anchorage area.
Since many of us bowfish at night and we want to remain in compliance with these laws, it becomes clear pretty quickly that standard stern lights just don't hold up. As we pick our way down shorelines and sneak into backwaters, the typical all-around light gets bombarded by branches and other obstacles. I personally have broken 5 all-around lights in the past 5 years.
Thankfully, I believe my worries surrounding my all-around light are a thing of the past thanks to the Extreme LED All-Around Navigation Light from Max It Out LEDs. This light is unlike anything else I’ve seen on the market.
The light itself is a series of small, low-watt LEDs encased in a clear protective coating. The bright, white light they emit can be clearly seen over a full 360 degrees up to 2 nautical miles away. The 40 inch height for the light (base included) will work with most boats.
The hollow, flexible shaft that supports the light is nearly indestructible and shrugs off light contact with branches with ease. However, the real key to keeping this light alive is in the mounting system.
The shaft is incorporated into a Ram Mount, where a strong composite ball is molded onto a baseplate and can be mounted directly to the boat. Then a composite arm socket with a tightening screw slips around the ball, allowing the attachment to pivot when forced down by an obstruction. I like that I can also loosen the socket screw, allowing me to trailer down the road with the light in a horizontal position.
The wiring from the LEDs is protected by heat shrink tubing and runs directly through the shaft. The wires exit just above the Ram ball mount. This improvement was that just rolled out with the latest model and keep the wires even more protected from potential damage.
20
May, 2015
NEW GEAR
Max It Out LEDs
Extreme LED All-Around Light
GET THIS
AVOID THIS
AND...
The LED lighting produces 40 lumens over a full 360 degrees. The lights are thoroughly protected from the elements by a clear casing.
The use of a Ram Mount at the base of the light allows it to rotate away from harm.
(continued on next page)