Add a few of these install-free gadgets to your nighttime navigation toolbox.
You may not be inclined to arm yourself with spotlights brighter than the sun or military-grade infrared binoculars, especially if you’re primarily a daytime boater. And yet, especially as daylight begins to wane, sunset can catch us by surprise. Here are some small, affordable, install-free gadgets for purposeful – or accidental – after-dark outings.
PRINCETON TEC BYTE TACTICAL HEADLAMP
I’ve always been peeved by “red” headlamps that ostensibly preserve night vision but force the user to turn on the white light mode first, undermining the goal. So I embarked on a quest to find a headlamp that shone red on first click, and this is the only one I’ve found that does. In fact, the only way to turn it white is to deliberately hold the button down for several seconds. No accidental blinding! $30.99 | princetontec.com
WEEMS & PLATH LIGHTRULE
This sliding reference condenses about 100 pages of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Rules & Regulations handbook into one flat, compact guide, showing the navigation light configurations for different vessels (including the obscure, lesser-known ones) from bow, stern, and side angles. Use it to identify a vessel with unfamiliar lights, or as a study and memorization tool.
$57.99 | weems-plath.com
ACR ARTEX C-STROBE H20
It’s almost impossible to see a person in the water at night, but a bright LED strobe is much easier to spot. Strap this light directly to a life jacket or use the included clip to attach it to the oral inflation tube on an inflatable. Lights can be activated manually by twisting, or automatically when armed and submerged. Operates continuously for 120 hours on two AA batteries (not included). $29.95 | acrartex.com
MAGLITE SOLITAIRE LED SPECTRUM RED
Prefer flashlights? Check out this tiny red-only Maglite. Keep it in your pocket or clipped to a waistband, or grab a handful to leave in cabinets and compartments so you can easily reach for one instead of turning on the bright cabin overheads. $13.99 | maglite.com
STANDARD HORIZON HX40 VHF RADIO
When it rains, it pours — and if you’re stuck out after dark, odds are something else has gone awry, too. A portable backup can save the day (night?). No matter how little storage space is available, there’s room for this 2- by 4-inch (without antenna) handheld VHF radio somewhere. It’s so small, it can even be clipped to a life jacket for communication in the event of a man overboard. $149.99 | standardhorizon.com
ICOM M94D HANDHELD VHF & AIS TRANSCEIVER
If you don’t have hardwired AIS, your only other option is internet AIS on a smart device (which requires internet or cell signal) or this handheld VHF radio with built-in AIS transceiver from ICOM, one of the only handheld AIS devices on the market that doesn’t rely on cell signal. The range is inherently smaller than hardwired AIS, and the display is rudimentary, but it’s a good option for smaller boaters without full AIS capacities, or as a backup. $399.95 | icomamerica.com