Let's be honest: how often do you use your handheld spotlight on board? Plug in the cable, pull it out on deck, and then please don't use it for too long, otherwise the battery capacity for the position lighting will dwindle.
LEDs are opening up new possibilities in this respect. Manufacturers of high-quality torches are outdoing each other with ever greater light output, while the prices for the devices are constantly falling. Interesting alternatives for the halogen searchlight, which can be used to illuminate the dark harbour entrance or, in the worst case, the person who has fallen overboard. No cables, no electricity budget.
For example, the LED Lenser X21. It draws its power from four standard batteries, and a rechargeable battery version is due to follow in the summer. The light beam can be focused and illuminates brightly and precisely at a good 200 metres, and is even noticeably brighter at a distance of 300 metres. A pity: the lenses in the otherwise very robust aluminium housing are only made of plastic. The purchase is also quite expensive with a market price of around 250 euros.
The unique selling point of the X21 is its focussing option, which turns the searchlight into a floodlight at the flick of a switch. Competitor products from Taclights, Fenix or Wolf Eyes do not offer this option, but score points with their waterproofness, replaceable batteries or rubberised housing, for example. The latter in particular is a useful detail on board, as the lamps made of aluminium for better cooling of the diodes are quite heavy and sharp-edged.
None of these lamps are DIY store items; they often come from manufacturers who are closer to security and military equipment than private customers. Sailors will be pleased to hear that the workmanship should be able to cope well with on-board use in most cases.
