T&T: anchor light

[joe]

I have gone to a low tech sportsman LED lantern which was very inexpensive <
$40.00 and has 36 leds and a switch that selects to use only 18.   It takes
4 d cell batteries claims to be waterproof.  I hang it from the fly-bridge
bimini when at anchor.  A set of batteries lasted me 4 months during which
we anchored out 50+%.  The light still lighted brightly inspite of my
forgetting to turn it off in the morning a couple of times. I just changed
the batteries anyway after 4 months.  It has the bonus of functioning as an
area light if needed.  While not USCG certified???? It provides me the
brightest light amongst the boat I've anchored around and easily detected at
2 NM when returning to the boat after dark.

It may look a little redneck (but hell, so do I)but it has functioned as an
elegant solution in my case avoiding the "during the night" periodic burnt
out festoon bulb syndrome on my perko anchor light.  It has worked so well I
can't justify replacing the perko junk with a new LED anchor light at >
$100.

Joe
Carolyn Ann N37



Snip"...
PS - if anyone has a link to a truly low cost LED bulb series, please let  
all of us know!  I would convert every bulb in the boat (~40 of them) if it

didn't dig too far into my beer money..."