"krj" wrote in message
.. .
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:

"krj" wrote in message
. ..
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
news:2007040300294750073-jerelull@maccom...
snip some
I can wait for a while longer, though am lusting after an LED
anchor light.


You will be waiting for a very long time. An anchor light has to be
an all around white light visible for two miles. The problem with
LED's is they are like little spot lights focused by a rounded
lens. Very little side illumination comes out of them. I suppose
you could make a sphere with about forty of fifty bright LED's and
it might meet the legal requirements.

But, I, Wilbur Hubbard, have a better solution. If you have an
inverter aboard simply buy and plug in an extension cord long
enough to go up the backstay to several feet above the boom. It can
be fastened to the backstay with black "tiewrap" wire ties. Plug
one of those little 4-watt automatic night lights into extension
cord but take the incandescent light out and install a 4 watt
compact fluorescent such as a Sylvania Decor 15. Make sure the
little night light fixture is held by the cord in an upside down
position. For 4 watts of power you get 15 watts worth of lumens.

Wilbur Hubbard
OGM has an LED tri color + anchor light that is Coast Guard approved
for two miles. Uses three LED for the anchor light. Each one is a
120 degree sector. Also has a photo cell to turn it on/off Only
draws .5 amps. Cost $264 at the boat show last year.

One must wonder how bright this light is on the borders? Probably
fades out completely.

Wilbur Hubbard
I've checked all around from about a mile away and there is no
discernible decrease in brightness at any angle. You gotta keep up
with new technology Wilber.

I guess so. I think what turns me off about the LED lights is their
bordering-on-extortion prices. 250 bucks for an LED light is rape and
pillage. I'd rather use an incandescent bulb than pay extortion prices.

Wilbur Hubbard