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"Your lights are blinding!"


Jennifer McM

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Travelling through Braunston Tunnel, we met a boat coming towards us, and we didn't even 'kiss'. Polite greetings were exchanged.

 

The second boat coming to wards crashed into us, despite us being almost stopped and close the wall. "Your lights are blinding" he yelled.

 

Our lights are the same as here. They are more or less flat against the wooden 'A' frame at the bow. 

 

So the question is, do we ignore 'Mr Grumpy' or should we be doing something? Perhaps shining the lights upwards?

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2 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

Perhaps shining the lights upwards?

I agree with Mr Grumpy, with those lights they are more than likely blinding especially if they anywhere near the rating you linked to.  Point them upwards, it will be better for you to navigate tunnels anyhow.

Edited by Robbo
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LED lights are great inside the boat and for any application when you will have them on when the engine isn't running, however they seem unnecessary for tunnel lights. I can't foresee any situation (other than testing) when I would want the tunnel light on without the engine, which will happily supply more than enough power to run it. You don't need a lot of light to see where you're going in a tunnel, so why have a really bright front light and risk blinding oncoming boaters. As the OP demonstrates, it's in your interests not to.

 

In tunnels we always put all the cabin lights on & open all the curtains - keeps the ghosts away, and helps with seeing the tunnel sides. Our tunnel light is also angled upwards - helps to see the roof IMO.

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14 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Ain’t no ‘perhaps’ about it :)

 

 

Also no need for LED headlamps, unless you plan to leg through tunnels or cruise at night whilst being towed by a horse ? 

 

The alternator will feed the power hungry incandescent lights when the engine is running.

 

Damn, I have cross posted with Mike55

Edited by cuthound
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Consider it done! Our lights are tilting more upward - they were slightly though in our defence. ?

 

 

Interesting, the lights were bought as tunnel lights. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Yes, we do have the curtains drawn back and inside lights on.

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Many horse drawn boats managed with a candle in a jar.

 

Working boaters managed with a low wattage light. or a paraffin mast head light.

  Our light is a 55w side lamp of a 1914 Humber tourer.

 

Sorry but no need for a overbright light in a tunnel.

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Bulls Bridge paint stores.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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Not disagreeing with anything that's been said but I do have a lamp similar to the OP but mounted on a piece of ply that I stand on the slide in front of me. Angled fairly sharply up so I can see the bit of roof between me and the front lamp. Very useful in such as Harecastle. 

 

In wide tunnels if a boat come the other way I just reach out and turn it towards the right away from the other boaters eyes. 

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True, you don't have to have a lot of light, the old timers did manage with a candle and also with no lavatory and a jug for water. It doesn't mean we have to today.

 

Agreed, a sharp upward angle and off to the side a bit is the way, but LED reliability is so much better than a filament lamp, three time mine failed in the middle of long tunnels and its not fun with just a handheld torch on the back end.

 Try missing the mid lumps in the side of Harecastle tunnel without a decent light, the old guys were OK, there was a towpath then. And they didn't give a damn about paint damage.

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Having travelled recently through both Blisworth and Braunston, I admit shouting at several boats who were blinding me.  I don't think I'm the Mr Grumpy in the OP's post, because I didn't touch any of the oncoming boats.

Two observations:

You are asking for trouble if you almost stop.  Providing both boats keep progressing steadily they will push each other apart, making touching very unlikely.

Boats who angle their searchlights sharply downwards are far less blinding than those who point them towards the roof.

 

 

 

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Never had a problem with Harecastle. Went through Gostly Tunnel in June (VERY narrow & low) and found the ring of light from the upward angled tunnel light very effective at picking out the roof line.

I can see the advantage of an light at the back illuminating the roof, but up to now I've managed with a decent flashlight and/or an LED headlamp.

Edited by Mike55
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2 minutes ago, Mike55 said:

Never had a problem with Harecastle. Went through Gostly Tunnel in June (VERY narrow & low) and found the ring of light from the upward angled tunnel light very effective at picking out the roof line.

I can see the advantage of an light at the back illuminating the roof, but up to now I've managed with a decent flashlight and/or an LED headlamp.

 

I too find a hand held torch equally as helpful as the tunnel lamp. 

 

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Those lights are flood light so have no well defined beam so I have doubts that pointing them upwards or downwards will make a major difference. They are also LEDs with a very bright, ice white colour that I find far more blinding than the light from GLS or even halogen bulbs.

 

I just wish we could still easily get spot lights with ordinary bulbs in them so aiming them directs the beam away from other boaters AND the light has a yellow tinge to it. Apart from long life there is no advantage for LED tunnel lamps because the engine is running and will supply their current draw.

 

I certainly suggested to a boat with one of those on in the Braunston Tunnel last Friday that they should try to sop it blinding oncoming boats but not in the manner the OP alleges.

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A dipped beam tractor headlight mounted upside down and pointed up works well. Flat beam cut off above opposite steerers head and extra light down the tunnel on your side.

Something like

https://www.granit-parts.co.uk/product/Electrics/HELLA-Lighting/HELLA-Headlights/Main-headlights-square/4551AA-004109001

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1 hour ago, pearley said:

Not disagreeing with anything that's been said but I do have a lamp similar to the OP but mounted on a piece of ply that I stand on the slide in front of me. Angled fairly sharply up so I can see the bit of roof between me and the front lamp. Very useful in such as Harecastle. 

 

In wide tunnels if a boat come the other way I just reach out and turn it towards the right away from the other boaters eyes. 

Exactly what I do, with my small searchlight. Mounted at the rear of the boat. It gives you light where you need it (ie where the boat is), not where you don't (ie half a mile ahead of you), and you can control it and turn it sideways when you pass another boat.

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2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I too find a hand held torch equally as helpful as the tunnel lamp. 

 

I have one of these handy in case I break down in a tunnel.  It can be set to flash red and might be quite useful in preventing someone running into my back end. 

Someone was telling me the other day that he nearly ran into the rear of an unilluminated boat that had broken down in the tunnel.

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7 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

I have one of these handy in case I break down in a tunnel.  It can be set to flash red and might be quite useful in preventing someone running into my back end. 

Someone was telling me the other day that he nearly ran into the rear of an unilluminated boat that had broken down in the tunnel.

 

Yes I can imagine that. I once rescued a broken down boat in Blisworth tunnel. Everything failed including electrics. They had a torch with which they were flashing SOS which I figured out must be a broken down boat. I still could not see it even when almost on top of them. Just their torch. 

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3 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Consider it done! Our lights are tilting more upward - they were slightly though in our defence. ?

 

 

Interesting, the lights were bought as tunnel lights. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Yes, we do have the curtains drawn back and inside lights on.

Nice one Jennifer - there are folk around who wouldn't have taken kindly to Mr Grumpy, wouldn't have had the grace to accept they might be causing a problem, wouldn't have sought advice, and wouldnt have acted on the advice if they'd been given it.  The issue you have highlighted an increasing increasing one it seems, not least because more light in a dark tunnel sounds like a damned good idea to the uninitiated. 

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3 hours ago, koukouvagia said:

Having travelled recently through both Blisworth and Braunston, I admit shouting at several boats who were blinding me.  I don't think I'm the Mr Grumpy in the OP's post, because I didn't touch any of the oncoming boats.

Two observations:

You are asking for trouble if you almost stop.  Providing both boats keep progressing steadily they will push each other apart, making touching very unlikely.

Boats who angle their searchlights sharply downwards are far less blinding than those who point them towards the roof.

 

 

 

Can you explain the logic of that because it rather fails me? From my experience those who've angled their lights downwards then give you double the blinding benefit since it reflects off the water surface. I would agree with keeping moving since you still have steerage if you do that.

1 minute ago, 1agos said:

I was once  blinded by a boat with what looked like  two car spot lights aimed dead ahead bolted to his roof . I had spots before my eyes after we passed in Braunston tunnel.

Braunston tunnel does seem to be the place for this (probably because it is a two way tunnel). I was blinded by an oncoming boat just before the kink that, since it was my first trip through, I didn't know about. I hit the kink because I couldn't see it having been blinded and deflected into the other boat with a bit of a clatter. I felt it was Karma since it was his fault I couldn't see where I was going:rolleyes:

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8 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Can you explain the logic of that because it rather fails me? From my experience those who've angled their lights downwards then give you double the blinding benefit since it reflects off the water surface. I would agree with keeping moving since you still have steerage if you do that. 

I met a boat recently with a huge spotlight which was angled down onto the well deck.  There was plenty of light, but the direct beam was not directed into the eyes of oncoming steerers and didn't reflect off the water.  I was impressed. 

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Thanks all for your thoughts and advice.

 

We followed a boat into the tunnel by Preston Brooke; before we entered the tunnel the boater in front put on a high viz vest. It was brilliant, and it looked like he had rear lights, it was great for us to follow him at a distance. These vests are only a couple of quid, a worthwhile investment I think.

 

Watching boats passing up and down in a canal-side pub garden this lunchtime, we counted quite a few boats with similar lights to ours. Perhaps blinding boaters in tunnels is endemic ?

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