Navigation Lights

[ebb]

2/26/10
Darrell Nicholson, the editor of P.S., called me this morning to scold me for an offensive sentence I have now deleted from a post above. In my defense I said it in jest. Most of the time it's obvious that their testing is without favor to one product. It's a tough sell. Especially single, new on the market non-comparison product reviews.
On his March 2010 'Rhumb Lines' editorial page he talks about blog posts, "Who's Lurking Behind Those Blog Posts?".
Last paragraph reads:
"Thankfully, Practical Sailor is not in the business of selling anything except what you have in your hand: reliable, forthright information based on independent, objective research and testing. We have no other interest than to provide our readers with the best available information on a wide rage of sailboats and sailing related products. If what you need is not in this month's issue, we've got it in our files, or we know where to find it. No need to wander the web, or wonder who to trust. Just email me at practicalsailor@belvoirpubs.com - or log on to www.practical-sailor.com, and you'll get a straight answer. But watch out for that diesel engine in the galley."
So P.S. is very sensitive to people like me who think they are legitimately looking deeper into whatever number of products tested in this tricolor case, and 'wandering the web' to do it. Sensistive to testing methods which should have some forthright reader review at times. Sensitive to just plain jerks and trouble-makers.
Darrell suggested I log on to his blog next time I had an issue, insidepracticalsailor.com.
He briefly explained the lengthy testing procedure and gathering of products to be tested: six months or more. The Hella omission and the AquaSignal omission were both because they were NOT on the market a half a year or more ago. Something maybe we couldn't know.
Told him I thought the editor should have mentioned these at the end of the test article before publication - and that another test/review was planned. ASAP.
I don't know what he told me about the allround whitelight omission. It bothers me that they without explanation did not review tricolors with allround lights. How can that just be ignored?

What does he mean about the "diesel engine in the galley"? Maybe he's refering to out of round, old fart curmudgeons like me. Bull in a china cabinet?

Still what we have in their expensive mag is what we see and read there.
But we should cut them some slack.
We have to take them at their word.

Understand that if we do get a comparison and a review of the absent led tricolors (AND ANCHOR LIGHTs) it will be at least 6 months from now.

[Tony G]

You, wicked, wicked man, you Ebb!

I seems we are moving this thread in the direction of LED navigation lights again. So I'm gonna throw out the the fine, So. Pac. folks at www.bebi-electronics.com. You can't build a boat and then buy a masthead tri-color! That just wouldn't seem right...

[Tim D.]

Ebb we all know how thorough your research is, you don't have to take any c*&p from PS!

[ebb]

Tony,
Darrell mentioned something conversationally about the reliability of led lamp replacement in incandescent lanterns. I'm a fan of Bebi, everything we hear is great about them, providing work for local Fijians, making products that people seem to like - and even getting an award as Exporter of the Year from the Fiji gov't.

I don't see that they assemble side lights or tri-colors with anchor lanterns.
Reading their material makes me think you retro their led's into existing housings.
Would be great if an independent tester could run their upgrades through a virtual procedure. They could direct water for a certain number of minutes in various spray patterns at test lanterns with a garden hose. Dunk them for a hour in a bucket of saltwater. Stuff like that. Kidding, OK?

I certainly don't know what it takes to rebuild an old lantern and make it virtually waterproof.
And absolutely reliable.

Color fotos on the site show decidedly blue starboard lenses. I believe the future in led nav lights is in colored semi-conductors, in true color light rather than colored lenses. I've read that putting an led behind a plastic lens reduces the led lumens by up to 90%. Don't know, but I would keep that in mind when retro-iing.
Again I don't know where Bebi is on this. Maybe somebody knows?
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________
www.cruisersforum.com cursor DiscussionBoard - scroll to VendorsForum - cursor on pg 3 to Bebi LED lights
google> Bebi LED lights - Cruisers and Sailing Forums
Here you will find a more techy talk on Bebi lights from Michael Homsany, one of the directors at Bebi. focusing on the many types of led light coming on market. Looks like the series of posts is from 2008. Given that it is 2010 and LED's are galloping along this may be outdated somewhat - I wouldn't know I don't understand it anyway..

[ebb]

Tony, Tim......
Muchachos!
Manos!

We must continue the fight against complacency until our bandoliers are empty!

Pancho Villa's famous? last words:
"Don't let it end this way.
Tell them I said something."

He must have said that en espanol of course
and he wasn't a dada poet,
but it does seem, given the significance of the situation,
that saying something was better than saying nothing.

I feel the same, that's my stand.

[Commander 147]

I received the replacement stern light from J M Reineck today. It is an exact duplicate to the original with interchangeable parts with one exception. It is not chrome plated. Since I am having a bunch of parts chrome plated I think I will have the old winged part chrome plated again (it is a smoother casting than the new) so if you want the new winged tip top portion (raw bronze) and it will make your stern light complete again it is yours for the cost of the UPS.

[commanderpete]

Thanks Jerry, very kind of you.

I will give you my stern light, if you must have her. For she has been a good light, and still burns brightly, although wounded and neglected. I can not make such choices under this kind of pressure. I am not thinking clearly, as should be quite obvious. I have pondered this momentous decision of which stern light is right for me for only a short time now, perhaps only a year or two, which is hardly enough time. I am now undergoing a mental crisis, provoked by you, perhaps unwittingly. I don't know, it is not for me to question your motives. All I know is, there appears to be a man with a chroming cart driving down your street (if he has not come and gone already) and the chroming man is collecting pieces of hardware and promising to return these same pieces all shiny and new. And you are offering to buy my stern light a new party dress, which she will never get from me, that's for sure. I have fallen out of love with my stern light as I have confessed to you all, in these very pages. I have been casting my lecherous gaze around trying to find some cheap replacement. I have tried to kill this light on two occasions already and toss her in the drink, but she held on stubbornly dangling by a wire or two. And how do I reward such loyalty? I give her nothing. For I have nothing left to give, except perhaps a new lease on life with a better owner than me, who might appreciate her virtues and solid build. I will send you this light that has served me so well and warded off SeaRays and Bayliners and all my other enemies for so long. For, as you can see, I am not a well man. And you should now have two lights now and keep one upon the shelf in case of emergency or to dole out to some other eager boat owner in need. She is a good light, a lucky light, and might bring some joy into someone elses empty life. It is not for me to judge. And I must admit Jerry (if that is your real name) that it is not your fault that I have finally gone around the bend and off the deep end, It was another man this mornig who has made me crazy, and the weapon he chose was an Ice Cream Truck playing a happy jingle, in APRIL!! I saw him in my rear-view mirror following me around. That is just not right, you must agree. And, in reality. I have made myself crazy. I have not felt the sensation of floating (not even in a hot tub) for four looooong months. And I have not even visited my boat. But, I have it on good authority that she still stands upright, despite my neflect. I will go visit her and confess my sins and seek forgiveness. But I will promise her NOTHING. This year, I think, I will just kick her shapely ass to the curb and plop her in the water, where she belong, as do I. You see Jerry (may I call you Jerry?) I know in my heart that I am just a clumsy boat-butcher and don't deserve such a fine vehicle. This year I lack any enthusiasm it seems, my enthusiasm (if I ever had any) is not unlimited it appears. I can not even muster the strength to welcome our new members and compliment their fine work. They are just trying to make me feel even more guilty. So, I will give you my stern light, if you insist, and pass the torch, or baton, or flaming baton, to you. And I will send you a message, in private, so that we may talk, in secret, as men. And perhaps you can assure me that it will all be better soon, once I am floating again, my troubled mind will be healed. But, if you choose to ignore my message asking for your address I will understand, you just don't want me to know where you live. That is all.