Torch - anybody use a torch for spearing?

[Groupermadness]

Mr X , that green torch is the same stlye as the one i use 8w, maybe the same make, (mine has no name on it), solid as a rock, i got mine handed down a long time ago and its still going strong, and ime as ham fisted as an elephant so it needs to be .

The First green one not the huge, blind me please i dont like seeing, green one with the blue one. .

 

[Mr. X]

Mr X , that green torch is the same stlye as the one i use 8w, maybe the same make, (mine has no name on it), solid as a rock, i got mine handed down a long time ago and its still going strong, and ime as ham fisted as an elephant so it needs to be .

The First green one not the huge, blind me please i dont like seeing, green one with the blue one. .

The Underwater Kinetics SL4 or SL6 (or 8)? (Clever, a US company calling itself UK!) It does look good. I like the look of that brand & the range seems excellent (size options, bulb/LED options) - quality looks good too.

However, I got lucky (I think/hope): I managed to get myself some torches on ebay this weekend (always a bit hit-or-miss and not without risk). I got a used UK mini Q40 (mask torch) AND an unused Omer Moonlight Elite. I actually ended up getting 2x UK Q40's - oops! (I hope that wasn't SurfNSpear running a dive-torch pump-and-dump scam :hmm ). The Omer was going for a song but I made the seller a better offer to finish early (nobody seemed v. interested in it though -- strangely, although Omer is in many ways the foremost all round spearo company, most Scuba guys just don't recognise the brand), so may be I will get to use it this weekend? [Alternatively, maybe the Scuba folk know something that I don't?!] It is 10W, so it probably eats up those tiny AAs! In truth, it is a little too fancy for me, I would be happier with a UK SL6. So keep an eye on this thread, you might see me offering it up in exchange for a UK SL4/6/8 next year!

Apparently Omer Moonlight Elite has a (removeable) spring -- so you have to apply switch pressure to keep it on -- which seems like a good way to save batteries. It might be a good complement to the UK Q40 too -- e.g. use the Q40 to seek & the Omer to destroy!

The Omer Moonlight Elite is probably a much better(/more expensive) torch than I was looking for or need (they go for 45 pounds new in the UK, see apnea.co.uk, gulp); so I will probably loose it first time out rofl! (It is black after all :ycard )...If it doesn't get stolen. Failing that, I will probably destroy it (see my earlier posting on the PCBs).

(BTW Anybody need a UK mini Q40?)

 

[SurfnSpear]

(BTW Anybody need a UK mini Q40?)

..... Not me!

 

[Mr. X]

..... Not me!

I knew it! Actually the Q40 torches arrived already. Neat little things -- very cool. Maybe I should use both -- just like Jaques!rofl

BTW A diver friend recommended lubing the O-rings of torches regularly with silicon grease, to avoid leaks/gasket damage. I might use glycerin/glycerol (which already I use as mask de-mister); apparently it is used in labs for lubing rubber bungs & tubes...and in K-Y products - whatever they are used for -latex safe.

 

[Mr. X]

I have used a light for years on smaller guns under 48" for shooting around and under ledges. Chad carney makes a holder for a torch, send him a pm.

I came across Chad's website on another thread:
http://www.mobilescuba.com/Quiver.htm
... I see what you mean, many/most of his pictures feature a speargun (usually woodies) with an under-barrel torch fitted. Actually, of the 2 torches he mentions, the UK Mini-Q40 is one. The new defacto standard obviously!May be I should rig one of mine under-barrel?! [Hmm, could be a problem with a railgun -- cable ties would have been my preferred approach].

Hey, anybody tried fitting a fishing lure to the end of their speargun...like this:
http://www.europeanspearfishingsupplies.com/gallery_colin_chester_a_few_sea_bass.html
Pretty clever...apparently effective too. It would get in the way of your torch of course!

The other torch Chad mentioned was this one (which actually includes a clip in bracket), PELICAN MITYLITE® 4AA:
http://www.chiefsupply.com/pelicanlights.phtml

 

[gserghiou]

If you are serious about torches/flashlights for spearfishing then you should only look at these :

OMER Micra (attaches to your belt)
OMER MiniMicra (Even smaller than Micra and also attaches to your belt. It can be easily unhooked with one hand-release mechanism)

Check them out at
http://www.omersub.it

 

[Ted Budion]

Ted, do you have a link for it? What is its size?

Try this one out: http://www.au-vieux-campeur.fr/gp/asp/produit.asp?codprd=69656 . And the factory site is: http://www.fa-mi.com/ecommerce2/prodotti2/inscar_var.asp?KeyPro=157

There may be other places in Europe with decent prices. I don't know.

Decathlon doesn't sell by the internet.

Good luck.

 

[Ted Budion]

I found out about the Fa-Mi Power Led 40 (or 4) because I was very impressed with another Fa-Mi model, called Spitlight , I saw some spearfishers hunt grouper with in the Med. Very powerful LED lamps, but the body was too big for my taste. But if you miss the shot after lightening the fish, the grouper likely will have permanent damage to its retina

So I asked Daniel Deflorin, my colleague in Apnéa Magazine, who tested and ran a piece about the Power Led 40 in the 2005 July issue. As it's very small, I became curious about its performance. Deflo told me it's a strong white concentrated focus light for dark cracks up to 2 m away. That's all I needed.

However, I'd never carry it hanging out from my weight belt. Or any protuding position on my body. That's asking for trouble. At least in the waters I usually hunt.

 

[rcerdena]

I agree with Ted, a torch should never be carried hanging out from the weight belt! This is dangerous.
This is almos the same principle why I don't like the MiniQ40 attached to the mask (as the scubies carry it), it bugs while introducing your head in narrow holes.

Cheers,

Roberto

 

[jimdoe2you]

The old UK QXL4 lite is a great light. It is the long narrow blue light at the bottom of the photo. These lights still come up for sale now and then on Ebay.

Even though you can't see the lens in the picture, the lens is red. The fish are less spooked by red light than they are by white light.

Jim

 

[gserghiou]

Hi all,

I am no scientist about torches technology.

The figures about the Fa-Mi power led 40 are impressive. How would this compare to the omer moonlight elite ???
Do i compare the Watt rating on them ??? the Omer site has no info about the light they give out. the power led 40 is supposed to be (Light - 5000° - 6000°K).
can anyone out there give us an explanation about these terms and what to look for when buying a torch ???

thanks,

George

 

[Mr. X]

Try this one out: http://www.au-vieux-campeur.fr/gp/asp/produit.asp?codprd=69656 . And the factory site is: http://www.fa-mi.com/ecommerce2/prodotti2/inscar_var.asp?KeyPro=157

There may be other places in Europe with decent prices. I don't know.

Decathlon doesn't sell by the internet.

Good luck.

40W?! Those are some serious torches Ted. Unfortunately the few little fish left around UK waters don't really justify that kind of serious money & battery usage, for me at any rate. I'd rather spend the money on kayak, rib or trip to somewhere warm & sunny with more, big fish (Rio sounds good)!

 

[Mr. X]

The old UK QXL4 lite is a great light. It is the long narrow blue light at the bottom of the photo. These lights still come up for sale now and then on Ebay.

Even though you can't see the lens in the picture, the lens is red. The fish are less spooked by red light than they are by white light.

Jim

Jim, that is a impressive collection or torches you have there. Interesting what you say about it being red, as my diver friend was saying that blue light penetrates further underwater. Horses for courses I suppose. [So maybe white light is a reasonable compromise? Spook the fish & only moderate penetration ]

 

[Mr. X]

Hi all,

I am no scientist about torches technology.

The figures about the Fa-Mi power led 40 are impressive. How would this compare to the omer moonlight elite ???
Do i compare the Watt rating on them ??? the Omer site has no info about the light they give out. the power led 40 is supposed to be (Light - 5000° - 6000°K).
can anyone out there give us an explanation about these terms and what to look for when buying a torch ???

thanks,

George

I agree, it is hard to compare. UK lights specify Lumens -- which actually sounds like it provides a measure of lightness/brightness(?), it allows comparison of UK torches.

I thought K stood for Kelvin (a measure of temperature)...although Kelvin are not specified in degrees.

Power (volts x amps in this case) is useful in judging appetite for batteries BUT not necessarily brightness (are LEDs more efficient?). That said, it usually gives a pretty good indication of what to expect.

BTW torch beams apparently diverge in water, so it is probably important to get a fairly narrow beam (depending on your specific needs of course).

 

[Huan]

ºK is a measure of colour temperature.
Basically what colour light is emitted by the torch.
some examples :
1500 K Candlelight
2680 K 40 W incandescent lamp
3000 K 200 W incandescent lamp
3200 K Sunrise/sunset
3400 K Tungsten lamp
3400 K 1 hour from dusk/dawn
5000-4500 K Xenon lamp/light arc
5500 K Sunny daylight around noon
5500-5600 K Electronic photo flash
6500-7500 K Overcast sky
9000-12000 K Blue sky
LED's can be extremely bright and maybe as Ted says the Fa-mi light is good.

↕huan

 

[Ted Budion]

ºK is a measure of colour temperature.
5500 K Sunny daylight around noon - LED's can be extremely bright and maybe as Ted says the Fa-mi light is good.

Indeed. Without the benefit of owning one, I can advance the pros and cons of this Power Led 40.

Pro: very powerful (up to 40W) and bright (white, as in colour temp, 5000°K); extremely low battery comsuption (contrary to Mr. X assumption); small size. In brief: the ultimate freediving spearfishing torch.

Cons: very high price (suggested retail € 279), and difficult to find even in Europe. :vangry

Nevertheless, I've been saving money to have my son purchase one at Decathlon next January.

 

[Mr. X]

Hey, I managed to dive this weekend and tried a couple of my torches out.
Bottom line: unsurprisingly - although disappointingly - torches don't fix bad viz.

Limited review under unusually bad conditions. Conditions: very poor viz <1m water like a bad pint of 6X (very cloudy).

First up:

UK mini Q40 -- mask mounted torch. I liked this a lot & will probably use it a great deal in the future.
Pros:
+ you forget you are wearing, very easy to carry.
+ very good close up -- e.g. scouring the bottoms for scallops & other shell fish.
+ reasonable price
+ readily available (UK/USA/internet)
Cons:
- it is hard to tell whether it is on a lot of the time (could waste batteries) - esp. when the sun comes out.
- no significant beam
- no increase in viz distance

Omer Moonlight Elite -I liked this too. I hung this from my float & mainly just used it from the float (I had my hands full -- long story...but I did not have a free hand to hold this)
Pros:
+ powerful beam -- visible in the cloudy murk -- quality, smooth metal reflector
+ auto-off switch avoids wasting batteries
+ could just about scour the bottom with the tightly focused bean from about 4 or 5 feet away.
+ quality, heavy steel head with glass lens
+ decent plastic lanyard with slide ring

Cons:
- no increase in viz distance (probably nothing would -- like driving in snow...you just see the snow flakes better!)
- body appears to be plastic -- seems like it might be a brittle type too --- don't drop it.
- expensive new

Result: scallops but no sign of fish .

 

[strangelove]

Ted

Are planning to use the flash light for night fishing or to check holes ?

It is an impressive very impressive price.

By the way how is water is Rio these days ?

 

[Ted Budion]

Are planning to use the flash light for night fishing or to check holes? It is an impressive very impressive price. By the way how is water is Rio these days ?

Strangelove, or Rafael Bruzzi? A Brazilian marooned in Alaska

We use torches for checking holes. The Power Led is very expensive indeed, but I've a pile of useless good torches at home. If the plan is not to expend that dough in a torch, the best now is the Princenton Tec Surge.

Seas 3 to 5 ft., surf temps 21°C and very bad viz. We had 3 cold fronts in less than two weeks. And it rained a lot from Sunday AM until last night. The sun is coming out today. Old time fishermen say that "the year's late". Indeed, we've now late October weather.

 

[Mr. X]

Seas 3 to 5 ft., surf temps 21°C and very bad viz. We had 3 cold fronts in less than two weeks. And it rained a lot from Sunday AM until last night. The sun is coming out today. Old time fishermen say that "the year's late". Indeed, we've now late October weather.

Must be Global warming then! Winter has come early here I think - snowed 3 times already & several hard frosts (must be global warming) -- something that has not happened for several years (& often blamed on global warming).