Let there be light --- The Box Light!

The Box Light in a Coleman CoolerI just installed a The Box Light inside one of the hatches on my workboat. Designed for dark places on board that have no power source, the waterproof Box Light is from a company called Regarding The Outdoors. It provides a bright 180-degree beam via five LEDs. But it’s not just for boats. The Box Light can go under the hood of your car, under the trunk door, inside a toolbox lid; anything with a lid that you open and then need light to see inside. It’s powered by three AAA batteries (not included) and it turns on automatically when you open the lid you’ve attached it to. And, of course, it goes off automatically when you close the lid. Yes, I checked it out in the dark so I could watch it go on and off. But wait, there’s more! A daylight sensor keeps the light from going on when you don’t need it, which will help preserve battery power. At about 2.5” X 3.5” X ¾” The Box Light is compact and lightweight. I installed mine in under a minute with the provided two-sided mounting tape. Or can attach it with screws, which are also supplied. The light bracket is designed so you can remove The Box Light easily for hand held use. MSRP is $19.95.

www.theboxlight.com

2 Locks, 1 Key: DuraSafe Electronics & Swivel Mount Lock Set

You love your electronics, but you have to be careful someone else doesn’t love them too – and decide to own yours! The new DuraSafe E-Lock (Universal Electronics Lock) and Swivel Mount Lock set offers  protection against theft of marine electronics. (The E-Lock can work help save your auto electronics too.) The company says it’s compact and easy to install and I found it is. Just remove one knob from your electronic unit and replace it with the E-Lock. With the swivel version yYou get unique, keyed-alike locks that replace the factory knobs. I have an earlier version of this lock (the non-swivel verson) and it does give me a feeling of security – that someone won't spend the time to try to steal my GPS when so many unprotected units are close by. Also the new red knobs I assume adds a bit of a "keep away" feeling. Mine earlier version is plain black. The DuraSafe E-Lock fits most major brands of marine electronics - Cobra, Eagle, Garmin, Humminbird, Icom, Lowrance,Raymarine, Standard Horizon and Uniden . The DuraSafe Swivel Mount Lock is available in three sizes to fit the most commonly-used swivel mounts. If you get the swivel model, you only need one key for both locks, which keeps at least one additional key off your key chain! The swivel combo lock is about $46.00. Available at Cabela's, West Marine, Bass Pro Shops, Bass & Gas, Tackle Warehouse, other marine and outdoor retailers nationwide and online at

www.durasafelocks.com.

I Often Eat Lunch On My Boat All Year Round - so Mr. Heater Is A Welcome Guest.

I used an older version of the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy for years on my houseboat. This new version offers a fold-down handle for compact storage and a new swing out regulator for easy fuel connection. I use the 1-lb. propane tank, which screws into the unit itself. It provides about 3 to 6 hours of heat with depending on the high or low setting. The low heat setting produces 4000 BTU and the high heat setting, 9000 BTU. The company says this unit is fine for heating a 200 sq. ft. area. With an optional hose, you can also use a 20-lb. propane tank, which should be kept outdoors with the hose running inside to the unit. Portable Buddy is an ideal way to have temporary heat for tents, campers, workshops, garages, etc. It should never be used in an airtight location even though there is an Oxygen Depletion Sensor designed to shut the unit if it senses low oxygen. Once you attach the propane tank, you turn the switch to “pilot” and push down to ignite it. You don’t need matches. Once the pilot lights, you select “high” or “low” heat and Portable Buddy heats quickly. There’s also an accidental tip-over safety shutoff. When it’s heating, it gives off a red glow and looks a bit like a tiny fireplace. It’s perfect for heating the cabin on my 23’ foot Farallon workboat. If you live in California, there is a very similar unit that meets some different California state rules. MSRP is about $100, but if you do a web search you can find it for about $75. If you need more heat, there’s a slightly bigger model that uses two 1-lb propane tanks at the same time. Here’s a listing on Amazon. I have not shopped at this e-tailer.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Buddy-Portable-Propane/dp/B0030OHCJ0

The Giz Wiz Video of the week: http://youtu.be/HUTf-qmUFk4

The view from the Dropcam inside my boat facing the Hudson River:

https://www.dropcam.com/p/xsIXNn

Wireless Kill Switch Needs No Wiring.

Traditional lanyards that come standard with boats require the operator to be tethered to the boat by a wire. A kill switch is a great idea, but when cruising along you often forget you're hard wired and accidentally trigger the shut-off by moving a bit too far from the dash. That won't happen with the Autotether kill switch. It's an easy-to-install, unobtrusive wireless unit. No wiring or tools are required – the system clips to the boat ignition switch and is self-powered with AAA batteries. Operating via a transmitter that sends radio waves to a receiver connected to a boat’s engine, Autotether shuts off the engine if the boat operator falls into the water. It also sets off an alarm in the event that passengers (or pets) wearing the Autotether sensors on the boat fall into the water. The passenger sensors can also shut off the boat’s engine when the red alert button is pushed if you have a runaway boat. A complete start-up system lists for $299, but discounts are available if you do a web search.

More info: www.autotether.com

Here's a ship that used no fuel to cross the Pacific Ocean!

Photo: Department of National Defence / ReutersThis ship looks like something out of a horror movie, and in a way, it is. This 150 foot Japanese fishing ship has been drifting on its own for about a year! It started floating across the Pacific in March 2011 when a tsunami in Japan set it free, pushing it out to the open ocean with no one aboard. (At least I'm assuming no one was aboard.) It's pretty beat up, but it sure has to to be sea-worthy to be able to afloat free for more than 12 months! Even if they had automatic bilge pumps aboard, how long could any battery power that might be aboard the ship last? Of course the big problem now is what will happen to it? I assume it will become an ever-increasing 'hazard to navigation'. If you're a boater and you happen to see it, officials say 'stay away'. If I saw it, I'd have no desire to get too close. There is something unworldly about. Maybe it could be a good starting point for a Movie Of The Week.

Update on April 12, 2012 by The Giz Wiz

This "Ghost Ship" is no longer a threat to navigation. The US Coast Guard sent to the bottom of the ocean where it will do some good as a home to undersea creatures.