I keep an ACR Firefly Plus strobe/flashlight combination in my signaling/communication module. It was a bit larger than I originally expected (5 oz and 5.3" long - my local outfitter had to special order it and I hadn't really checked the specs carefully enough) although the range (2 miles) is simply awesome.

I also picked up a tiny little Pelican Mini Flasher LED last winter (somewhat because I thought it was "cute", although I felt it might be useful to attach to something that I wouldn't want to loose - the backpacker in front or behind me on the trail at night, my tent when I hike off in the middle of the night to relieve myself, or even a knife or hatchet that I am using and could otherwise misplace in the leaves).

Jim

Cats are great companions to have while shark fishing!

The faceless pig scares me....You can't tell he's evil "by the look in his eye."

Ain't that the truth. I have this weird vision of some creepy young kid wandering through the neighborhood with it and peering into windows...

-Blast, low on sleep

FWIW, the Fenix P1D lights are very small and can be very bright. More importantly in this context, they have a strobe (and SOS).

I have one of these "premium Q5s" on my keychain.

Yah, they are expensive, but so small and versatile and there is no excuse not to have it with you.

FWIW, my primary EDC is an HDS EDC U85, which also has a strobe (HDS EDC is out of production, it will be replaced by the Ra Clicky in Aug.).

Both of these lights are at least as bright as the benchmark Surefires (E2e, 6P).

These LED based lights with strobe are very bright, efficient, small and reliable.

-john

Strobes in flashlights are fine if you know where to point the flashlight. At sea you really want an omni-directional strobe so that all you need to do is turn it on and then get on with your primary job of keeping your head above water. IMO they are very lucky the helo crew was able to see the flashlight.

Sure, but compared to the guy with the cheap flashlight which was probably not that bright, only had a pretty small runtime and didn't have a strobe....

What I'm trying to say is that with these kinds of lights, there is no excuse not to always have them.

In reality, they needed a PLB, and strobes on each of the flotation devices.

-john

Hi Russ,

Just add a Fenix Tip Diffuser to make the little Fenix Digital P1D Olive Premium Q5 into a reasonable little omni-directional strobe. Should be good for a good few miles visability.

I like Fenix lights, I have two of them and while they are bright and have nice light options (strobe, SOS, Turbo et al), they are not waterproof, only dunkable. With saltwater, a dunkable light might not work at all. The cheap light this guy got from his local sporting goods store was reported as waterproof.

If I was going to sea, I'd go with dedicated gear designed to get real wet, dunkable is fine for non-survival gear, not for gear your life hangs on.

Hi Russ,

The Fenix P1D-CE is IPX-8 rated according to the manufacturers website.

http://www.fenixlight.com/viewproduct.asp?id=35

IPX-8 -'Protected against water submersion - The equipment is suitable for continual submersion in water under conditions which are identified by the manufacturer.'

IPX-8 has to be greater than IPX-7, which means that it has to be at least 1m depth for at least 30 minutes or greater.

Its certainly not a SCUBA flashlight but would be perfectly useable at the surface to be used for improvised signalling.


PPPPPP, definitely!!