FLIR Experience
Submitted by craytail99 on Mon, 2016-04-25 10:51
Wondering if there is anyone with practical experience of using FLIR Thermal Night Vision either fixed mount or the pan and tilt variety. I am looking at getting either the FLIR MD 625 or the FLIR M 625XP.
I do a fair amount of night fishing and blasting away with spotlights isnt an option. I like to be out in the dark and driving inside a cabin isnt eay once the sun goes down with the lights from the electronic gear bouncing off the windscreen and killing the night vision.
Any pointers or recommendations would be appreciated before I outlay the chedder!!
Cheers
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Keen to see the responses
Keen to see the responses but dont you just dim the electronics all the way down?
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Yeah Vin dim them down as far
Yeah Vin dim them down as far as they can go but it still causes dramas with the vision in the cab. I have stuck with the status quo for a long time and tried any number of solutions but short of cutting a moonroof in my cab I am in the dark so to speak.
It isnt an issue in my tinnie as it hasnt got a cab but the combination of a cab, electronics and a tinted window dosent make for hassle free nevigation once the sun goes down.
Peko
Posts: 185
Date Joined: 01/10/14
Understand your problem.
Understand your problem. After spending good money on spotlights and a lightbar Ive confined them to the category of useless. I put covers over my electronics and turn off the sounder until Im in the vicinty of where I want to look. All that done and with the GPS unit dimmed to max its still difficult to see "safely". I spend most of my time with the head out of the window. I would have thought though any night vision equipment would still be adversely by any remaining light in the cabin and lights on other vessels.
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Been down the track of
Been down the track of lightbars and as you correctly say as useless as pockets in a singlet. I use the gps/plotter ususally dimmed down and a bit of local knowledge mostly, I havent got opening windows just solid glass with a tint which is similar to having a paper bag over your head.
From the googling I have done the unit sits outside on the roof of the hardtop and pipes a feed into a monitor/screen inside the cab so it is theoretically unaffected by light inside the cabin. It is more a heat thing than light so other boats with spotties would show up but not blot out your units vision.
I have had a few close shaves over my time but touch wood nothing serious, probably more luck than good management though if I am honest.
groverwa
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 21/07/14
thin red plastic
You could try using a frame with thin red translucent plastic sheet in it.
Out the eyre highway I used a red filter on my spotlight that the feral cats would look at. Wihout the filter they just would not look at the spotlight.
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
I just eat plenty of
I just eat plenty of carrots
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Im a carnivore
Im a carnivore
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Haha fair bump
Haha fair bump
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
FLIR
After running over a pot and coming to a complete stop on Saturday Night off Hillarys I'm thinking a FLIR Ocean Scout TK might be in my future. RRP is around $795 and they have just been released so not on online stores yet.
www.flir.com.au/marine/content/
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
FLIR
Use FLIR regularly on our rescue boat, good for picking up channel markers and other objects but nearly useless for picking up waves etc.
Better to do as others have said, dim your displays right down and use spotlights or as I do only have the compass light and the GPS on but dimmed down to the lowest setting
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Same as carnarvonite. Used
Same as carnarvonite. Used one regularly on a rescue vessel. Found it good close range after you get used to it. Longer range the radar is the tool.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
scottnofish
Posts: 1617
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Have used flir goggles before
Lights up everything like daylight only down fall was it made me sea sick
sphere
Posts: 101
Date Joined: 07/01/15
night mode options
Having worked on a variety of vessels in the maritime industry do any of the electronic aids you have have night mode, e.g cplot max sea etc. Not ideal still has some effects on night vision too.
Nothing worse than sounders radars plotters and the like affecting night vision. Failing that good routes and bearings using GPS plotter i dont mind using. Personally prefer radar integrated to plotters but all things being equal cost could be prohibitive
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Appreciate the information
Appreciate the information gents its not an easy decision because the little buggers aint that cheap. The brochures might not live up to the reality is my only conern...
dowders
Posts: 112
Date Joined: 23/01/11
I am the same, i have a hard
I am the same, i have a hard top cabin and cant see shit with everyhting dimmed down. Have laucnhed in the marina at night and even then i have to stick my head out of the window to see. Shame becuase i would love to take the kids down to see the Mandurah canal lights at christmas, but not worth it with all that chaos :)
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Yeah it is a real bastard I
Yeah it is a real bastard I only wanted the FLIR for doging about doing 5 to 10 knots close in I would arm up with powerful spotties but I don't want to cause dramas for other boat users. Maybe I am too nice a guy
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Are you in bunbury?
Are you in bunbury?
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
No mate little further afield
No mate little further afield sorry to say. I am dead keen to stump up the chedder and drop it on either the static or the adjustable FLIR but I don't want to end up with an expensive toy that I rarely use.
People seem lukewarm on them at best. I have done a fair amount of searching online and other than flashy videos there seems to be very little in the way of independant reviews. From the advertising they seem like just the ticket to solve my dramas but without practical experience its difficult, one mans meat is anothers poison type of thing.
I guess what speed are they limited too as far as seeing and avoiding objects go and how far out can you identify objects. I notice that they have 2x and a 4x zoom depending on the model can you zoom them out and travel to get extra vision ahead. If it was mounted centrally on your hardtop roof how much vision do you get to the port and the starboard?
Assuming you have one or have a fair amount of experience using one. Any info you could throw my way would be most welcome!
Cheers
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Carnarvonite is right,You
Carnarvonite is right,
You wont have a use for it unless your fishing at night! and then it will only be for dodging cray floats. Thats all i use mine for as i generally dont see many people coming back from fishing at 2am
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Yeah Bryce I fish the shelf
Yeah Bryce I fish the shelf at night and come back in the early hours less people less hassle. How close do you have to be to a cray float before you can see it and dodge it? I only really want it for in close in the dark, once I am clear of the clutter I use the plotter/gps compass and nav lights. Which model do you have?
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Ive got the M-324L. see pots
Ive got the M-324L.
see pots from 100m or so depending on swell.
Id suggest you get one so you dont run into me!
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Ha Ha you get up to the same
Ha Ha you get up to the same caper do you drifting around in the dark. I have never seen anyone out there but that might be because my eyes are glued to the sounder.
You will know me if you run into me my transducer is half the size of my rig
100 meters is reasonable bit better than I expected
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Opinion
If I had the money to waste there is no way I would put one on my boat
That is from my experiences of using the one on our 10 metre Naiad rescue vessel, ok if you are looking for something warm like a person but for anything else radar over gps beats it hands down
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Ha ha I am a good money
Ha ha I am a good money waster Carnovite like sands through the hourglass. What pace do you normally go for it to be effective? eg see stuff before you hit it and what model does your rescue boat have. I havent got the room for a radar so I have been using plotter/gps and compass. I only need it for near civilization, where I go is like the Gobi Desert you never see anyone.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Rarely used
It is rarely used, probably 4-5 times seriously in 4 years and the only time successful was when a boat had been beached at Red Cliff on Bernier Island and we used it to spot the blokes walking along the shore towards the boat.
Found it easier to use radar on lowest scale overlaying GPS when coming in and out at night. The only space you need for radar is the size of the dome on the roof, it should be compatible with your Gps to overlay or as a split display
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Same. Only time it's used is
Same. Only time it's used is when you are looking for something close. Not going fast.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Many thanks Carnovite I will
Many thanks Carnovite I will do a bit of research and see if it is an option
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Carnarvonite is on the money
I can stick my fat noggin over the screen to iliminate glare of the screen. Apart from one thing everything has been mentioned above like dimming. But another simple thing albeit painful (not true pain) to do is IF you need to stare at the instrument close your preferred eye, ie look at the lights with the best eye closed.
At least that way you preserve night vision to some degree.
Remember to optimise night vision it takes about 20 minutes to fully adjust, so preserving one eye on this I think aid in spotting objects.
Very often fished nights off dampier, and with any moonlight the best thing to look for is white chop off objects, and it can be surprising how good night vision become.
Suxs on new moon conditions though, and then the only option is a spotty (I still keep the one eye closed using it)
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Thanks for the input cransy
Thanks for the input cransy bloody hardtops they give to you with one hand and take away with the other
Just like my ex missus......
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Oh and I forgot to mention something
Have used "head mounted" night vision goggles on a boat, and they make you very green very quickly.
I think to use them properly you have to use them frequently, or as for the Special forces troops, train hard!
It certainly does not feel normal.
Have no experience with the fixed/display on screen version, but I would feel that you should still ALWAYS have human eyes out in the dark, so this IMO would defeat the purpose.
And yes, if I had a hardtop, I would have a hatch/window to keep my eyes out in the open. I hate looking into glass etc at night. Luckily I can do that because I haven't got a hard top, and certainly at night I would come last in the speed test, as I cruise along dead slow
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Krusty
Posts: 714
Date Joined: 27/11/15
Keeping one eye closed or
Keeping one eye closed or even covered to preserve night vision does actually work....the myth busters put it to the test !
It is believed that this is one reason why pirates used to wear a patch over one eye
My fishing spots are so secret........... even the fish don't know where they are !!
craytail99
Posts: 76
Date Joined: 29/04/14
Shit I might get me an eye
Shit I might get me an eye patch, will make me look like a hard bastard and keep the pingers away in the daylight and help me with the night vision at night a win win