Spotlight with integral low lux video camera system

A searchlight device for a recreational boat or other suitable vehicle, vessel or device, comprising:

• a searchlight having a housing for mounting on a recreational boat or other suitable vehicle, vessel or device, the housing having a light module configured to provide light and also having a low light video lens module with an integral low lux video camera configured to respond to images in near total darkness and provide an integral low lux video camera module signal containing information about the same, the light module and the integral low lux video camera being activated independently to turn on/off by user commands from an operator, the searchlight being configured to respond to a searchlight controller signal and to move the searchlight in the vertical and horizontal planes, including sweeping the searchlight back and forth and moving the searchlight diagonally up/down and back and forth, in order for the integral low lux video camera to receive the images in near total darkness with the light module off, the movement of the light module and the integral low lux video camera being concurrent via a rotational movement of the housing;
• a console mounted searchlight controller configured to respond to the user commands containing information about receiving the images in near total darkness and configured to provide the searchlight controller signal containing information to move the searchlight in the vertical and horizontal planes in order to receive the images in near total darkness with the light module off, so as to allow close quarter maneuvering in near total darkness without the need to activate the light module so that an operator of the recreational boat, vehicle, vessel or other suitable device may operate safely while maintaining night vision and not impairing the vision of a nearby vehicle, vessel or other suitable device;
• and
• a video monitor configured to respond to the video camera signal, and to provide a video monitor signal containing information about the images in near total darkness for viewing by the operator.

A recreational boat or other suitable vessel having a searchlight, the searchlight comprising:

• a searchlight having a housing for mounting on a recreational boat or other suitable vehicle, vessel or device, the housing having a light module configured to provide light and also having a low light video lens module with an integral low lux video camera configured to respond to images in near total darkness and provide an integral low lux video camera module signal containing information about the same, the light module and the integral low lux video camera being activated independently to turn on/off by user commands from an operator, the searchlight being configured to respond to a searchlight controller signal and to move the searchlight in the vertical and horizontal planes, including sweeping the searchlight back and forth and moving the searchlight diagonally up/down and back and forth, in order for the integral low lux video camera to receive the images in near total darkness with the light module off, the movement of the light module and the integral low lux video camera being concurrent via a rotational movement of the housing;
• a console mounted searchlight controller configured to respond to the user commands containing information about receiving the images in near total darkness and configured to provide the searchlight controller signal containing information to move the searchlight in the vertical and horizontal planes in order to receive the images in near total darkness with the light module off, so as to allow close quarter maneuvering in near total darkness without the need to activate the light module so that an operator of the recreational boat, vehicle, vessel or other suitable device may operate safely while maintaining night vision and not impairing the vision of a nearby vehicle, vessel or other suitable device;
• and
• a video monitor configured to respond to the video camera signal, and to provide a video monitor signal containing information about the images in near total darkness for viewing by the operator.