Are Underwater Flashlights Magnetic?

[cruiser]

Out as CSSP today, I took my big flashlight with me to explore the innards of the new boat Robert sunk. I attached the flashlight to the center of my BC so I wouldn't have uneven drag, which has thrown off my navigation in the past.

So I navigated like I always do but kept missing my targets. Went back and tried again. Nope, didn't work, even though I was keeping the compass steady. Finally I stashed my flashlight under a rock and tried again--now I was navigating properly and locating things under water. The thought occurred to me that the flashlight could have a magnetic pull and was skewing my compass readings.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

p.s. On the way home, I realized I never retrieved my flashlight :11:

 

[kkgodiving]

Based on your desc, you flashlight will probably have certain amount of ferrous material to affect the compass performance. But it has to be such a strong pull to cause you to nav
off-course. I have a Pelican Nemo 4200 flashlight that has a magnetic switch but it has not affect my nav. Then again, I am talking about non-precise nav.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

What about the metal plate in your head...just kidding, sounds strange I usually dive with my C-8 clipped on a waist D-ring and haven't ever noticed compass deviation. Interesting....

 

[cruiser]

Jay Diver, you're so funny.....

My small flashlight is brighter and easier to use and carry (down the front of my wetsuit/diveskin). May switch to that one primarily.

 

[Guba]

Don't know about my dive light (I'll have to check on that one, Cruiser), but you know those treasure hunt targets Robert uses at CSSP? Those things (made of four inches of rebar, string and float) are magnetic as heck! While we were putting them out for the hunt, we were carrying a whole bag full of those things, and we were running all over each other while getting lost. I can only guess what the new divers were thinking when they tried to navigate back to the pier while holding one of these things next to their console!
Now, gotta go check my light and compass...

 

[Trout]

How did you secure the light...clips?

 

[Timeliner]

I'm sure you have noticed that your camera strobe can mess with your compass. So can a flash light. Any magnetic field will do the same.
It may just be your personality

 

[cruiser]

I'm sure you have noticed that your camera strobe can mess with your compass. So can a flash light. Any magnetic field will do the same.
It may just be your personality

Aww, now you've made my day

 

[cruiser]

How did you secure the light...clips?

I threaded one of my BC plastic clips through the looped handle of the light.

 

[cruiser]

Don't know about my dive light (I'll have to check on that one, Cruiser), but you know those treasure hunt targets Robert uses at CSSP? Those things (made of four inches of rebar, string and float) are magnetic as heck! While we were putting them out for the hunt, we were carrying a whole bag full of those things, and we were running all over each other while getting lost. I can only guess what the new divers were thinking when they tried to navigate back to the pier while holding one of these things next to their console!
Now, gotta go check my light and compass...

There were a few of those treasure hunt targets left at Terrell under the platform just north of the Dive Training Center platform. Picked them up and then saw what they were doing to my compass so decided to leave them. Viz was such that navigation had little room for error. I thought they might have been yours, Guba, but they didn't have CDOT on them that I remember.