Bow and stern lights

[roostwear]

My boat was never rigged with lights, and we'll be on the water for the 4th. I couldn't bear to cut the hull for permanent lights, so I wimped out and got the removable lights. Suction cup mount on the bow, and a clamp on for the stern. For me the advantage is not permanently mounting lights, but what are the disadvantages? Has anyone used these before?

[calperf19]

You might want to ask squirtin thunder I know he has them. Iwas thinking about doin the same thing let us know how they work out!
Later BK

[Squirtin Thunder]

Suction cups lights are the easy way out to be safe and legal. But they have there draw backs. One of the problems is that they tend to F@#k up at the worst time. In rough water they flicker, they loose suction and the batteries end up leaking after they get wet. What I do is this, For the rear I use a safety line (string) on the ski tow. For the front one I place it on the bubble real close to the dash, this way I can grab it if I have to. They are very nice to have to help keep your boat looking clean. Remember after each outing take the batteries out and dry them off.
Good Luck
Jim

[cave]

Squirtcha? has the cats eye type on his Kachina. They look cool. I just ordered a pair for my Kachina. Got tired of loosing those sucktion ones. The suction ones work great for crusing but once you get going and the water gets rough it sucks. I'de worry to much about loosing the light than smackin a lake lice who dosnt care about lights.
Oh yea a spot light is nice too. one of those 100k candel power ones.

[Old Guy]

This might be a little off topic, but it could save a life.
If you are boating in the dark, anywhere, your running lights are very visable to anybody in front of your boat. A boat approaching from behind can only see a small white dot. If you are on inland waters, the small white dot will blend nicely with many other small white dots on boats or on shore. There is no useful depth perception. The dot may be a bright light a mile away, or a dim stern light 100 feet away.
The speed limit around here is 55 mph. It doesn't matter if it's pitch black dark out there. It's common to see boats running in the dark (with proper lights, of course) at speeds in the 40 - 60 mph range.
Of course we all know that a few beers will sharpen our night vision. If you're gonna be out there in the dark, do yourself a favor and have a passenger sitting next to you looking for boats approaching from the rear. Even better, give them a spotlight to shine at the approaching boat so as to wake him up.
I've had a couple of real close one's in the dark. Been on both sides of this one.
old

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by cave
Squirtcha? has the cats eye type on his Kachina. They look cool. I just ordered a pair for my Kachina. Got tired of loosing those sucktion ones. The suction ones work great for crusing but once you get going and the water gets rough it sucks. I'de worry to much about loosing the light than smackin a lake lice who dosnt care about lights.
Oh yea a spot light is nice too. one of those 100k candel power ones.
I have the cat eyes on my Carrera, they look cool, now if I could only get them to work, I have power at the switch, but no illumination, the bulbs look good, any suggestions???
gjb

[Chris J]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
I have the cat eyes on my Carrera, they look cool, now if I could only get them to work, I have power at the switch, but no illumination, the bulbs look good, any suggestions???
gjb
Are they the correct voltage? If they are I would supect a bad ground (fiberglass is not a conductor). To verify the bulb is good check the resistance of the bulb with an Ohm meter. Should be less than 2000 ohms for LEDs one direction and high in the other. LEDS lights need to be wired with the correct polarity. Incandecent bulbs should be less than 20 ohms.

[Squirtcha?]

I'm with Chris. Check your grounds. Pick up one of those 12 volt automotive circuit tester lights. They're very helpful for quick, down n dirty automotive/boat troubleshooting. If you've got 12 volts at the light, it's gonna be a grounding problem.
http://www.homestead.com/jetboat/files/img_0333e.jpg
Never mind the waterspots. I hadn't cleaned it up from the last lake trip.
From a distance you can hardly tell they're on the boat.
http://www.homestead.com/jetboat/almost_done.jpg

[BarryMac]

Thanks Chris J and Squirtcha, I will check the bulbs and verify proper grounding...
gjb

[Squirtin Thunder]

I have always liked those cat eye type lights, but on my Sanger it is nearly impossible to get to the front of the bow, way too much foam. I do like the big flood lights that those Formulas have on the front. I installed a 12v accesury plug that has three holes to accomedate the flood light and a blender and a ice box or TV, or just about anything that has a 12v plug.
Jim

[Heatseeker]

Throw the sucker cup lights away! Like the guys above wrote, they suck hind tit.
I was involved in a very close call one night, due to the bow light coming loose on a buddy's boat. We were headed out to our houseboat, loaded with gear and peeps. When the light fell off, he reached over to try and grab it, taking his attention off of his driving for a split second. I looked over to see what was going on only to find him headed straight for my boat. If I hadn't of looked when I did, he'd have hit me broadside. In the middle of a dark night, in the middle of a deep lake, nobody would've known we were out there. Someone might have noticed some of our gear floating around the next morning, but we would've been drowned for hours by then.
Buy and install the cats eyes. They look cool and don't fall off!
And in my experience, those spot lights make it next to impossible to see. They produce a huge glare. It's kind of like being snowblind. Any light in/from the boat makes it difficult to see in the dark. I even shut off the gauge lights when I'm night cruising.

[roostwear]

Thanks for the replys. I kinda figured the suction cup was a cruise only deal.This will be the first time out at night, so this is a quick and dirty way to be legal. If night cruises work out, I'll probably mount permanent lights. I'd probably go with a popup bow light to keep the old school theme going.

[King Kuracz]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
Thanks Chris J and Squirtcha, I will check the bulbs and verify proper grounding...
gjb
The cats eye lamps dont require a grounded socket as such. They have two wires from the socket, either side can be connected to battery negative, but it makes no difference if the socket itself is grounded or not. All connections to the bulb are through the two connections on the bulbs base only, the outer shell doesn't matter. They should light up even if the socket is pulled ot of the housing.
Before you do anything else, make sure that they have the correct bulb. They need to be a SINGLE fillament, DOUBLE contact bulb. If the bayonet pins on the shell are not in line with each other then you have the wrong bulb. Have seen many times where someone jams an automotive double fil, double contact bulb in that socket, and it ain't gonna work, ground or no ground.

[Squirtin Thunder]

Heatseeker,
Isn't rubbin racin ???
Got to get to the houseboat quick, Right ???
I do understand what you are saying thats why I keep it close to the dash on the bubble in front of the wheel. I can grab it very easy. If I did alot of night boating I would definatly install the perm mount lights. I do it so very seldom I figure that this works OK, but not great.
Jim

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by King Kuracz
The cats eye lamps dont require a grounded socket as such. They have two wires from the socket, either side can be connected to battery negative, but it makes no difference if the socket itself is grounded or not. All connections to the bulb are through the two connections on the bulbs base only, the outer shell doesn't matter. They should light up even if the socket is pulled ot of the housing.
Before you do anything else, make sure that they have the correct bulb. They need to be a SINGLE fillament, DOUBLE contact bulb. If the bayonet pins on the shell are not in line with each other then you have the wrong bulb. Have seen many times where someone jams an automotive double fil, double contact bulb in that socket, and it ain't gonna work, ground or no ground.
Here is the stupid question for the day, If the bulbs are not the correct ones where do I get them?

[HalletDave]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
Here is the stupid question for the day, If the bulbs are not the correct ones where do I get them?
gjb,
Give Rex Marine a call.
I think they sell the cat eye units.

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by HalletDave
gjb,
Give Rex Marine a call.
I think they sell the cat eye units.
thanks HD, I appreciate your help...
do you mind if I ask how old you are, Debbolas wants to find someone older than her, I don't think you are but it never hurts to ask...:D
gjb

[superdave013]

Those flashlight jobbies are pretty dim.
I plan on using a flip up deal in the front and a removable one in the back.
Do it right or put it on the trailer at night.

[Squirtcha?]

Originally posted by King Kuracz
The cats eye lamps dont require a grounded socket as such. They have two wires from the socket, either side can be connected to battery negative, but it makes no difference if the socket itself is grounded or not. All connections to the bulb are through the two connections on the bulbs base only, the outer shell doesn't matter. They should light up even if the socket is pulled ot of the housing.
That is the grounding I was referring to. Assuming there is a good connection to the light's ground wire, I'd look at the other end of things.
You should be able to cross reference the bulbs at any auto parts store.

[hack job]

flip up is the way to go!;)

[LVjetboy]

What flips a flip up up?

[HalletDave]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
thanks HD, I appreciate your help...
do you mind if I ask how old you are, Debbolas wants to find someone older than her, I don't think you are but it never hurts to ask...:D
gjb
Can you say GEEZER?
54 year old kid.;) :D

[superdave013]

Originally posted by LVjetboy
What flips a flip up up?
The flipper flips the flip up! CA'MON!

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by gottajetboat
Thanks Chris J, King Kuracz and Squirtcha, I will check the bulbs and verify proper grounding...
gjb
Well, I checked it out today and it was a ground, it was actually not hooked up at all. Another thing that I noticed is that it appears that when Carrera built this boat they used what looks like speaker wire to hook the lights up, starting at the switch it is normal 12 or 14 gauge blue wire, at the light fixtures the wire appears to be 18 gauge, one red and one black, but somewhere that I cant see the wire changes to the speaker wire??? Does this sound normla for a custom boat builder to cut corners on wire? Wire is pretty cheap...
gjb

[hack job]

alot of builders used that wire cuase its flat and they run it along under some of the glass to hold it in place( were the deck and the bottom met on the inside. i have seen sevral boats done this way inculing mine;) it will work just fine!:)

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by hack job
alot of builders used that wire cuase its flat and they run it along under some of the glass to hold it in place( were the deck and the bottom met on the inside. i have seen sevral boats done this way inculing mine;) it will work just fine!:)
Glad to hear that, I got concerned because the wires on the fixtures seemed to get really hot, almost to the point where I couldn't touch them, I wasn't sure if that was because of the speaker wire or not...
Thanks hack job, I appreciate your help...
gjb

[King Kuracz]

On the cats eyes, the area between the lens and bulb is so small, there is very little air space in there, so most of the bulbs heat is conducted out thru the socket.
Check if the wires get hotter or cooler as they get further away from the socket. If they don't get cooler as they get away from the socket, check the connections where the wires are spliced. A bad connection can generate a suprising amount of heat, even at the low current draws these bulbs have.

[BarryMac]

Originally posted by King Kuracz
On the cats eyes, the area between the lens and bulb is so small, there is very little air space in there, so most of the bulbs heat is conducted out thru the socket.
Check if the wires get hotter or cooler as they get further away from the socket. If they don't get cooler as they get away from the socket, check the connections where the wires are spliced. A bad connection can generate a suprising amount of heat, even at the low current draws these bulbs have.
'
Thanks, I will definately check the wires further back from the sockets for heat...
gjb

[Heatseeker]

Originally posted by Squirtin Thunder
Heatseeker,
Isn't rubbin racin ???
Got to get to the houseboat quick, Right ???
Jim
Yea, but not on a lake at night :eek: :eek: :eek: !
But you're right, gotta get out there FAST to pour cocktails. Especially that particular night...

[roostwear]

Well, they came in. This boat had the power and switch installed for gauge lights, but I guess since they never added bow and stern lights, they never wired the ground circuit for the dash lights. Got that done today (would be nice to see the gauges at night) and put the lights on to see how dorky it looks. Not as bad as I thought, and it beats the hell out of cutting the hull.
BOW LIGHT
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/896bowlight.jpg
Stern light
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/896sternlight.jpg
I'm only going to be putting with the family aboard, so they should work good enough.