LED spot light on bow rail

[Rock-C]

I would like to mount a LED spot light on the bow rail & run the wiring through the railing. Any tips on making the transition from the rail into the v-birth area ? I'm concerned about sealing the deck under the rail plate.

 

[thataway]

I have done this on other boats: welded a SS plate across the top of the railing. Run the wiring inside the tubing to the point where it reaches the "down leg". There will not be any hole into the bottom of the bow railing into this down leg, so you have to grind this open, and run the wire thru this. Then the plate at the bottom of the "down leg, has to be drilled out, and then a hole thru the deck (as well as the bolt holes, bored slightly oversize, then epoxy sealed, and rewedded.

To do this properly you will have to take the railing off the boat, and put a pull wire thru the various holes, and then remount the railing. I would use 4000 as a sealant. If sealed properly--and if you plug the hole you ground into the railing, with J B weld, and silicone sealant where the wire first goes into the railing, and silicone where it comes into the inside of the V berth area, there should be no leaks. This is one place where I believe silicone sealant can be of great value. I would be sure the wires are tinned, marine grade AWG and in duplex vinyl jackets.

 

[smckean (Tosca)]

Given the low power usage of LEDs, does anyone know if it is practical to mount a local battery powered spot light with some sort of remote on/off. I suppose the problem would be the power for whatever small motor would be required to maneuver the spotlight (if anyone even makes such equipment).

On my boat I rarely need a spotlight, so the number of uses would be small, but I'd sure like to have it when I want it. I wouldn't use it enough to justify running wires and all.

 

[ssobol]

Still have to run wires for the remote so you aren't avoiding anything. Mostly I use the spot light to tell if the anchor is dragging when anchored in the dark. Point it at some landmark and you can use it to see if you drift by switching on the light and seeing if the landmark is still in the beam.

 

[thataway]

Given the low power usage of LEDs, does anyone know if it is practical to mount a local battery powered spot light with some sort of remote on/off. I suppose the problem would be the power for whatever small motor would be required to maneuver the spotlight (if anyone even makes such equipment).

On my boat I rarely need a spotlight, so the number of uses would be small, but I'd sure like to have it when I want it. I wouldn't use it enough to justify running wires and all.

Yes, Golight makes number of wireless spotlights. (they start at about $500). It would be easy to mount a U1 (lawn tractor or even a small motor cycle battery) in a case with the light, and mount that on the bow railing with "U" bolts, thru the base. You could either charge the battery in place, or remove it for recharging.

see video of wireless remote
Probably could pair it with one of the lithium ion battery boosters made for the car or truck. I have see these used with the inflatable boat high pressure pumps.

 

[jkidd]

After using a Golight for a few years that I could remove from the bowrail and stow I have switched. I’m now using a 6 led off-road light I bought off of Amazon for 20 or 30 bucks for a pair. I put a ram ball on the bottom of it and got a ram claw mount. The claw mount will work on the bow rail or the radar arch or the Bimini for cleaning fish. I run the power across the deck through the center window and plug it in to the helm. I put it away when I dont need it. I have a hand held battery powered spot light for emergency’s that Jay turned me on too.

 

[hardee]

Still have to run wires for the remote so you aren't avoiding anything. Mostly I use the spot light to tell if the anchor is dragging when anchored in the dark. Point it at some landmark and you can use it to see if you drift by switching on the light and seeing if the landmark is still in the beam.

This sounds OK until you figure in tidal currant and wind affect on the vessel. Even in good shelter, I find I get a 180 degree shift with the tidal rise and fall. That's on a mooring ball, or on anchor unless I have a stern anchor out or a shore tie. (Those two later mentions are very rare though).

I have found that I use my rechargeable handheld LED spot pretty effectively and not that much either. On my anchor checks during the night, most of the time there is enough light to see without the spot. I also keep my Garmin GPS anchor watch light set at the very minimum.

I think Starcraft Tom did a bow rail spot set up and documented it, but I didn't go looking. Best in your effort Terry.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[ssobol]

Still have to run wires for the remote so you aren't avoiding anything. Mostly I use the spot light to tell if the anchor is dragging when anchored in the dark. Point it at some landmark and you can use it to see if you drift by switching on the light and seeing if the landmark is still in the beam.

This sounds OK until you figure in tidal currant and wind affect on the vessel. Even in good shelter, I find I get a 180 degree shift with the tidal rise and fall. That's on a mooring ball, or on anchor unless I have a stern anchor out or a shore tie. (Those two later mentions are very rare though).

We usually anchor in rivers. If the current changes by 180 deg then I've got bigger problems.

 

[ssobol]

GoLight makes a wireless remote controlled light. You could use that one with a battery and avoid running wires through the tubing. About $270.

 

[Gulfcoast John]

I hated the 4 remote controlled (1 wireless) I've had...always clunky, jerky movements, difficult to aim precisely. Bulbs broke with the vibrations of trailering, LEDs were dim. The motor movements are in the base are subject to water intrusion. Warranties were short for $500-$900 lights.
My handheld LED rechargeable 'lanterns' often had non-replaceable batteries that died in 4 years.
Finally settled on this US made, 1.2 lb waterproof Larson that is very rugged and tough compared to the $59 competition (but it's $159). Way brighter than any LED fixed mount or portable light I've seen, stick it out the window to spot nav aids in the rain while avoiding bowrail glare. Heaviest coil cord I've ever seen.

https://www.larsonelectronics.com/p-171 ... ts-dc.aspx

I'll never go back to any fixed mount with the hassles of threading 8 conductor cables through and out the railings.
Works great for us, but we avoid boating at night.
A compromise to consider, though. Buy quality the first time, and you'll never be dissappointed.
Cheers!
John

 

[starcrafttom]

Rock C I did this to the 22 I had. I drilled from inside the cabin up into the rail and then cut open the rail at the bow to run my wire. If I was doing it again I would remove the rail first or use a drill with a 90 elbow on it. You have to go thru the back up right of the railing as the front one does not connect to the main rail. Its welded to it but is not a passage way.

 

[Rock-C]

Thanks all for the input. I have drilled the rail next to the light. It went pretty easy. Ran a wire to the aft down tube to be sure it's clear. Now I'm drilling up from inside the boat. Not so easy. Slow going. After I get the wire ran, I plan to unbolt the base with the hole in It so I can re-bed with new calk. Thanks again .

 

[starcrafttom]

You might want to use a dremil instead of a drill. Smaller and easier to control in the tight space. Drill a small hole first and then increase the size . Be careful not to drill up into the wall of the tubing ( dont ask) . because then you have to hire a welder to fix it.

 

[BTDT]

I hated the 4 remote controlled (1 wireless) I've had...always clunky, jerky movements, difficult to aim precisely. Bulbs broke with the vibrations of trailering, LEDs were dim. The motor movements are in the base are subject to water intrusion. Warranties were short for $500-$900 lights.
My handheld LED rechargeable 'lanterns' often had non-replaceable batteries that died in 4 years.
Finally settled on this US made, 1.2 lb waterproof Larson that is very rugged and tough compared to the $59 competition (but it's $159). Way brighter than any LED fixed mount or portable light I've seen, stick it out the window to spot nav aids in the rain while avoiding bowrail glare. Heaviest coil cord I've ever seen.

https://www.larsonelectronics.com/p-171 ... ts-dc.aspx

I'll never go back to any fixed mount with the hassles of threading 8 conductor cables through and out the railings.
Works great for us, but we avoid boating at night.
A compromise to consider, though. Buy quality the first time, and you'll never be dissappointed.
Cheers!
John

I fully concur with Gulfcoastjohn's comments, but I have become a huge fan of LED's with their low power demands and significantly less heat output. I suggest also considering the Larson 6 million candlepower LED version at a slightly less price:

"6 Million Candlepower Rechargable LED Light Hunting Spotlight- 25 Watts - Pistol Style - Li-Ion Part # RL-85-LED-CPR Price: $146.25

The RL-85-LED-CPR 6 Million candlepower handheld spotlight from Larson Electronics is lightweight, ruggedly built, and features a rechargeable lithium ion battery and AC/DC charging adaptor for convenient recharging at home, on the worksite, or on the go. Designed for both functionality and convenience, the RL-85-LED-CPR allows operators to roam freely without the hassle of being plugged into a power source. This unit uses a premium Cree LED and a parabolic reflector to generate an impressive 2,000 lumens while drawing a modest 25 watts of power. This powerful IP65 rated spotlight is ideal for hunting, camping, marine and boating use as well as for first responders and emergency services"

 

[starcrafttom]

It's funny that one person can want one thing for a reason but another does not want it for the exact opposite reason. I tried the hand held spot lights and found then useless for anything other then looking out the side at a 90 degree to the boat. I could never hold my hand far enough out the window to not get glare off the anchor and bow rail when looking forward. Not to mention the only having one hand to drive while sticking my hand and some times head out the window. The utter uselessness of the hand helds while piloting the boat is the reason I when to a mounted remote on the bow rail. I never had a problem with bulbs or a jerky movement. what brands did you use? It was a tad slow on the movement but not to the point of frustration.

its just funny that I got a rail light because of the problems of a hand held and you got a hand held because of the problems of a mounted light. Just goes to show that there is no perfect solution to any problem.

 

[Snider]

It seems to me a great compromise would be a manual mounted light like you see on police cars. It would mount on the roof and the handle would be just above your head so you could point it where you want. Anyone know where you could get something like that?

Edit:Something like this

http://www.grote.com/products/63921-par ... lamp-spot/

 

[thataway]

Problem with light on the top of the cabin is the glare and flare from the foredeck and railings--they are enough to really kill the vision. Plus lights should be used very sparingly--and one needs to preserve the night vision.

If you only need the light to check position when at anchor--this works well--but so does a good hand held flashlight or spotlight.

Another option I have used is a low intensity "tractor utility light" mounted on a magnet so I can put it on the anchor--and just plug it into the 12 volt cig. plug when I need a light in front of the boat.

 

[Snider]

Good points about the glare. We’ve always been very protective of our night vision and have set up all of our other boats with red lights to run at night. In hindsight I think as sparingly as we’d use a spot, that a handheld one would be sufficient. Plus it would save a few holes in the boat. If we do have to use a white light at night while underway you can preserve a little night vision by just closing one eye.

 

[thataway]

Yes, closing one eye helps as does red light...but better to have no lights. (Military has used green, blue and purple at low levels also). Red is best.

When an eye is exposed to bright light one of the adaptions is for both pupils to constrict.. Even in the closed eye this will decrease the night vision. The main adaption is a chemical in the rods called "Rhodopsin". When exposed to light it takes 30 minutes to regenerate. Only a few seconds of white light deplete the Rhodopsin. One trick is to use only red lights (which we have done on our boats for many years), and the adaption back to full night vision then only takes 10 minutes or less. But even direct exposure to red light will cause some loss of night vision. Combat troops will often wear red goggles or remain only in the presence of red light, and then still adapt for 10 minutes before deployment. Certainly a dim red light is far better than any white light. We have 5 different red lights in the pilot house of our 22. Each of the fans in our bunk have a red light activated by remote switch. There is a 3 LED red light on a switch I can reach from the bun, which is high above the aft cabin door. One light shines on the table, on the galley counter and on the floor. We have a red chart light, and a red light right above the helm also. I keep a red/white flashlight at my bedside--both at home and on the boat. My primary red light is only one lumen. The secondary red is about 5 lumen. One lumen will seem like a lot of light when you are totally dark adapted.

Night vision is best used by looking to the side of an object and scanning. The cones which are primarily day vision are in the macula, or center of sharp vision. The rods are distributed thru out the rest of the eye, and the reason to look "off center" when gazing into the darkness. Even when using "night glass" binoculars, (Binoculars with large objective lenses--such as 7 x 50) you need to be looking off center to find the object you are looking for.

 

[hardee]

It's funny that one person can want one thing for a reason but another does not want it for the exact opposite reason. I tried the hand held spot lights and found then useless for anything other then looking out the side at a 90 degree to the boat. I could never hold my hand far enough out the window to not get glare off the anchor and bow rail when looking forward. Not to mention the only having one hand to drive while sticking my hand and some times head out the window. ....

its just funny that I got a rail light because of the problems of a hand held and you got a hand held because of the problems of a mounted light. Just goes to show that there is no perfect solution to any problem.

Tom, Ain't it great? We are all different, unique and ingenious? What's perfect for you might be perfect for someone else, but not for me, and vice a versa. I have used an LED handheld spot for a long time. IN fact, West Marine just exchanged my old one for a brand new one, 6 years after purchase, because the NM H battery is not holding a charge anymore.

This light:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-mar ... ecordNum=7

and yes it will glare on the shiny stuff BUT for a buck you can buy a can of Pringle chips, eat them and then cut out the end of the can and you have a really good light guide. Narrows the light beam down to about 10 degrees. It just fits over the business end of the spotlight, and "Wha Laaaa" No more glare. You can point that exactly where you want the light. I use that for anchor checks at night if I need the light. Works great.

Portable, rechargable on 12VDC or 110AC, virtually indestructible, and backed up by super customer service.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon