• If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com

HELP WITH LIGHTS

S

SAFARI RICK

Well-known member
Well my boats almost there but I'm haveing trouble finding the right kind of running lights so I have to ask for some help. All that I've been able to find are the flush mounted green and red lights for port and starboard front running lights. I have all thread welded to the rigging - pretty much just a bolt sticking out under the front where your feet rest. Does everyone just make brackets and mount what ever they can find or am I not looking in the right places to find what I need. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks-SAFARI RICK
 
I used a one piece light from bass pro shops thats made to mount to a deck. I made a simple plate to mount it to and welded the plate under the foot stand.
 
I know FLORAL CITY has the side clearance marker lights that go on that type of mount and they are red & green and not very expensive and they will ship to you. you also can find them in truck stops but the green one is harder to find.
 
That's what I did too. Can't remember if it came from Bass Pro or West Marine. But it is menat to be deck mounted, has ONE lightbulb in it and a lens that is red & green. remember to flip the lens over if you mount it upside down!

I sandblasted the chrome parts on mine and painted it the same flat green that the rest of the rigging is.

No offense to those who do this, but I believe it's not the code... I remember reading somewhere that you should NOT be able to see the green light from the left side of the boat and vice-versa. So the guys who have two individual lights are giving the man something to hassle them over if they find on having a bad day.

I'd like to upgrade to LED lights sometime. Sort of a low priority though. Larry has said something about some problems with the mags on his aircraft motor blowing out the green LED for some odd reason. I'm not too worried about it with the car motor though. Check out http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm and then go to Motorcycle accent lights. There are some cool ones there.

matt.
 
Like moodfood said you might want to run coast guard approved lights, it will just give you one less reason to get stopped. By law the lights have to have coast guard approval markings on the light. (just went through that on one of our boats down here the lights can look right but without the markings on the lights they are not legal)
You might want to try to look at
http://www.boatownerswarehouse.com
You can look online and see if they have anything that will work for you and then you can either order from them or at least go somewhere else and order them.

Just for information, the running lights on a boat are to be viewed as follows.
Red light goes on the left side of the boat when looking forward(port side). It should only be viewed from forward midline of the boat arround 112.5 degrees which would be just behind midships.(90 degrees)
Likewise the green goes on the right side of the boat facing forward (starboard side) and shines the same 112.5 degrees. The reason for this is you are only to see the red or the green light on the vessel not both together unless the boat is coming directly at you. You should not be able to see the red or green when aprocahing from the rear only the white stern light. On vessels under 40' you only need a white all around light
as a stern/masthead light that can be used as a anchor light also.
If I can help out at all on what is legal as far as lights just let me know.

Mood : Led lights are great and they do have some that are approved but they are VERY sensitive to voltage. I dont know if that is the problem Larry was having but it would be a good guess.
Tim
 
Bravo - good information and very important to be followed by boaters.

Yes, you need to make sure that the lights are not visible from the opposite side of the light. Coast Guard and most state game wardens as well as sheriff water patrols can write a ticket for that. It is a navigation danger as well.

I have seen shields made out of old signs that allowed visibility to be seen from around 110 degrees. The boat has not be stopped by anyone yet, but it is illegal.

Another issue is whether the lights are clearly visible.

I have seen the white light mounted toward the back of the cage and the cage blocks visibility. This is illegal and presents a danger to oncoming boaters, especially at higher speeds.

Some red and green lights are hard to see over the bow rake as they are mounted on stands. This presents the same issue as the white light mentioned.

West Marine and Boater's World have a great selection of lights.
 
Thanks for all the input, just going to make a bracket and mount what I can find. with a little Red Neck ingenuity - should turn out just fine. Thanks again for the help, SAFARI RICK
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top