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Where to mount my lights

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Anonymous

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Here's my cage:
CAGE3.jpg


I'm going to moung two tractor lights with 100 watt aircraft bulbs in them.

How high up should I put them? I don't want them too high, but too low and they'll be totally worthless. I don't have enough room to mount them inside the cage to protect them from branches....

I know a headlight is best, but I want the cage lights too just in case.
 
Have you thought out whether you will be running a grass rake? If you do might give some consideration to mounting the lights on the rake. Reason being, bright lights from the rear of the boat and all the light color inside the boat will blind you with reflection. Not a good thing if your running narrow canals on a plane or the river run etc.

Just thinking out loud here man.

Scotty
 
i agree with whitebear. i don't know how much you use your lights, but i hardly ever use mine. hell, i very seldom use running lights, lol...anyways, i mounted one light on the end of my center instrument panel bracket. i love it. it doesn't blind you and you can also move the light with your hand. at the same time, it doesn't reflect off the inside of the boat but illuminates it enough to find something in the boat. i've always had mine on the cage but i'm certain this is the ticket. unless you need a lot of light, i would consider this.
 
I put my light on my head. That way at least I can use my head for something :lol: I also carry a hand held for a backup and have an "interior" light mounted under my floorboard. Just my $.02
 
Duc - That sounds like a great idea. Used to guide alittle and we were running go-devils in that marsh. One of the guides had his Q-beam mounted on a 8 foot stick, would turn it on, drop it in the piece of aluminum pipe welded to his brace and run like that. No glare. Sounds like you set up would work the same.

Red - I have seen set ups like Whitebear is talking about. With half solid and half tube rakes or with open tube rakes, you can mount then just inside the rake, where you will not hit anything directly with them, but they have some protection. No glare off the hull either.
 
I was never a fan of mounting spot lights on my guard and rigging. I wear a 100 watt light on my head. That way where ever I turn my head I got a good beam of light. Plus with a head mounted light you can be as visible to other airboats as you want to be.
 
I like the head lights too. When out fogging we use them to signal with and it requires no hand movement. Just a few skyward shakes fo the head and your signal is sent.

I like running with no lights. Just run to the black and your headed to more water, run to the gray and your headed toward shore or something else you wont enjoy.

Scotty
 
Red, the lights on my cage are to low and thay blind the mess out of ya.I just use a head light.


my .02cents
 
hey guys, since this topic is active, if you would please check out my "Lycoming Installation" topic. thanks......
 
Red,

I'm the same as above. I got 4 KC's,(two on the outside close to the top of the cage and 2 inside the rake).

I don't care if they quit working or not, they do light the whole boat and kinda blind ya.

But let my frogging light quit working and I'm gonna stop the boat and fix!

Basketcase
 
I agree with all that say "head light". The boat mounted lights are fine and if you go that route I would agree that on the rake with some protection is best. Mounting running lights on the boat and running the wiring here and there gives one more system to maintain and that usually means a "levy tune up" in the middle of the night. I like the KISS method. Keep it simple. Use a head lamp, keep a spare bulb, and a spare fuse if your 12v connector uses one.
 
Just my 2 cents I use to mount the lights to the cage and if you run in deep water and the boat is at plane you have to adjust the lights to see where you are going

If you hit skinny water then you have to adjust your lights to see
If you run dry ground you have to adjust your lights to see
If you run threw trees they like to catch and then you have to adjust them

So with that said you will always be moving them they will never be in the right spot so it is alot easier to put one on your head so where ever you look you will see
 
I have got to get to Florida and see the fleet of boats with all the drivers with lights on their heads. The thought cracks me up. :lol:

Thought that was coon hunters only that did that.

So are there really any comfortable hats out there with lights as bright as KC lights?
 
A pair of low intensity spots mounted below the bowrail of the boat is pretty nice if you get caught out in heavy fog though, and I did up here a couple of times ..... you couldn't see more than a couple of boat lengths without them. Great for docking too. I get mine at Tractor supply for about $15 ea., and they come with rubber housings.

BF
 
All right Feather, I'm going to share a light lite secret, or is it a lite light secret......... For the hat part, get the webbing out of a hardhat with the adjuster on it, well used is best. An old welding hement guts is just as good. Now one hat fits all. Make a light weight sheet aluminum bracket to hold a 305cc Honda headlight reflector. Pop rivet it to the headband. No, turn the flat side of the rivets in toward you and the popped side out. ( unless your tough like Cowboy says) Use a 6 volt auto tail light and a dashboard dimmer rheostat. Mount the rheostat on the insturment panel not the hat....grinn.

You can dim it to make just a frogs (or deer or hog)eyes glow a little or you can make it so bright that, just before it blows the bulb, it's like a blue laser beam. You can cook frogs in place then gig em even.

This setup is so light weight ya dont even know your wearing it. Bulbs are dirt cheep and if ya lose it you can replace it for just a couple bucks.

Gotta tell these newbies everything. Hahahahahahah

Next week I'll share how to build your own gig heads. LOL


Scotty
 
MMP,

Looks like we've finally got one on ya - after a very long time.

There are several reliable light makers.

Camp Mack sells a hat light made by Danny Strine out of Winter Haven - about $65.00. This light uses a 100 watt bulb with a short wire and male spade fitting. Replacements are available everywhere about $10.00 at WallyWorld. Comes with a "house type" lug plug.

Jeff Lesera makes the "UltraLight" - Outstanding but an expensive replacement bulb.

Screen Name: jeffleserra@aol.com
Other E-Mail: http://www.leserra.com
Cell: 772-633-0854
Work: 772-633-0854
Fax: 772-571-8586

UltraLight Products
P.O. Box 307
Fellsmere, FL 32948
 
Bear ...... glad you told me about turnin' the rivets around. I'duv muffed that part too. :? .
I'll be glad to see you get home, Old Fart. When do you fly?

BF
 
Yeah he is not too far from us and alot of people around here go to him. Great guy and great product.
 
Be flyin in the night of the 5th Feather. Im burned out and useless really need the vacation. I may even break my rule and have a drink when I get home. Look out, I might start scalping folks if I do LOL !!

Scotty
 
I have to say mine are on the cage and they can blind you sometimes worse if you have glasses on. I going to try moving mine to under my foot
stand and put in a foot adjuter on them.
 
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