Boat light comments invited

I needed docking lights but did not want to cut holes in the hull as I had done on another boat years ago. LEDs have been developed since then and, w/o bulbs or reflectors, are thin enough for surface mount. I asked my brother to buy me some for Christmas. Someone else might have had this idea but eventually I got there. Pictures in January.
 
GypsmJim said:
Now don't laugh, but as a kid with a first boat, and only had enough money for old cans of 10W30 for the ole 10 HP Merc, instead of TW3 oil, My Grandpa gave me an anchor.

He worked for the New York Central Railroad and had access to old rusty parts. That ole railroad hook used to couple RR cars weighted a ton, but it sure held my little 16 footer whenever I anchored.

It got left in a cabinet when I moved, and never got it back, but I sure wish I had it back. I would rustproof it and hang it in my boathouse. My Grandpa was my mentor and he would have been proud to see it there.
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Was that super heavy? If it’s what I’m thinking, as a kid I would have had a difficult time hauling it. Your arms must have been like bowling balls.

We had a 12’ aluminum boat with a 4hp Merc. My grandpa made the classic coffee can with cement and an eye bolt anchor. Zipping around the lake trying to jump my own wakes, I used to get that thing rolling and banging around in the boat.
 
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Every spring, our local lake has these people. totally blinding. sad thing is most of them don't even eat the carp they are shooting.
 
blaster said:
Arminius
Active Member
Male, 65, from Seattle
:Old gearhead (and trial lawyer) looking for help with new project: 2003 Bowrider 200

He must have gotten his law license from Nigeria and his JD by mailing in ten cereal box tops. Oh boy do those gears turn in his head.

He doesn’t present as an attorney to me for some reason.
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Well, I established residency before UW History and Law by building tooling in Plant 2 after Boeing sent me to machinists' school in Kent. I learned a lot and was proud that I could receive a drawing and a block of metal and return an incomprehensible tool cut to .005" or sometimes 10ths". Mainly mills, I ran the 40' planer for a while. We were building the assembly line for the 747 and cheered at the PA announcement that the first had flown. Later, I learned to fly at the field across the street. The last 747 has just rolled out. I was a partner in a law firm when we hired someone who had worked in Plant 2. I didn't recognize him but luckily he did not make me out. I always kept my real identity a secret as my Dad was a lawyer who had always advised: "Anything you say can and will be used against you". Lawyers tend to be gossipy old women.
 
OllieC said:
Was that super heavy? If it’s what I’m thinking, as a kid I would have had a difficult time hauling it. Your arms must have been like bowling balls.

We had a 12’ aluminum boat with a 4hp Merc. My grandpa made the classic coffee can with cement and an eye bolt anchor. Zipping around the lake trying to jump my own wakes, I used to get that thing rolling and banging around in the boat.
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Yeah, it was heavy. It was a "hook". Maybe you are thinking of a coupler. That's not what it was. I hauled it back then, and I'm sure I could do it again, even at my advanced age. It laid flat, so no rolling around.

My comment was directed at mushroom anchors. They were OK on a 14' tinny, but once I graduated to a 16' runabout they were useless.
 
The curve of the hull has to be considered with surface mounts. These are going to do for finding my slip in the dark, I think. Stainless shrouds will finish the job.
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Docking lights point primarily straight ahead - not as useful for finding things off to the sides. Although, to an extent, yes, depending on the spread.

But... wouldn't a simple flashlight be more than adequate for locating a dock? Chances are, you will be able to see the dock anyways - even in very dim light. Your bow nav light will provide enough light to help illuminate things close by - which is really all that's needed.

Another easy/better solution is to just put some reflective tape on your dock in key places. That will definitley illuminate as you get nearby. Or get crazy and put some low-power lights on your dock with a remote control.

I've done extensive boating at night in unlit, remote areas - I've never found the need for a light when coming into my dock or even an unfamiliar dock. The second the light ISN'T where you want it, you're screwed as you WON'T be able to see anything because you lost your night vision. Well, I shouldn't say "never" - on a moonless, cloudy night I might temporarily use it from a distance to locate my heading - but then I turn it right back off again.
 
Maybe A Dancer said:
why not mount this:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/general-electric-searchlight-and-trailer/

on the sides, or top with a bit of plywood?
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OMG, I was watching the Pickers on the History Channel the other day and they found a warehouse full of those. I bet they can be had cheap.

Back in the day I had a hard wired deck mounted spotlight. It could be adjusted up, down, sideways, etc. Also, it could be removed from the bracket. It had a coiled stretchy wire, so you could hand hold it on the dock, or point it at the cockpit to find something you might have dropped. Chrome plated and made the bow look professional.

I didn't feel like googling it but I guess they are still available.
 
Ericinmich said:
I have, when some douchcanoe boat with full on light bar was coming at me in a slow tight winding river. I had no chance to see anything... hit him full on with my spotlight and he got the hint. I was at idle speed as was he... but really, how clueless can some be with the whole headlight thing.
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I've got a handheld with a real tight beam, when I run at night it's plugged in and on the seat or dash within my reach. I've lit up a few boats, most of them fishermen in small boats with no lights on. I don't really like doing that but sometimes when I 'think' something might be there I do check with the spot light.

One evening we went to a eat joint, when we walked in there were two couples leaving, they were staggering pretty good. I figured they belonged to the other boat that was at the dock. We ate and then headed back to the marina, it was a pitch black night, the water was smooth as glass. I thought I saw a twinkle right near the boat so watched. It was a bit of light from my white running light that twinkled on a ripple, I saw it again...where those ripples coming from?

I grabbed the spotlight and made a sweep, right in front of me were the drunks. They had about a 34' Formula, 3 of them were slouched around the cockpit table full of glasses and wine bottles, no movement from them. One drunk was at the helm, idling along with no lights on.

I was about 100' behind them and on the same track exactly, it didn't seem they were aware I was coming up on them.
 
randmhall said:
View attachment 137628
Every spring, our local lake has these people. totally blinding. sad thing is most of them don't even eat the carp they are shooting.
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I boat on the Ohio river so there are a lot of those bow fishing boats out at night.....all night. The move from one side of the river to the other with the lights on & on plane. Some of them can move fast much faster than I can run at night so I can't get away from them. They have bow fishing tournaments so there is a bunch of them out there. The best thing I have found to do is just shut down until they pass & my night vision comes back.
 
KrazyKarl said:
I boat on the Ohio river so there are a lot of those bow fishing boats out at night.....all night. The move from one side of the river to the other with the lights on & on plane. Some of them can move fast much faster than I can run at night so I can't get away from them. They have bow fishing tournaments so there is a bunch of them out there. The best thing I have found to do is just shut down until they pass & my night vision comes back.
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Where I grew up, carp fishing was a sport in itself. But, it was done during the day. If you are bowhunting at night, you surely are a moron.
 
I finished my lighting project with the boat in the garage. I installed the LED docking lights shown above. In retrospect, I was initially attracted to a deck mounted flood light because my boat was in the water, in a slip, and I imagined myself doing the installation without getting into the water. Smaller LED lights with larger hull penetrations might have been a better choice for me as I now have lumps that may take impacts in docking. During installation, I could not rotate the 5" long LEDs down to accommodate hull rise on account of the tumblehome of the hull. The fascia shells don't seem really well attached so I caulked them heavily before mounting. The repurposed wiper switch is nice. All the critical comments above made me aware that the flood I initially proposed would have to be explained to every owner walking by at the marina and I don't need that much conversation.
 
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Arminius said:
I finished my lighting project with the boat in the garage. I installed the LED docking lights shown above. In retrospect, I was initially attracted to a deck mounted flood light because my boat was in the water, in a slip, and I imagined myself doing the installation without getting into the water. Smaller LED lights with larger hull penetrations might have been a better choice for me as I now have lumps that may take impacts in docking. During installation, I could not rotate the 5" long LEDs down to accommodate hull rise on account of the tumblehome of the hull. The fascia shells don't seem really well attached so I caulked them heavily before mounting. The repurposed wiper switch is nice. All the critical comments above made me aware that the flood I initially proposed would have to be explained to every owner walking by at the marina and I don't need that much conversation.
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Thank you all. John
 
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