tri-color Nav light
 

Re-doing an old flat bottom V drive boat and have no plans on having it out at night to much. But for the off chance I am out as it gets dark I want some sort of Nav lights on it. The thing is I don't want to cut the 1963 classic to install them so I was thinking of using some sort of tri-color Nav light on a pole (like an anchor light would mount) in the center of the boat somewhere. Can I do this? I see sailboats can use a tri-color masthead light when sailing at night but nothing about a powered boat.

How bout u make it ez on yourself and hit up wally world for a clamp on battery powered bow light

its not that you couldn't make a sailboat light work, the problem is that boats of certain size and type have to display the lights in a certain way. If you put a sailboat light on your boat it wouldn't be legal, if you don't care then go for it.

Cut the boat. Do it right. I have had 4 jet boats an cut everyone. Never regretted it. You never know. I used everyone. An done right it looks good. Good luck. Artie

I have one of those for the Jon boat but the batteries are dead or screwed up in it by the time I ever think about using it. Just looking for something a little more permanent that would work off 12 volt.

You say that but the flat bottom folks almost had a cow when I asked about running lights. "Your not running a cruise ship" why would you need lights" is what I got.

It's your boat, your money, who cares what they think. Just make it look good.....

they make battery ones that have a suction cup on them. thats what I am going to carry for my flat bottom. you could always modify the suction one to hook up to 12v so you dont have to worry about the batteries.

Break down an then it gets dark. No light but you look cool ????? Really. I have lights an extra bulbs on all of my boats. But thats me. :whistle:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg507...jpg&res=medium

Just to get things in prospective. It's a 1963 Biesemeyer, never had lights before.
The boat is not going to be mine forever. For that matter it should be for sale this spring.
The old school flat bottom guys are not big on lights.
I like the idea of suction cup ones but what do you do about having all 3 lights being visible at once? If stuck to the front deck you wont see the stern light from the back and vice versa if stuck to the back. So do you use 2? That's why I was thinking of putting it on a pole like for a parking light. Second there will be dash lights so not having 12 volt running lights would be a waste.

AKA, all my boats also have running lights including my 1968 off shore race boat that never had them before just because of what you said. But this one is a bit different and one of my pet peeves when restoring a boat is taking things off and fixing holes from things that should have never been there in the first case. So this one I would like to make the lights be the bare minimum. The boat doesn't even have cleats but the bow eye, no bilge pump outlet ...no bilge pump for that matter but that's also going to change but at the same time they will be hidden as much as possible. Just looking to do the same with the lights that may or may not be ever used.
I would do a "pop up" nav light but they are big (I have them on 2 of my boats). If I could only find a smaller one I would think about going that way.

I would put a pole light on the eng. Plugin type. An add suction mod for the bow. You can make a bracket for the socket for the stern light. mount it on the bellhousing. wired an just plug an play.

don't put lights on it, it won't look right, you are obviously an experienced boater just don't get caught out after dark with out a working battery powered light and if you do it won't be the first time someone ran at night with no lights and survived.

Add an cigarette lighter scocket in the dash for your bow light or hide under dash. plug an play

3m dobble stick tape for the bow light in a ziplock bag will hold well an take it off when you hit the trailer ??? Might work well? An a cigarette plug.

That why I was thinking of using something like this,
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/ATTWOOD-5092-...duw~~60_12.JPG

with the plug in mount installed behind the seat or something. That way the plug and light will always be there ready to go but will be always out of site unless used.

The one in the picture is a bi color on a pole and is for power boats but the only one I can find that is a tri color is for sailboats so the main thing is it legal for powered boats? Don't need to get in a fight with a DNR agent if there is a chance I was wrong.

Not legal. Put a stern light socket on the eng an get a bow light that screws to the bow don't use the screws an have 3m tape on it with one side still covered an a roll in a ziplock bag. So if its old you still have more in the boat. Go with the cigarette plug for the bow light. Wire the stern light to the battery with a fuse. No draw unless you plug the pole light in. Put the bow light in a ziplock wired an ready to go.

You want a low profile lite so your not dealing with much wind. On the bow

Im just trying to think plug an play. I'm sure if you need it, it want be for long.

Is there anything on the bow to secure something to or in? Could you could mount a regular light to a plate of ABS with padding on the bottom and secure that to some other deck hardware with a pair of bungees? The suction cup idea could work on the bottom of the plate too.

The hidden lighter socket and long cord seems like a good way to hide the power source.

If you could find a way to hide the socket for that plug in light under another piece of removable hardware or in a vent grill up front, that would be slick too.

There is nothing on the bow but fiberglass so there is no hiding anything.
Thanks for the ideas. when I pull the cover off in a couple weeks for the restore I will have to see if I can make some of them work.

Good Luck. Nice project. Get ur done.

They also make a suction cup stern light:

http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Signal-Po.../dp/B001B059QI

Hey thanks.
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