Searchlight install

We have the factory installed light and I think the black canvas cover has been off once in 11.75 years...
2016-07-03 10.01.38.jpg
 
The reason you are getting grief from the CG is because your use of the light will kill the night vision of any other boaters you are pointing towards, making it more dangerous for them. If you have to run at night with your light on then you may be driving too fast for conditions.

Amen to that! I use to love night cruising, but lately the guys using spotlights as headlights have taken a lot of the joy out of it.
Well that, and I’m getting to be a bit of a curmudgeon in my old age...........
 
Last edited:
I wish my bow was like yours, but this is what I have to work with.

View attachment 63804

Get the handheld and spend the money you save on something you’ll use more, or maybe on a favorite adult beverage.
BTW: If you silicone a couple of inches of clear tubing in the AC discharge to channel the flow away from the hull you’ll avoid the stain.
 
I have both lights. The handheld I use is a streamlight waypoint led rechargable. It is actually brighter then the installed light. Great handheld if anyone is looking.
 
IMG_2098.JPG
This post has taken an interesting twist. OP wants to install a light on the front of his boat. Most of the responses are, "don't do it"; "guys that run with lights on are dufusses"; "do something else"; "spend the money on booze or something else worthwhile"; "blah, blah, blah...."; The guy asked for advice for installing a light. He's a grown up asking a reasonable question. Buy booze instead?! Jeez......
 
IMG_2098.JPG
View attachment 63805
Your boat's bow is not all that different from the 370 Express that we mounted a lite on. The yard took a small sheet of stainless steel, polished it to a high gloss and cut it to match the curve of the rail, put a break on the side facing the helm, and wielded it in place on the rail. The light sat on top of the newly created shelf. Wires came out below and went into a newly drilled hole in the bottom of the rail. From there they were pulled back to the helm running inside the rail the entire way. Looked and work great. Your's should work the same way.

As I think back on this project, I realized that the wires were routed differently than I originally reported. The power for the light came up from the anchor locker through the vertical stainless bow rail support. Makes more sense as getting the wires to the helm is much easier inside the boat than through the rail as I originally suggested. Sorry for the miscommunication.
 
Get the handheld and spend the money you save on something you’ll use more, or maybe on a favorite adult beverage.
BTW: If you silicone a couple of inches of clear tubing in the AC discharge to channel the flow away from the hull you’ll avoid the stain.

Good idea for the a/c discharge. I’ll be doing that soon.

Todd
 
View attachment 63816 This post has taken an interesting twist. OP wants to install a light on the front of his boat. Most of the responses are, "don't do it"; "guys that run with lights on are dufusses"; "do something else"; "spend the money on booze or something else worthwhile"; "blah, blah, blah...."; The guy asked for advice for installing a light. He's a grown up asking a reasonable question. Buy booze instead?! Jeez......

Its winter.....
 
tiara in the snow 01.JPG
Not here in south Florida... its 74 Deg F :)Todd
You need to attend a sensitivity training session so as to learn how to not create a hostile forum environment for those in the great white north.
 
If I ever needed a light, I always had my handheld ready to grab. I felt it was much faster to put light where I wanted along with the fact it is much more powerful than what's on the bow. I used to think nothing of running all night long.

FWIW, two years ago I got tangled up in a fishnet and had to dive into the water to cut myself loose. It got me thinking....how would I handle that in the dark, how the darkness might complicate many happenings we could have. I've decided to avoid night cruising as much as possible.
 
If I ever needed a light, I always had my handheld ready to grab. I felt it was much faster to put light where I wanted along with the fact it is much more powerful than what's on the bow. I used to think nothing of running all night long.

FWIW, two years ago I got tangled up in a fishnet and had to dive into the water to cut myself loose. It got me thinking....how would I handle that in the dark, how the darkness might complicate many happenings we could have. I've decided to avoid night cruising as much as possible.

Back in Maryland we used to boat at night quite a bit However I knew the river very very well and knew were the hazards were and where the unmarked channel markers were. We still had to keep an eye out for the crab pots and anytime there was a storm we would wait till the debris cleared the river
It is certainly not for a novice and I would never recommend it to anyone who is not extremely familiar with where they were going. Oh and. No moon. No night boating
 
tiara in the snow 01.JPG
When I was working long hours, we did most of our boating at night. Maybe 80% in the dark. Got to know our local waters quite well. This initially was with just a compass for navigation. Then we added Loran. That was followed by gps and then radar. Lights became less important as we added more electronics. On a dark night however we still need a light on the bow to pick up lines. In an unfamiliar slip we sometimes use the spreader lights when backing into tight quarters. Those make the view as bright as day. I've carried a handheld but when its rechargeable battery failed after one season I threw it away because the replacement battery has not easy to source. People must find utility in mounted lights as most cruisers have them.
 
Last edited:
I have a 77 Sundancer 240 and I believe the light use to be mounted on the rail as I can see a hole in the rail up front. I would love to remount a light there just to bring the old girl back to stock but the originals are way over priced if you could find one. Anyway I went with a handheld as well but mine plugs into the lighter adapter and doesn't use batteries. It does draw alot of power but is very bright and shines way out there, works for me and didn't cost alot of money.
 
I just priced my 7" Jabsco spot/flood and they have gone way up in price since I bought mine. I am not sure I would install one today at that price. I think it was less than $400 when I installed mine.
 
Regarding the handheld vs mounted debate I think a mounted one wins hands down. I've only had one occasion to actually "need" a search light and was very happy to have my hands free at the time. Maneuvering at night between shallow water flags, (or any other tight maneuvering situation) with a steering wheel, two shifters and two throttles, and you are already 3 hands short. You need your hands to control the boat, not hold a light.
 
Thats what the rest of the crew is for. Most people don't take their boat out alone, I feel that is a bad idea even though there are times when it is just you.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,942
Messages
1,422,697
Members
60,926
Latest member
dander88
Back
Top