how to replace bulb in Marinco docking light

Tom wieland

New Member
Sep 2, 2019
24
Boat Info
1996 370 Searay Sundancer
Engines
454 Mercruisers
370 Sea Ray Sundancer. the port side Marinco docking light has gone out, how do you replace the bulb. you can not reach it from inside the hull. marinco docking light on my searay.jpg
 
No , may have to cut a hole in deck and remove entire light.
 
No , may have to cut a hole in deck and remove entire light.
Cut a hole in deck?? You can access the lights behind the mirror in front where the anchor space is. I think you need to replace the complete ‘eyeball’ .
We have docking lights too but not working. My plan is replacing them completly with a new led docking light. The eyeballs are hard to get and pretty expensive too. Not worth it for me, better replace the complete unit.
 
there is no access on this model from behind the mirror. there was on my 34 SeaRay but this one does not.
 
Can't you just remove the six screws and take the hole housing out and work on it on a work bench.
That is how I did my on my other boat , I am I missing something
 
light inside boat .jpg When you try to unscrew the light from the outside, the nut on the inside also turns. This light system is not screwed into the body of the boat. Even if the nut on the inside didn't turn, after I would remove the screws i'd never be able to reach in to hold the nut in place. the light on the starboard side is right under the anchor hatch and is easily reached, but the port side is about 5 feet from that hatch and can't be reached.
 

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Interesting...I think I would try to get at from the inside. Through the speaker hole perhaps or behind the mirror. I know those panels can be a challenge to remove. May require some
extra work beyond simple plug and play. Good luck. Keep us posted. Unbelievable how they limit repair & replacement access to some components.
 
Looking at some pictures of your deck, it looks like the anchor hatch "might" be a viable option if you're on the skinnier side and limber. Or find a 14-year old kid walking around the docks that wants to make $20. You may have to go head first and halfway into the locker and do it by feel - that's not that uncommon when working on boats. There's been times when I'm literally standing on my head - my head being on the anchor locker floor.

Otherwise, the speaker option is a good one to try - and it only takes a few minutes to pull the speaker. IF the back of the speaker is exposed in the anchor locker? Is it? It may be mounted in a separate piece that is not expsosed to the locker.

The mirror will most likely be mounted onto a sheet of plywood and then have a soft, vinyl surround around the mirror (and the surround's base is another sheet of plywood). This "double" plywood assembly is then secured to the bulkhead between the cabin and the locker. However, if you remove the assembly (this, again, is a relatively easy job), you could then cut a larger hole to give you access. Replace with either a large, rectangular access hatch - or just patch the cutout piece back in. Given the location, "prettiness" doesn't really matter so it's also a pretty simply job.

EDIT: Just reading back through this, I forgot to mention that the final option would be to cut a hole in the TOP deck and then install an access/deck plate to cover it up. Not a huge deal, really, but if you can reach it the other ways, all the better.
 
Last edited:
https://www.go2marine.com/Sealed-Beam-Eyeball-Bulb-Assembly-for-Aquapower-Docking-Light

Eyeball

personally I would replace the complete unit with a different (led) bulb. The eyeball gets very warm and you can’t leave it on for a long time.

Sometimes things look impossible to reach but on most times there is a way. I must say that I found a couple design faults for after maintenance too on our 500DA. (Maybe discovered faults would be a nice new thread).

Cutting a hole in the deck is really the last thing you should do. When accessing is really impossible drill the screws out, take the unit out and see from there. Anyway good luck on the job, it’s frustrating sometimes when you can’t reach...
 
i like the ideal of the Deck Plate! biggest one I've found has inner access of 8 in and would prefer 12 inches
 
"Headlights" on boats along with any apparatus that causes a boat to create a bigger wake should be outlawed!
 
the same area as where the anchor hatch is on the starboard side
 
had purchased a hatch and was prepared to cut a hole in the deck , but today a mechanic from Seven Seas, wiggled himself into the anchor hatch and with someone on the out side holding the screw, was able to get the light off the boat.. unbelievable. would have been a wild UTube video for sure. now waiting to see if they can order just the light part or have to order the whole pair of lights.
 
thank God for skinny mechanics, ha! reason 4,389 why I could never be a boat mechanic!
 

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