Light to play cards in the cockpit

Chris-380

Chris-380

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2019
2,437
Pontoon Beach IL
Boat Info
2000 380 Sundancer
Engines
7.4L Horizon w/V drives
we love to play cards at the end of the boating day. But once it’s dark, we have to quit

I didn’t know what section in the forum to put this, but I want to add a battery light for playing cards. Something simple. I like this but it has a bad review at Amazon and Walmart….

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Bimini-Camping-Magnetic-Attachment/dp/B083RZPX54

anyone have something that works on a bimini top?

thanks in advance
 
Can't open your link because it's doing the same thing my Amazon links here are doing, taking us to some site called superoffers.
 
I can see it now, unfortunately I can't help you with this one, maybe talk to your camvas folks to see what they can do for you.
 
Do you play at a cockpit table? Maybe something like a small led camping lantern?
 
I take your overhead arch lights are too far forward and probably cast an annoying shadow?

I like the idea of the magnetic setup, and had thought of doing that with my boat. But putting the steel on top of the bimini just seemed to be too much hassle. Then I thought.. OK, I'll have little pockets sewn into the underside of the bimini in multiple spots. Then I could insert the steel in whatever place I wanted. That seemed like the ticket - but then I sold the boat :) The reason for the removability is I was worried that leaving it there full time may allow it to start rusting. Although, as I write this, I probably could have encased it in epoxy to avoid that.

Your underside of your bimini canvas has a vinyl coating? Maybe velcro would work?

But another thought... have short loops sewn into the underside of the bimini - that would allow using pretty any overhead light - and in the camping world, there are TONS of these things.

Still another thought... if you have an overhead bimini pole in a good spot, cut a small slit in the "pocket" that holds the pole - enough to put a light's hook through... or maybe just use a needle to get some twine through and around to create a hanging loop. If the overhead bimini pole is not in a good spot, stretch some twine between two poles and now you have a sliding/positionable light!
 
What about those lights we have in the forward and aft cabins, I don't know what they're called, they're in the corners, mine are brass, with little cone shape things on them, that I can twist and turn to adjust where they light. Perhaps you can mount those to the starboard and portside of the radar arch, lower at eye height.

Something like this where you can adjust the angle

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079NLSWZ...d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWwp13NParams

Or this, I use it to light up my desk at home for working

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08923SXXP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
 
We used to have the same problem in our AJ after putting up the canvas as night. I would hang a mini Colman light from the pocket of the Bimini frame.

Do a search for “hanging tent light”. Your get a bunch of options similar to this.
upload_2023-8-21_6-48-59.png


I’m sure you could figure out a way to hang it, either directly or via a line under the canvas.
 
Chris-380 said:
we love to play cards at the end of the boating day. But once it’s dark, we have to quit

I didn’t know what section in the forum to put this, but I want to add a battery light for playing cards. Something simple. I like this but it has a bad review at Amazon and Walmart….

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Bimini-Camping-Magnetic-Attachment/dp/B083RZPX54

anyone have something that works on a bimini top?

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

If it is temporary for playing cards then just put a small steel plate on the outside and the light on the inside. Remove when done.

-Kevin
 
63990_I.jpg
I bought this one at Harbor Freight and it's GREAT! It is rechargeable and has hooks that hook onto the bimini frame.
 
Chris-380 said:
we love to play cards at the end of the boating day. But once it’s dark, we have to quit

I didn’t know what section in the forum to put this, but I want to add a battery light for playing cards. Something simple. I like this but it has a bad review at Amazon and Walmart….

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Bimini-Camping-Magnetic-Attachment/dp/B083RZPX54

anyone have something that works on a bimini top?

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I tried a bunch of cheapie lights, but the best solution was to hook 2 x Lumitec Mini Rail Lights in RGBW up in series with the existing lights in the arch (also Lumitec Shadow RGBW). I did a "temporary" install by mounting them to a 1x2 and hanging it from the camper back stay. I intended to go back and make a mount out of some tubing, and do a better job of hiding the wire, but it works so well, I haven't messed with it.

These Lumitec put out as huge amount of light..like Super Bowl TV lighting if run full on, but they are dimmable and the colors help avoid attracting bugs, and they just look cool.

Excellent task lighting option for boarding playing cards etc.

There is a picture of my setup in post #24 of this thread --> http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/switching-arch-lights-to-led.104684/page-2

upload_2023-8-21_19-12-6.png
 
Chris-380 said:
we love to play cards at the end of the boating day. But once it’s dark, we have to quit

I didn’t know what section in the forum to put this, but I want to add a battery light for playing cards. Something simple. I like this but it has a bad review at Amazon and Walmart….

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Bimini-Camping-Magnetic-Attachment/dp/B083RZPX54

anyone have something that works on a bimini top?

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Guess I am missing something, don't you have a 380 with an arch? There are so many options for that, what am I missing?
 
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