Mast Light Blinds Help !

ShoreFlyer

ShoreFlyer

New Member
May 23, 2012
18
Toms River, NJ
Boat Info
1995 280 SunRunner
Raymarine C70 Chartplotter
Engines
7.4L MPI Horizon Mercruiser Bravo III
I have a 1995 28' Sea Ray Sun Runner with a white stern light, red and green nav lights mounted on the sides of the boat about 2 feet back from the bow and a Mast Light mounted on the windshield that blinds me while underdway.

The mast light is perko that is forward lllumination while underway and all around illumination while anchored.

I see the newer boats my size have a radar arch with the mast light. I have no radar arch.

Does anyone have any suggestions with dealing with the blinding issue. For now I have taken the bulb out so I can see while underway.

Different setup? Different kind of light.



Thanks
Brad
 
Not that it will help the blinding, but white should show 180 degrees to the stern when underway, I believe.
 
I am covered with stern with the white Stern Light....My problem is the forward looking white light I am suppose to have. The current setup blinds me. Obviously it was a poor design on Sea Rays part because the newer boats have them installed up real high on the radar arch that is installed on just about every boat now over 26'.
 
My recommendation would be to buy a tall all-round pole style transom mounted light and socket kit, mount it on the transom and wire it in with the stern light then remove the windshield mounted light. My friend has a early 90s 270DA with the same light setup you are describing (even though he has an arch) so I know the problem you are having. They make pretty tall versions of the pole light so you can get 360 degrees coverage in white like you need to have. I guess you could choose whether or not to disable the stern light or if you wanted to get fancy, I suppose you could black out the aft third of the lens on the pole light. I can't imangine leaving both on would be a problem but who knows. On my 225WE, I had a Perko pole light with a low-glare lens that helped.
 
mine is the same setup with the front lamp only with the nav lites on
is it actually the light that is blinding or possibly the glare off the windshield or reflection off the front deck
I have had glare issues but never like the light was shining in my face.
 
The actual requirement is for a 225 degree white light, but the USCG give the option of a 360 mast head light. You obviously have the 360 degree version. Perko makes all sorts of lights and I bet you can just replace the mast or even replace the lense with one that blocks the forward 135 degrees.
 
It's a split light. All around for anchoring. Forward looking for running. The rear section for or when I flip the switch to running.


I like the stern mast light 360 all around idea wires into the stern light. My buddy has a 2003 26' formula with all 360 stern pole.

Thanks for the replies.
 
ShoreFlyer said:
It's a split light. All around for anchoring. Forward looking for running. The rear section for or when I flip the switch to running.


I like the stern mast light 360 all around idea wires into the stern light. My buddy has a 2003 26' formula with all 360 stern pole.

Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...
make sure if you go this way that it is tall enough to be seen over your bimini top if so equiped.
 
The requirements for your size boat are that you must, in some way, show a white light "all around" or "360*" (in addition to the red and green, that is). That may consist of (1) 360* light... or as you now have it, (1) 225* forward facing light and (1) 135* aft facing light. Either way, you must have a total of 360*.

Do not have more than (1) aft facing white light (or forward, for that matter). That would be illegal.

There's lot's of good suggestions above, I'll add a few more to give you some more ideas.

-- Install a small plate (1/8" SS or Aluminum plate, for example) under the windshield light so that it extends aft/port/starboard enough to stop the light from shining down on the cockpit. Give-or-take, it would be a few inches long and not quite as wide. Use a piece of cardboard to try it out.

-- Replace your current windshield light with the newer, non-glare style. You may be able to just replace the lens assembly.
 
I already tried the shield idea. Perko actually makes one that I bought and returned.

The main problem with the shield is it has to removed so I can lower the light and then put the mooring cover on (light rests on the windshield).

Its an all around poor design by Sea Ray. The light is just above eye level and about 6 inches forward of my head.

Has anyone moved it on top of there Bimini top somehow? I leave mine rolled up with the boot on 99% of the time.

I think the light ultimately has be moved BEHIND my field of vision.
 
On my 270SD I had about a 6' light on a pole that went in a socket on the top of my transom. Even though the light was high and behind me it still caused much trouble by lighting up the whole cockpit and bow of the boat. With the camper canvas up it was no problem.
 
My old 260 DA had the same set-up as you Karen. When I was running at night with the lights in the NAV setting only the front of the mast light illuminated. Is yours lit 360 degrees? I was also covered by a stern light so the 360 illumination on the mast only occured when I had the switch in ANCH position.
 
mine has 2 bulbs with a reflector/separator between them
the front bulb and a separate transom mounted lamp illuminate in the nav position
in the anchor position the transom lamp goes off and the rear bulb in the mast light comes on
mine is about 16-18" tall and folds to the center of the windshield too but I think my windshields sit higher and the deck is a lower profile in my weekender...the top of the mast light is probably nearly 8 feet off of the deck.
 
MonacoMike said:
The SR archives shows the situation well. I would think a 6 foot rear pole type 360 would be the answer.

http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company1729/1C1_27_74DERNRKD816.pdf
Click to expand...

That's my boat !

Last year I threw a towel over the mast light because I was blinded. It melted and I ended up having to replace the entire light. The Perko light replacement is about 3" shorter.

Leaning toward the stern 360 idea, but don't want to do it if I will have the same issue.

Can anyone else with the stern 360 stern light chime in if they have blinding or glare issues?
 
It wouldn't be too hard to make the pole higher (probably could buy one, too). Stop by a local pipe supply store and get a 6" length of aluminum tubing that would fit INSIDE your current tube. Also grab a piece of Al tubing that is (1) the same as your current tubing and (2) long enough to get the light as high as you see fit (buy it a little long so you have some wiggle room). Use some butt connectors to lengthen the wire. Obviously, when the light is laid down, it would rest on the deck instead of the windshield.

However... if you really want to get tricky... make it adjustable. In this case, you only need to buy a length of tubing that would fit inside your current tubing. Buy a length that is the same length as your current tubing. Cut your current tube about 2" or 3" from the base. Insert the smaller tubing into this 3" section and use some small screws or pop rivets (not steel!) to secure it in place. Slide the longer piece of your original tubing over this new small piece (the longer wire that you create will be fine as you'll likely only need to extend the light upward less than a foot. But, I would ease the inside edge of the smaller tube so it doesn't scrape against the wires as the pole is raised and lowered. I might even secure a short length of small diameter vinyl tubing over the portion of the wires that would slide against that edge.

Now, to keep this new "slider" in place, both retracted to the original height and extended... a couple thoughts...

1) Use a small, threaded "knob" - similar (but obviously smaller) than the knob you use to adjust the tension on your seat post so it swivels easier/harder.
2) Install a push button. Just like an extendable soap brush handle or the rear bimini legs on some boats. I like this way better.

I do like the idea of installing a 360* pole light at the aft of the boat (and disabling your current set up... but keep the transom light, just move the wiring to another switch so you can illuminate your swim deck/dock area at night - remember, don't run with it on). But, I also think the adjustable one will be pretty slick when it's done and you don't have to do any rewiring or drilling of holes in your boat.

Either way... consider using the newer, non-glare style light head.

Todd: Thanks for posting that link to the shield. I did not know that was available - sure is a lot easier than building your own!
 
Last edited:
ShoreFlyer said:
Can anyone else with the stern 360 stern light chime in if they have blinding or glare issues?
Click to expand...

I have the 360* stern light with the non-glare head. In my case, the pole is a good 6' high - it does not glare onto ANY part of the cockpit or my eyes. I can only JUST BARELY tell that it is even on.
 
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