MacGregorSailors.com

To the OP,
If you're going to rewire your boat mast (on an X) consider running a 3/4" conduit up the inside of the mast to quiet the wiring when at anchor. When I rewired my X I put the anchor light on top, spreader lights to light the cockpit and of course the steaming light at half mast. I used a five way plug and separate switches for each component. I ran the VHS antenna wire in the conduit too.
The only thing I have left to do is install a dimmer on the spreader lights. I like them bright for fishing,and cooking in the cockpit and dimmer to set the mood for our after dinner drinks!
TerryC

How much are the best LED spreader lights and anchor light with 2 or 3 NM of power ?
I would like that my anchor light installed at the aft stay will be bright enough to light up the deck also

Thank you
Hector
Port Isabel, TX

This is how I made my anchor light. All the parts came from wal-mart, except for the light. I used the rear stay to help run the wires up the mast. It was a bit of a pain but the cable helped allot. I also installed a wind indicator on the white plastic circle.

We rarely overnite at anchor, but several years ago I made an anchor lite based on a Luxeon Star 1.2 watt side emitter LED centered in a leftover Davis Megalight Fresnel lense. We hang it from the backstay as high as I can easily reach. It is powered from a 12v outlet on the pedestal, thru a 5 v regulator chip and a suitable dropping resistor, and runs at about 175 mA (about half rated power). It is bright and appears to meet the 2 nm range requirement based on my crude testing.
Ron

As far as I am concerned ,
it looks like the best and easiest route is to put a store bought light on top of the mast , and add a plug that fits the deck outlet at the base of the mast.
This appears to be what is legal and easiest to wire up .

As said in this discussion , the light may have to be defended in court , someday .

Completely missed the bacon light, Andy...

Gypsy wrote:As far as I am concerned ,
it looks like the best and easiest route is to put a store bought light on top of the mast , and add a plug that fits the deck outlet at the base of the mast.
This appears to be what is legal and easiest to wire up .

I just bought a new LED steaming light with halogen deck light and a LED anchor light. The deck outlet and plug for the orignal steaming light rarely stayed plugged in and eventually, the wire broke off the plug. I need to replace the steaming plug/outlet and add to more circuits: one for deck light and one for anchor light.

I'm not sure where to get these or even what to call them while searching west marine and other sailing sights. Can anyone help me with terminology or descriptions/pics of what they've done? THanks in advance!

Doug

HA...You guys with yer expensive flooty-tooty electric anchor lights...I jus tie a coupla glow-stiks to my anchor!
(Shameless post padding. I'm trying to make Ninja Level before Scott does!)

K9Kampers wrote:HA...You guys with yer expensive flooty-tooty electric anchor lights...I jus tie a coupla glow-stiks to my anchor!
(Shameless post padding. I'm trying to make Ninja Level before Scott does!)

chuckle... I've been running a $3 walmart lawn LED light up the halyard. Found inexpensive kits on ebay...
(shameless post padding...I'm trying to make Captain before year's end!)

To: Doug W

Please see my post toward bottom of page 4 of this thread about the wiring plugs. It includes this link:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=10615

To ALL:

I found when sailing at night NOT to plug in the steaming or anchor plugs to the deck fitting from the factory because the sheets or genny whipping as they go 'round the mast when tacking and ripping the wire out of the plug socket and usually losing the male end that is attached to the wire. You would only need to be plugged in for the masthead light if your motor is on. If you are sailing, the masthead light and anchor light should not be on, unless the motor is on.

After I lower the sails I plug in the steaming light, and switch to the anchor light after the motor is off, on the hook.

Jeff

Doug W wrote:I'm not sure where to get these or even what to call them while searching west marine and other sailing sights. Can anyone help me with terminology or descriptions/pics of what they've done?

You could try one of these

Go with the 4 wire model and replace the existing 2 wire fitting with it.

If you have 3 devices (steaming, anchor, deck light) you will need 4 wires. Simply share the ground wire and run a + wire to each light.
You could use the mast as the ground and then only need 3 wires up the mast. Ground each light to the mast and then use a + wire for the other lead.

You can get creative with polarity on the anchor/steaming lights but since you have a halogen light you'll need at least 3 wires minimum if you do that.



--Russ

Gypsy wrote:As far as I am concerned ,
it looks like the best and easiest route is to put a store bought light on top of the mast , and add a plug that fits the deck outlet at the base of the mast.
This appears to be what is legal and easiest to wire up .

As said in this discussion , the light may have to be defended in court , someday .

I'll third that!

After reading everything I could find on the subject, this is what I am planning to do.

This past summer I had two lawn LED lights on the stern and a LED lantern hung in the rigging .
This was a temporary thing until I can get the boat rewired .

These lights don't make a legal anchor light.
If someone runs over you in , the middle of the night , first thing He is going to holler is "You Were not legal" and even if you suffer the most damage , you might end up liable for his damages .

Personally , I am putting an all around white light on top of the mast , either some rope lights , or solared powered white Christmas lights around the decks. This should light us up !
But the most important light will be the upper most light on the mast , and most useless on the deck.

RussMT wrote:You could try one of these

Go with the 4 wire model and replace the existing 2 wire fitting with it.

Thanks for the quick response both Jeff and Russ!

The 4 prong plug/recepticle is exactly what I had in mind!
I used to plug in the steaming light even if I didn't need it. I'll probably bungie it to the mast until needed once I run the new wiring and plug!

Doug
http://starsloop.blogspot.com