Searching for Ideas for cockpit lighting while dockside. With DST turning to EST it gets dark really early and my phone/flashlight didn't do the job well last night while packing up. First time I have to admit I miss something from my motor yacht's features ... The cabin top cockpit lights.
Cockpit lighting at dock
- Thread starter Monterey385
- Start date
Great idea for a thread. I'm replying partly to let you know I like your thread and partly to be automatically subscribed. I hope those that have experience will chime in. I have an idea on a related subject but will probably start a new thread so as not to hijack this one.
I have a set of solar powered LED lights, they work very well if receiving sufficient sunlight.
From amazon a set of four for $40.
From amazon a set of four for $40.
Lots of people use string LED lights wound around the dodger bow(s) run discretely to a convenient 120v power source. Makes a wide light source to light the entire area rather than discrete spot lights.
If you're locking up the boat, then most of us turn everything off, right? So you don't want something either 12V or 120V because you'd need to turn it off before you put the last hatchboard in.
Find either a solar light with an I/O switch or a small battery powered LED puck light to use for those last few minutes.
Find either a solar light with an I/O switch or a small battery powered LED puck light to use for those last few minutes.
We just found these and bought one just to see..
http://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Outdo...TF8&qid=1446397350&sr=8-2&keywords=luci+light
It makes a fine cockpit lamp . Has bails to hang it from bimini frame puts out plenty light.. deflates to almost no size. has high and low power settings.. would be fine as an anchor light as well if positioned correctly.. downside is ya have to take it from under the bimini and put it in the sun to recharge..
http://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Outdo...TF8&qid=1446397350&sr=8-2&keywords=luci+light
It makes a fine cockpit lamp . Has bails to hang it from bimini frame puts out plenty light.. deflates to almost no size. has high and low power settings.. would be fine as an anchor light as well if positioned correctly.. downside is ya have to take it from under the bimini and put it in the sun to recharge..
my boat already had LED "courtesy" lights in the footwell of the cockpit, wired to a switch in the cabin... this worked well for when at anchor and we wanted a bit of light in the late evenings, but it didnt work for when we were either locking up or unlocking the boat in the dark when we were arriving or leaving because we have a combination lock on the hatch....
so I got two more of the courtesy lights and mounted them on either side of the companionway, then wired them on a weatherproof "momentary" push button switch, mounted outside near the top of the cabin bulkhead. now i can just hold the button in and get all the lights to come on... I can then unlock the hatch to get in and turn on the main switch.
the momentary push button prevents forgetting to shut them off when you leave, but allows you to always have the lights immediately available when you are in the cockpit.
so I got two more of the courtesy lights and mounted them on either side of the companionway, then wired them on a weatherproof "momentary" push button switch, mounted outside near the top of the cabin bulkhead. now i can just hold the button in and get all the lights to come on... I can then unlock the hatch to get in and turn on the main switch.
the momentary push button prevents forgetting to shut them off when you leave, but allows you to always have the lights immediately available when you are in the cockpit.
We received two of these as boat gifts for our sailboat. They have worked great the last two years and still going strong. They move with the motion of the boat, like the old weighted punching bags when they do move they return to the upright position. If you turn the switch to off, and charge for most of the day in sun, you will get just about all night lumination from them. Hard to find originally purchased at Ikea, but cannot find on their site any longer but did dig them out of the winter storage to find name, eBay is only place I can find them now. Enjoy!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Power...ed-Blu-/171262995568?var=&hash=item27e011ec70
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Power...ed-Blu-/171262995568?var=&hash=item27e011ec70
Usually plenty of ambient light in a marina, or from the night sky when we are at anchor (our favorite destination.)
If there is not, we used an LED head lamp. They are great, throwing the light right where I am looking. For back-up, we have a 12v 360 degree LED we could, (but never have) use.
If there is not, we used an LED head lamp. They are great, throwing the light right where I am looking. For back-up, we have a 12v 360 degree LED we could, (but never have) use.
Several thoughts...
Lowes sometimes has a Japanese paper lantern the collapses flat, and can charge that way- or hanging -via a solar cell on the top. Nice mood light! Less than ten bucks.
I just saw at Home Depot, lids for mason jars that you supply your own jar, fill with whatever suits you. Solar panel in the lid, light underneath. $4.99 as i recall.
Or, as Robert Reford did, start a fire in a dishpan.
Lowes sometimes has a Japanese paper lantern the collapses flat, and can charge that way- or hanging -via a solar cell on the top. Nice mood light! Less than ten bucks.
I just saw at Home Depot, lids for mason jars that you supply your own jar, fill with whatever suits you. Solar panel in the lid, light underneath. $4.99 as i recall.
Or, as Robert Reford did, start a fire in a dishpan.
Last edited:
Too bad it wasn't a biography. Stupidest $hit I've ever seen.
(It's why I chose my avatar)..
This is what I use. I hang it from the bimini when in the cockpit and from the pop top braces in the cabin. It works quite well for us. The batteries have lasted over a year for us. I plan to add a fixture on the cabin top just aft of the compression post some day. I have the fixture, just need to install.
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-CPX-L...6466372&sr=1-167&keywords=coleman+led+lantern
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-CPX-L...6466372&sr=1-167&keywords=coleman+led+lantern
I hang this from my boom Great all night light over my companion way
http://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Outdo...TF8&qid=1446397350&sr=8-2&keywords=luci+light
http://www.amazon.com/MPOWERD-Outdo...TF8&qid=1446397350&sr=8-2&keywords=luci+light
Solar garden lights are the best bang for the buck. Don't buy the $1.99 ones at WalMart-they just don't hold up as well as the ones in the $5 to $6 dollar range sold at Lowe's and Home Depot. The solar cells and LEDs last for years, you'll want to put in a new rechargeable battery every year or so if you want the lights to stay lit all night. The best thing about them (for our boat, at least) is that when you pop the lights off the ground stakes, the stub on the bottom of the light fits perfectly in the handle hole in the top of winches.We keep lights sitting in two or three of our winches, and they've stayed put through 50 knot winds. Here's a picture that captures one on Eagle Too.
Attachments
I love mine but have the arch that came with a couple 12v halogen. I have replaced the bulbs with 10-30v red LED. Make sure you get a voltage spread and not just 12v because you will burn them with your charger otherwise. Get some surface mount mini pucks and mount under your bimini. Go fancy and route the wires in your tubing and if you use these you could even have an on/off dimmer which you will love for night sailing as the red will not destroy your night vision. They are only a couple watts max and we leave them burning on the hook at night. They are tied into one of the courtesy light circuits. We use ours constantly. Goodluck