Marinebeam does it again

Parsons · Apr 28, 2017

Looking good ... May it give you many years of safe anchoring.

I'd be concerned with "... tighten down hard ..." due to the cracking of the ring I experienced. I'm adding two 48-55 mm O-Rings to my setup to allow for thermal changes between the screws and the PVC ring. I don't know if it is me, but this is one of the most challenging engineering project I've done to retrofit something that was supposed to be turnkey.

Kermit · May 10, 2017

Jackdaw said:
One more follow-up. Both the Nav lights and the anchor light are madly, stupidly bright. This shot does not do it justice. It really pops.

View attachment 136351

Nope. That's Venus. Venus is always that bright.
But seriously, @dgreen1991 has an anchor light that flashes. He says it's more eye-catching and is Coast Guard approved. The flashing helps distinguish it from stars/planets.

Scott T-Bird · May 10, 2017

Yikes, that is one bright light! I hope it doesn't disturb the anchorage. There should be no problem finding your boat in a crowded anchorage after a night-time shore excursion. Maybe a dimmer should be included? Comparing the size of this light to the one I replaced, I can see that there will be a significant difference. Let's see a photo with the tri-color.
I'll post photos of mine when the mast is up, which will hopefully be next week. My daughter is coming to see us later this month and she wants to go sailing. I have to get the boat in the water so as not to disappoint.

Parsons · May 15, 2017

Last update ... good and bad. I gave up on the white plastic fixture as the entire bottom of it shattered when I tried to replace the ring. I called Marinebeam, who were more than generous. They offered to give me a full refund, or to send a different light fixture out to use with the tri-light bulb. I really liked the bulb design, but was concerned because I was five days before launch. They not only sent me a new fixture (looks very much like an Aqua Signal 40), but sent it express mail so I could install it over the weekend. These people are great at customer service! The new fixture went on very smoothly, and is now 50+ feet over Saginaw Bay! BTW, as Jackdaw showed, the thing is bright.

Justin_NSA · May 15, 2017

I installed a red/white and a 9-LED in a couple dome lights this weekend. The red/white was a tight fit but they both work great. I need to replace my running light festoons and a few more reading and dome interior lights.
I replaced a switch on my control panel with a SPDT switch to manage my anchor and steaming light. I need to add another red LED 'on' lamp to show which light is on.

Scott T-Bird · May 15, 2017

I'm a little concerned about that SOS signal. I'm hoping that it isn't easy to inadvertently switch it on. I can imagine Sue possibly hitting the switch off and on a few times. I can then imagine the Coast Guard responding to an SOS in the Barnegat Light anchorage and then the trouble will begin!

Parsons · May 15, 2017

The timing of the SOS-mode is longer than the switching between the anchor and tri-light modes. I had the same concern, but it defaults back to anchor, and then to tri, so you have to go through three switches before you get to SOS. I had to play with it a little, delaying the switching, before I could get it into SOS-mode.

Ron20324 · May 16, 2017

Justin_NSA said:
...I replaced a switch on my control panel with a SPDT switch to manage my anchor and steaming light. I need to add another red LED 'on' lamp to show which light is on.

My B323, I placed that switch in the salon, in the ceiling panel next to the mast. I can look up through the hatch to see which light is on. Same with the deck light. I used the switches with the light in the bat handle.