I have a 1987 O'day 192. I noticed a small wet area in the carpet inside the cabin. It appears that water is coming in near/ around/ through the plug on the top of the cabin where the wire for the masthead light would plug in. I currently have no use for the light. In fact, when purchased the masthead light was missing. My question relates to trying to fix this minor leak. The plug appears to be only screwed down to the top of the cabin. There are no nuts on the inside. I am reluctant to remove the plug and not be able to seal it and reattach it. What material is the plug screwed into? Could I remove the plug and simply epoxy over the holes and call it done? It is unlikely that we would ever anchor overnight. I would just keep the plug for safekeeping in case any future owner ever wanted to reattach it. OR, reseal with butyl tape and reattach.... At this point, we do not even have a battery on board so no cabin, bow, or stern lights either... Fire away with thoughts, ideas, recommendations...
O'day 192 Masthead light plug - LEAK!
- Thread starter rswift
- Start date
Since the plug is not structural it's probably just screwed into the fiberglass. It shouldn't be all that hard to reseal it but if all you ever do is day-sail and never get stuck on the water after dark you can get by with just removing it and patching the hole. Personally I'd try to reseal it.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,146
Requirements:
Your in a 19 foot boat so you can epoxy - seal up that hole in your deck and worry about night lights later. All you need is a "torch" (strong bright flashlight).
I just reinstalled my mast lights. The wires come down the inside of the mast in conduit. I have a hole in the deck for the wires. I have a tube thru the deck through which the wires are feed. The wires are looped inside the mast so moisture falls off the "driploop" and on to the mast base to drain out onto the deck and back to the sea. Everything inside a mast will eventually get wet. Sealant and maintenance is the only way to keep the inside of the boat dry. I do not believe in the "quick release" thru deck plugs. I would rather pass a wire thru the deck, attach the wire to a block. Then the block is wired to the internal power system as designed/needed. This way I can release all wires and remove them through the deck. The connection is positive and dry. No more corroded loose connectors - intermittent lights.
I'll send you a photo when I get back to the boat next week if interested.
A sailing vessel of less than 23 feet (7 meters) in length shall, if practicable, exhibit lights on the port (red)/starboard (green) bow and white on the stern. If it does not have these lights, it shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern (flashlight) showing white light that shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision. Shine flashlight on the sail.
Complete information can be found at: http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/navigation-rules.php
Complete information can be found at: http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/navigation-rules.php
Your in a 19 foot boat so you can epoxy - seal up that hole in your deck and worry about night lights later. All you need is a "torch" (strong bright flashlight).
I just reinstalled my mast lights. The wires come down the inside of the mast in conduit. I have a hole in the deck for the wires. I have a tube thru the deck through which the wires are feed. The wires are looped inside the mast so moisture falls off the "driploop" and on to the mast base to drain out onto the deck and back to the sea. Everything inside a mast will eventually get wet. Sealant and maintenance is the only way to keep the inside of the boat dry. I do not believe in the "quick release" thru deck plugs. I would rather pass a wire thru the deck, attach the wire to a block. Then the block is wired to the internal power system as designed/needed. This way I can release all wires and remove them through the deck. The connection is positive and dry. No more corroded loose connectors - intermittent lights.
I'll send you a photo when I get back to the boat next week if interested.
The stock light on a 192 is a forward facing steaming light about 2/3 up the mast. This is used when motoring, to supply the full 360º of viewable light as required by COLREGS. There are some who have installed a 360º white light on the masthead. IMO, this isn't the best place for an anchor light, but that's a different story. The stock deck plug for the 192 uses essentially a funnel shaped metal base which is screwed into the deck. Then there's a cone shaped rubber collar that goes around the wire, and fits down into the funnel shape. Then there's the plastic collar that screws down on the rubber washer to force everything tight and sealed. Those fittings are still available at West Marine, I think they are Perko. My rubber washer was hard as a rock. I dug it out, and decided not to replace the whole works. Instead, I sealed the base with 3M 4000, and filled the funnel around the wires with 4000.
Since you have a drip, it would be good to disassemble the whole works, replace as necessary, and reseal. It's also not a bad idea to dig out the core and pot with epoxy, if you want it done completely right. http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/sealing_the_deck
Since you have a drip, it would be good to disassemble the whole works, replace as necessary, and reseal. It's also not a bad idea to dig out the core and pot with epoxy, if you want it done completely right. http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/sealing_the_deck
You're missing one important detail. We're talking about a trailerable boat. Running a permanent wire defeats the purpose of being able to lower the mast for trailering.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,146
RS
Just read this article about 'small boat nav lights' May be of interest.
—◊—
Navisafe
Another area of rapidly advancing efficiency is LED lighting. While interior lighting from LEDs now appears “warmer” than other types of lighting, LED use for navigation lights that meet all standards of visibility and luminosity is expanding as well. You can’t turn around at these trade shows without finding still one more LED company with a better bulb to offer. So, it takes something particularly slick or, in this case, simple to get my attention. The Norwegian company Navisafe has focused its LED applications on very small boats, especially those that don’t have any electrical system. For small-boat owners the need for navigation lights may be limited to a few times a season, so why go to the initial expense of installing an electrical system, and thus risk continued vulnerability and maintenance in a marine environment? Many small-boaters just swallow the risk and go without lights. Navisafe’s waterproof 360° LED, in all-white or tricolor navigation versions, can shine for 30 hours on three AAA batteries; it mounts with a versatile double-magnet system to boat rails, dodgers, light poles, or garments. Just keep its magnets away from the compass, and the efficient LED unit becomes a practical alternative to expensive wiring for small craft that are seldom operated at night. www.navisafe.net.
Just read this article about 'small boat nav lights' May be of interest.
—◊—
Another area of rapidly advancing efficiency is LED lighting. While interior lighting from LEDs now appears “warmer” than other types of lighting, LED use for navigation lights that meet all standards of visibility and luminosity is expanding as well. You can’t turn around at these trade shows without finding still one more LED company with a better bulb to offer. So, it takes something particularly slick or, in this case, simple to get my attention. The Norwegian company Navisafe has focused its LED applications on very small boats, especially those that don’t have any electrical system. For small-boat owners the need for navigation lights may be limited to a few times a season, so why go to the initial expense of installing an electrical system, and thus risk continued vulnerability and maintenance in a marine environment? Many small-boaters just swallow the risk and go without lights. Navisafe’s waterproof 360° LED, in all-white or tricolor navigation versions, can shine for 30 hours on three AAA batteries; it mounts with a versatile double-magnet system to boat rails, dodgers, light poles, or garments. Just keep its magnets away from the compass, and the efficient LED unit becomes a practical alternative to expensive wiring for small craft that are seldom operated at night. www.navisafe.net.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,146
RS
On my trailer-able Montgomery15 I use battery powered navigation lights that attach with a bungee to the bow pulpit and stern. Cabela's has a sale on the Attwood LED Nav lights for $30. No need for lights on the mast.
I need a white light I use one of those hiker headlamps. Comes with bright white, red and flashing should I go into the water unexpectedly.
On my trailer-able Montgomery15 I use battery powered navigation lights that attach with a bungee to the bow pulpit and stern. Cabela's has a sale on the Attwood LED Nav lights for $30. No need for lights on the mast.
I need a white light I use one of those hiker headlamps. Comes with bright white, red and flashing should I go into the water unexpectedly.
That LED Navlight is intriguing, except for the fact that a magnetic mount won't stick to a proper marine railing which should be (if metal) stainless-steel or bronze, neither of which will be attractive to a magnet. Second, these lights are great as long as you make sure they will point in the correct orientation (red to port, green to starboard, white aft, with proper arcs of visibility),also a tri-color light can NOT be used while under power, only under sail or on a manually propelled (oars or paddle) boat. If that LED tri-color were used it would really need to be located at the top of the mast to be visible 360deg.
As soon as you start your engine (if you have one), you are a powerboat and must display the correct lights for a powerboat.
If under sail (engine not running), a vessel under 23' can use a white flashlight to shine on the sails if another vessel approaches (I have the installed lights, but still carry that flashlight and shine it on the sails if needed), but I would want to be REAL careful to always watch for other vessels and turn on that flashlight as soon as possible if there were another boat nearby. If using portable NavLights, be sure to carry spare batteries and bulbs. I used to burn out at least one bulb every year in the portable lights that I used on my Widgeon.
As soon as you start your engine (if you have one), you are a powerboat and must display the correct lights for a powerboat.
If under sail (engine not running), a vessel under 23' can use a white flashlight to shine on the sails if another vessel approaches (I have the installed lights, but still carry that flashlight and shine it on the sails if needed), but I would want to be REAL careful to always watch for other vessels and turn on that flashlight as soon as possible if there were another boat nearby. If using portable NavLights, be sure to carry spare batteries and bulbs. I used to burn out at least one bulb every year in the portable lights that I used on my Widgeon.
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Sunbird, I used a NaviSafe tricolor light on my Whaler Harpoon 4.6. I mounted the magnetic mounting plate just behind the stemhead fitting using outdoor double sided foamy tape. The magnets align the light properly to this plate. I used a clamp on LED "flashlight on a stick" style for stern light, because I had one given to me. Not nearly as bright as a NaviSafe 360º would have been, but "free and works" trumped "expensive but better" in this case. I don't hesitate to recommend NaviSafe stuff, it was high quality and well thought out.
That Tri-color on the bow is not a proper NavLight in that location, you are displaying 2 sternlights using that (yes, one is now at the bow, but there are 2 aft-facing white lights, your flashlight and this tricolor). You need to cover over the white part of the tricolor if mounting it on the bow like that. Also, make REAL certain that that light is properly positioned s that the centerline of the light matches the centerline of the boat (so division between red and green is not angled off-center), light does not absolutely need to be exactly on-center (can be offset to port or starboard slightly), but lights must show proper arcs of visibility in relation to vessel centerline.
Remember, improper navlights will shift more of the blame to you if a collision occurs, no mater how unsafe the other skipper's actions. Improper Nav Lights is also one of the prime reasons that USCG and other Enforcement Officers will board vessel for (lack of or improper display of registration numbers is another). The NavLight setup that you describe will not meet legal requirements and will not pass a USCG boarding or even a VSC (Vessel Safety Check) offered by the US Power Squadron or the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Remember, improper navlights will shift more of the blame to you if a collision occurs, no mater how unsafe the other skipper's actions. Improper Nav Lights is also one of the prime reasons that USCG and other Enforcement Officers will board vessel for (lack of or improper display of registration numbers is another). The NavLight setup that you describe will not meet legal requirements and will not pass a USCG boarding or even a VSC (Vessel Safety Check) offered by the US Power Squadron or the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Sorry, Sunbird, and others interested in the Navisafe products. The tricolor light has many lighting modes: all 3 colors, red only, green only, white only, or red and green only. Because my pics were taken during the day, it's hard to see that I have it set to red/green only mode. Of course I oriented the division between red/green right on the centerline. I did not use the white lights on this light, because I had an all around white on a pole mounted to the transom. While that is correct for a small powerboat, but incorrect for a sailboat, I felt that it was very safe where I was most likely to be sailing at 15' boat.
The Navisafe is then a lot more useful that it sounded, ad worth promoting! Yes, technically a sailboat underway at night should be showing a white light, 135deg total arc, 117.5deg each side of centerline. The 360deg white light is a powerboat, however....... at least you have a sternlight, unlike too many powerboats! My "favorite" are the powerboats that are not showing the forward white light (masthead or steaming) but only the lights that would be proper for a sailboat under sail.... amazing how fast some of these "sailboats" go! Also far too many powerboats (and a few sailboats under power) do not show the 360deg. white light high enough, it must be at least 39" (1 Meter) higher than the sidelights. I like the old Boston Whalers that had the light 6' above the cockpit sole, since that usually put it above the heads of anyone on the boat, and the higher the light, the less glare shines on the boat.
So, anyway, I stand corrected on your tri-color, a long as the aft-facing white part is turned off, that is a great little light!
Rick Webb: The reason that you rarely see portable lights that meet USCG requirements. is that a lot of the older ones really don't reliably met those standards. They depend heavily on battery life, and the ones using incandescent bulbs often did not sustain full brightness all that long. The newer LED versions are better. One problem is that the 360deg sternlights that come on a pole, are rarely tall enough unless mounted on a high point on the boat.
So, anyway, I stand corrected on your tri-color, a long as the aft-facing white part is turned off, that is a great little light!
Rick Webb: The reason that you rarely see portable lights that meet USCG requirements. is that a lot of the older ones really don't reliably met those standards. They depend heavily on battery life, and the ones using incandescent bulbs often did not sustain full brightness all that long. The newer LED versions are better. One problem is that the 360deg sternlights that come on a pole, are rarely tall enough unless mounted on a high point on the boat.