Under Pulpit Mounted Spot Light

[Andy]

Andy, started thinking about your configuration with the golight. Here is another concept I've designed. I've made the height of the light centered on the rail so there will be even less of a distraction with in-line sight if there is even any now and doesn't need to be mounted upside down. Its forward of rail so there should be absolutely no glare off anchor. I didn't want to drill thru the rail so I've added a few clamps. What do you think?

You are a talented designer; this newest concept here is awesome! I would chose this over what I have. It is high enough to keep the light safe from spray and/or big waves, and places the light even farther forward; no chance of reflection or glare.

 

[Andy]

Andy, started thinking about your configuration with the golight. Here is another concept I've designed. I've made the height of the light centered on the rail so there will be even less of a distraction with in-line sight if there is even any now and doesn't need to be mounted upside down. Its forward of rail so there should be absolutely no glare off anchor. I didn't want to drill thru the rail so I've added a few clamps. What do you think?

I also meant to add that your design idea where the 'plate' is mounted with the brackets is a better way than having to drill three holes through the bow pulpit rail... (I don't know if I am responding properly to your post. My previous response ended up way down below! ☺)

 

[megmac]

Andy, started thinking about your configuration with the golight. Here is another concept I've designed. I've made the height of the light centered on the rail so there will be even less of a distraction with in-line sight if there is even any now and doesn't need to be mounted upside down. Its forward of rail so there should be absolutely no glare off anchor. I didn't want to drill thru the rail so I've added a few clamps. What do you think?

You are a talented designer; this newest concept here is awesome! I would chose this over what I have. It is high enough to keep the light safe from spray and/or big waves, and places the light even farther forward; no chance of reflection or glare.

Hi Andy, thanks for your comment, appreciate the praise. I think the design would work, I've moved the light far enough forward so it will rotate fully without interference. Unfortunately my boat is shrink wrapped so Im not sure the diameter and spacing of the bow rail. I choose 1-1/4" Diameter rail with 18" spacing center to center, just a guess. My biggest challenge is where and how to run the wire without drilling into the rail, then where to run them to. Being able to look at the boat would help with design but that will have to wait. I may still tweek it a bit, still in a concept stage.

 

[Brent]

Keep posting updates. Neat project.

How did you draw the sketch so well?


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[megmac]

Keep posting updates. Neat project.

How did you draw the sketch so well?


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Hi Brent, thanks for the praise. I was a drafter before becoming an engineer. I've always enjoyed designing things. I just purchased my first boat this fall and reading all the good stuff on this website has sparked my interest. Im not sure how much I need a spot light but it could only be an added value. I've been toying with several ideas and bouncing between LED spot and LED flood. Mounting a spot on roof would be the easiest especially when it comes to running the wire but doesn't seem effective unless you add two (one on port and one on starboard). I currently have a golight mounted center and forward on roof and was told by last owner thats it never worked well with all the reflection. Im not sure if making a tall pole on the roof would be good, maybe one that folds down when not in use / shrink wrapping. I not sure if it would interfere with my Radar/Sonar in this location either. I've looked at some of the LED bars from Black Oak and Coastal LED but they would most likely only work under the pulpit. The underwater LED's from coastal might survive the environment there. My current design I would like to make out of 316 stainless steel but after pricing plate it might get coastly. Id love to make it out of carbon fiber but I do not have access to this material anymore since taking on another job. For now, Ill keep pluggin along and take in what other members might have to add.

 

[Antidote]

What you may consider is making a visor for under the roof mounted light that is already in place. Think baseball hat upside down. It would cast a shadow on the foredeck and bow rail to prevent the glare that we are all trying to prevent. Under water lights will overheat if they aren't underwater. To figure out what light you want you will need to figure out what you want to use it for. If you are planning on using for docking or trailering either a spot or flood will work. If you plan on using it to find markers or avoid crab pots you will want a spot light as they reach out much further. The third option is a combo light, like what I have, that has both. It has flood lights on the ends and a spot light in the middle. The narrow width of my Lewmar Claw anchor doesn't really cast much of a shadow in front of the boat because the multiple LEDs in the light bar. I fabricated 3 1/2" aluminum "L" brackets and used the pulpit mount bolts to mount the light. The width of the mounts on the light I chose is adjustable so it made positioning pretty easy. I also tried mounting in on top and below the pulpit rail. There was a lot of glare from the very forward loop of the pulpit rail. It seemed to collect the light and send it right back at me. Either of you designs probably would not have that problem. Others have mounted spot lights on either side of the roof or either side of the foredeck. Others have mounted the roof mounted light far enough aft that the roof casts a shadow on the foredeck. It almost seems there are too many options. lol

 

[Brent]

Good Luck!


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[megmac]

What you may consider is making a visor for under the roof mounted light that is already in place. Think baseball hat upside down. It would cast a shadow on the foredeck and bow rail to prevent the glare that we are all trying to prevent. Under water lights will overheat if they aren't underwater. To figure out what light you want you will need to figure out what you want to use it for. If you are planning on using for docking or trailering either a spot or flood will work. If you plan on using it to find markers or avoid crab pots you will want a spot light as they reach out much further. The third option is a combo light, like what I have, that has both. It has flood lights on the ends and a spot light in the middle. The narrow width of my Lewmar Claw anchor doesn't really cast much of a shadow in front of the boat because the multiple LEDs in the light bar. I fabricated 3 1/2" aluminum "L" brackets and used the pulpit mount bolts to mount the light. The width of the mounts on the light I chose is adjustable so it made positioning pretty easy. I also tried mounting in on top and below the pulpit rail. There was a lot of glare from the very forward loop of the pulpit rail. It seemed to collect the light and send it right back at me. Either of you designs probably would not have that problem. Others have mounted spot lights on either side of the roof or either side of the foredeck. Others have mounted the roof mounted light far enough aft that the roof casts a shadow on the foredeck. It almost seems there are too many options. lol

Antidote, thanks for all the suggestions. The visor sounds interesting and maybe something to pursue. Guess the only way to figure it out is to go out at night with some cardboard pieces and see if the light can be blocked. In the meantime I've come up with a simpler version of the bow mounted configuration and think I may go ahead and fabricate it. Ill post photos should I work on this.

 

[Zippy2520]

Andy, started thinking about your configuration with the golight. Here is another concept I've designed. I've made the height of the light centered on the rail so there will be even less of a distraction with in-line sight if there is even any now and doesn't need to be mounted upside down. It’s forward of rail so there should be absolutely no glare off anchor. I didn't want to drill thru the rail so I've added a few clamps. What do you think?

Very nice did you end up going forward with this bracket?

 

[Macho]

Hi, I've been working on a design for a stainless steel bracket to support a spot light, probably a Golight with remote. Looking for advice on it's environmental practically, function and wiring. Question's would be :

Is this too harsh a location?
Is this too low to waterline to function properly?
For those who have done similar, what was your wiring scheme, where did you run the wires?

Thanks

Here is how I did mine. Haven't hit a crab pot since.

 

[pelagic2530]

Here is how I did mine. Haven't hit a crab pot since.

I’ll reply to this the same way I do to all of the posts with high-intensity, forward facing lights.

Nice job, I like your installation, and I’m glad that it works to keep you from hitting pots. Please, please be conscious of other boats around you when using this system. While I understand the importance of avoiding hitting pot buoys yourself, it’s equally critical to avoid blinding other boats in your vicinity that may be relying on low-light vision to do the same thing. If there are other boats nearby, you have an obligation to turn off your forward lights, unless they are truly configured such as to not affect anyone outside your immediate vessel’s area.

This isn’t a highway, and the marine navigation aids and collision prevention protocols are not designed to function with boats that have high intensity directional “headlights”. If nobody else is near you, by all means, light up the night all you wish. But if there’s other vessels within a few miles of you and forward of your beam, using these lights could cause significant blindness issues for them, leading to both safety and liability concerns.

 

[warthog5]

Under the pulpit is a Bad idea. Why? Because when loading on the trailer the light will hit the winch stand. I use to turn the flukes of my anchor UP for this reason, with anchor on pulpit.

 

[baker]

Here is how I did mine. Haven't hit a crab pot since.

Wow! That's the biggest TM bracket I have seen so far

 

[pelagic2530]

@megmac, here’s some pictures of how my light is mounted. This was done many moons ago by the previous owner, so I don’t have any details on the plate itself, but if you have access to a fabrication shop it certainly doesn’t seem like something that would be hard to put together. The wire runs through the bow rail, down one of the stanchions, and up into the dash; snaking the wire would probably be the hardest part of the install. I’ve had good luck running pull lines by using a vacuum and small braided fishing line to literally suck the line through the tubing.

Functionally, it works great. Very little to reflect off of, although if I had it to do over I might move it even a few inches further forward to eliminate that little bit of anchor and rail reflection. Being that high up on the front of the bow it’s actually out of the worst of the spray. Obstruction to operator view is functionally negligible, you don’t even really register that it’s there to be honest.

Just another idea for you to consider.

 

[dstanl01]

Tried multiple mounting spots. Under the pulpit was best. No glare. Rigid pods. Think they were DXL Pro Driving.

 

[Andy]

Tried multiple mounting spots. Under the pulpit was best. No glare. Rigid pods. Think they were DXL Pro Driving.

I see there are pros and cons to anywhere a light is mounted. I agree under-the-pulpit provides the least glare (but gets more sea-water spray; and may hit, when loading on trailer? as Warthog mentioned) Here's ours. The 'pro' is that it's protected from sun and rain, high enough to not get sea-water and/or spray, but it still shines glare on the anchor; (it's in the aft-facing position in this photo, which is where it stays when not in use). I posted a video of how it's mounted and how the wires were run at the beginning of this post. It was installed 'professionally' by the original Parker dealer.

 

[Andy]

@megmac, here’s some pictures of how my light is mounted. This was done many moons ago by the previous owner, so I don’t have any details on the plate itself, but if you have access to a fabrication shop it certainly doesn’t seem like something that would be hard to put together. The wire runs through the bow rail, down one of the stanchions, and up into the dash; snaking the wire would probably be the hardest part of the install. I’ve had good luck running pull lines by using a vacuum and small braided fishing line to literally suck the line through the tubing.

Functionally, it works great. Very little to reflect off of, although if I had it to do over I might move it even a few inches further forward to eliminate that little bit of anchor and rail reflection. Being that high up on the front of the bow it’s actually out of the worst of the spray. Obstruction to operator view is functionally negligible, you don’t even really register that it’s there to be honest.

Just another idea for you to consider. View attachment 35402View attachment 35403View attachment 35404

Your light seems much brighter than the GoLight we have, and I like your S/S mounting plate; no holes drilled through the rail ! (Did you make the plate?).... It seems you could loosen the bolts and slide your light about 6" further forward; to where the bend in the rail begins. That would accommodate less surface area; less light/glare on the pulpit and pulpit rail? If the wiring is not long enough, the new water-proof splices would make that an easy fix. You probably already thought of this; is there a reason that wouldn't work?