Monterey 250CR Ceiling Lights In Cuddy

I have a 2005 Monterey 250CR. The are around the galley is dark. There are no lights in that area. I want to put ceiling lights into the ceiling, but don't know how much space I have up there. The ceiling is covered with vinyl and not sure I can get behind it. Any suggestions?

Re: Monterey 250CR Ceiling Lights In Cuddy

I can't speak directly to Monterey but several manufacturers I know typically use a solid laminate for the cabin top. By solid I mean a cored laminate with balsa, PVC foam, plywood, etc. to get the required strength and stiffness with less weight to keep the center of gravity low. We would include a wire chase in the laminate during the layup if wires were needed up there. I expect you will have to use some kind of surface mount wire chase. I would never remove the vinyl and cut through the lower laminate. There are many out there, try Lowes, Home Depot, etc. I would opt for plastic in a marine environment as opposed to any kind of ferrous metal.

Re: Monterey 250CR Ceiling Lights In Cuddy

I have found some lights I like. One is 1/2" diameter and the other one is 2" diameter, and they are both 1/2" deep. The ceiling from what I can tell consists of vinyl covered foam -> plywood (1/2" to 3/4" thick) -> fiberglass bow. I might be able to squeeze the wires between the foam and the plywood. It's the holes in the ceiling I'm worried about.

Re: Monterey 250CR Ceiling Lights In Cuddy

Holes are not a problem, just use really short screws and don't go through the outside.