Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

Kelpy

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Messages
32
I do a lot of night fishing these days and want to put some nav lights on my duck boat. THey need to be cheap and functional. I was thinking of putting them on the angled portion of my light bracket that i made for the running lights.

The smaller the better as I don't want them to snag on branches and such while going through brush to my duck hunting spots.

What are my options, thanks Kelpy
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roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

Not sure what you are showing us in the photos.

I don't see any nab/running lights.
I see a pair of off road driving lights/headlights.

You should only have red/green nav lights on when underway, no headlights.

Why not mount a set of led nav lights on top, they are only 1.5" tall ?
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

+1

What you're showing aren't running lights- they're headlights that shouldn't be used except for docking.

Navigation lights/running lights (they're the same thing) are red/green (port/starboard) at the bow and an all-around white light at the stern. You can buy battery operated clamp-on lights on iboats.
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

Lights like that are pretty common on duck boats for predawn launches, threading one's way through flooded timber, etc.. I don't think Kelpy intends to use them like headlights on a car when he's running around on the water, right Kelpy? As for nav lights, like Roscoe said you could just mount a low profile setup right on top of your docking light cage. I'd suggest one of those units that contains the red and green in one case. Alternatively you could just use one of those portable red/green clamp on lights, but I'd prefer the permanent installation if it were my rig. For your anchor light you can simply add a socket and use a pole. Everything you need should be readily available at the nearest big box store.
 

blouderback

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
304
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

How about these battery operated suction cup ones?

http://www.iboats.com/Portable-Batt...1870967--session_id.037323596--view_id.238039

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Kelpy

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Messages
32
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

Lights like that are pretty common on duck boats for predawn launches, threading one's way through flooded timber, etc.. I don't think Kelpy intends to use them like headlights on a car when he's running around on the water, right Kelpy? As for nav lights, like Roscoe said you could just mount a low profile setup right on top of your docking light cage. I'd suggest one of those units that contains the red and green in one case. Alternatively you could just use one of those portable red/green clamp on lights, but I'd prefer the permanent installation if it were my rig. For your anchor light you can simply add a socket and use a pole. Everything you need should be readily available at the nearest big box store.

This would be correct. The lights pictured are for driving through the swamp channels and heavily wooded areas, as well as looking for logs and ice flows in the winter while going to the duck spots in the pre dawn times.

I was going to put the red/green on there (not pictured) but didn't know what type would work the best. I can't find a spot to mount the red/green that are in one housing. I didn't have the forsight when making the bracket to include a place to mount it on top, unfortunately. SO I was thinking maybe some sort of flush mount lights that could be put on the angled portion of the bracket?

Thanks for the replies fellas.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

Even separate red and green lights are going to need to be mounted on a level surface, so you get the required angles of view from the port and starboard sides.

This one is only 1.3" tall.


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You should be able to screw it down right on top of your bracket.
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: Navigation Light Options for a Small Duck Boat

^^^ Exactly what I had in mind as well. You should be able to screw that down on your light housing without any additional bubba mods. You've even got power there already, so it should be a cinch.
 
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