LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

[shakman]

Hello all,

This is my first post and I'm an absolute newbie to boats so please excuse any poor use of jargon on my part.

I've had a Bayliner Capri 1950 Bowrider (not sure what year off the top of my head) for a few years now, purchased second hand. Terrific boat, she hasn't skipped a beat, but she's due for some cosmetic surgery. I've been doing the odd minor update here and there and I've had some success. Now I'm keen to get my teeth stuck right into it and give her a few bells and whistles and a bit of a facelift.

I'm quite handy with tools and electricals on land but my experience with the boat is relatively limited. I need to know my limits. That's how I came across this terrific forum. But it appears my specific conundrum for my most ambitious project yet has yet to be answered here... well not that I could find anyway.

I want to install some LED deck lights down each side of the floor in my Bayliner to give some light during the odd night boating/fishing adventure (and because it would look pretty damn cool).

I've got the wiring covered, tested the circuit with a 12v battery in my garage as per the LEDLightWiring.jpg diagram attached. The lights I intend to use are fully submersible (I've tested this to be sure). They require a hole around 50mm each. They come with some pretty nifty waterproof wiring (which I will need to mod slightly to extend in parts, but not too much). Pics of the lights and the wiring are also attached.

I plan to install four lights down each side of the boat. The locations would be mirrored on each side. I have included an attachment (LEDLightLocations.jpg) showing where I intend to install the lights.

I will be drilling a small hole, big enough for a wire coathanger to fit in, before doing any drilling of larger holes, to inspect the clearance available. All holes will be drilled with the greatest of care. I will be using a tonne of heatshrink, quality lugs, grommets (where required) and Sikaflex 291 to keep everything as solid and watertight as possible.

My main concerns are:
1) Is it a terrible idea to install lights directly into the floor of the boat?
2) If not, can anyone see any issues with the locations I've selected?
3) Is there anything else I should really need to know before I start?

If I do proceed with this project, I promise to share every step of it (and all future projects, of which I am planning many) with photos in this forum to help anyone else thinking of making this mod. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Shakman

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

I think mounting them along the side might be better as there going to get damaged in the floor.Drop something on one and it's going to be toast.And with the lights pointing up they will affect your night vision.

 

[cbavier]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

I think mounting them along the side might be better as there going to get damaged in the floor.Drop something on one and it's going to be toast.And with the lights pointing up they will affect your night vision.

I agree with ENSIGN. Also in the floor will attract dirt and be hard to clean. Also they will get stepped on and if not broke the lens will get scratched. I think with the glare and all, mounting them along the sides would be better. You may even have to add an eye brow shield on each light to block the glare. with them mounted in the side. LED lights are really bright. Just found this link from an earlier post. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=372103

 

[JB]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

Any light onboard your boat puts you into night blindness, Shakman. The more light, especially in the blue spectrum, the greater the night blindness. That is why USN uses only red light at night and as little of that as they can get away with.

In most waters most nights night blindness can be fatal.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

Why not use the more simple approach and use rope lights up under the gunnel if that area is open. The downward glow of those lights is quite pleasing and far less problematic with night vision. Plus they are out of the way and less subject to damage.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

Hi Shackman,

Yeah, you really want LED lighting to be indirect lighting. Even a single LED exposed directly to your eye can be blinding. Plus it's really annoying. Blue LED's and fluorescent tubes are especially bad, not that you said you were using blue. Good luck with your project.

 

[shakman]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

Hey all, thanks for the feedback!

I don't plan to ever use the lights whilst under way, only when stopped, for a late night picnic on the boat, or to help bait up whilst night fishing etc.

I appreciate the point about the maintenance involved in keeping them clean. I had thought of this. I plan to install them in a very low traffic area, and she gets a good clean every time I get her home from the lake.

Installing them along the sides would be alright I guess, and would be a much easier method, but I would prefer to have them in the floor if it's do-able.

I pretty much decided that this is the way I want to do it after my mate installed the same lights in his porch deck. They look awesome. And these ones in particular don't seem to affect night vision (on land) too much at all. I did consider this point initially though, hence why I've included a light dimmer in the circuit, so the brightness of the lights can be adjusted according to the conditions and for best comfort.

So, the million dollar question is, from a structural point of view, will drilling out 50-60mm/2" (diameter) holes along the floor/deck at the points I've indicated in the pic on my first post be a big issue if done correctly (i.e. drilled carefully, installed tightly, wired correctly and sealed properly)?

Thanks again. And keep the constructive criticism coming, I'm sure there are some things I haven't thought of. It is the first time I've attempted anything like this on the boat.

Cheers,

Shakman

 

[shakman]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

I agree with ENSIGN. Also in the floor will attract dirt and be hard to clean. Also they will get stepped on and if not broke the lens will get scratched. I think with the glare and all, mounting them along the sides would be better. You may even have to add an eye brow shield on each light to block the glare. with them mounted in the side. LED lights are really bright. Just found this link from an earlier post. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=372103

Wow, that looks pretty cool! But I'm not sure how helpful those lights will be for night fishing. But I'm tempted now to add a second switch to the dash labelled 'PARTY LIGHTS' and hook these babies up to that

 

[jlinder]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

I did something similar but put them under the gunnels where you could not see them directly but they shined on the sides and carpets. Came out pretty nice. Enough to see the floor but not enough to blind you

 

[slia67]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

Why not use the more simple approach and use rope lights up under the gunnel if that area is open. The downward glow of those lights is quite pleasing and far less problematic with night vision. Plus they are out of the way and less subject to damage.

+1

As far as structually, double check before you start drilling to make sure the location you are looking at is not the gunwale or chine. From what I remember on my Bayliner, where you are considering drilling there was no hollow space.

 

[Outsider]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

I checked my lists of reasons to drill a hole (or eight) into the deck, and damned if I can find an entry for 'party lights'. Lots of descriptions of such, but 'lots of problems' comes up more than 'cool' ... :redface:

 

[fishrdan]

Re: LED lights in floor of bowrider... Do-able? Or potential disaster?

2 problems I see;

1- You are going to be drilling through the deck which will allow water in to the hull, this can rot out the deck, stringers, soak the foam. Do a search on soaked foam and/or rotten stringers and see what you come up with

2- Lights shining directly in your eyes will blind you. I had lights mounted 1' of the deck on my last boat and had to shade them or they would blind you. You spoke of a dimmer, but I think you would have to turn them down so far, not to blind you, that they wouldn't be lighting up the interior of the boat. All the light produced will be shining up into the sky, not down into the boat where it can bounce off surfaces and light up the entire interior.

Before you commit to installing them in the deck, place them on top of the deck and them see what they look like when it is completely dark outside. You will see why everyone is cautioning you against having the lights pointing upwards and in the line of sight.

 

[Fossil Fueler]

Hello all,

This is my first post and I'm an absolute newbie to boats so please excuse any poor use of jargon on my part.

I've had a Bayliner Capri 1950 Bowrider (not sure what year off the top of my head) for a few years now, purchased second hand. Terrific boat, she hasn't skipped a beat, but she's due for some cosmetic surgery. I've been doing the odd minor update here and there and I've had some success. Now I'm keen to get my teeth stuck right into it and give her a few bells and whistles and a bit of a facelift.

I'm quite handy with tools and electricals on land but my experience with the boat is relatively limited. I need to know my limits. That's how I came across this terrific forum. But it appears my specific conundrum for my most ambitious project yet has yet to be answered here... well not that I could find anyway.

I want to install some LED deck lights down each side of the floor in my Bayliner to give some light during the odd night boating/fishing adventure (and because it would look pretty damn cool).

I've got the wiring covered, tested the circuit with a 12v battery in my garage as per the LEDLightWiring.jpg diagram attached. The lights I intend to use are fully submersible (I've tested this to be sure). They require a hole around 50mm each. They come with some pretty nifty waterproof wiring (which I will need to mod slightly to extend in parts, but not too much). Pics of the lights and the wiring are also attached.

I plan to install four lights down each side of the boat. The locations would be mirrored on each side. I have included an attachment (LEDLightLocations.jpg) showing where I intend to install the lights.

I will be drilling a small hole, big enough for a wire coathanger to fit in, before doing any drilling of larger holes, to inspect the clearance available. All holes will be drilled with the greatest of care. I will be using a tonne of heatshrink, quality lugs, grommets (where required) and Sikaflex 291 to keep everything as solid and watertight as possible.

My main concerns are:
1) Is it a terrible idea to install lights directly into the floor of the boat?
2) If not, can anyone see any issues with the locations I've selected?
3) Is there anything else I should really need to know before I start?

If I do proceed with this project, I promise to share every step of it (and all future projects, of which I am planning many) with photos in this forum to help anyone else thinking of making this mod. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Shakman

Shakman
Things to keep in mind:
1. Do not use red or green lights. It will confuse other boaters trying to discern your navigation port/starboard lights.
2. Use white lights below the gunnel to shield other boaters from seeing the white light.
3. Do not run with any whites lights on that are visible to other boaters. It will be difficult to discern your stern white light which should be the only white light seen from a distance while underway.
4. Any light will destroy your night vision while fishing. Turn them off 99% of the time.
5. LED or any other gunnel lights used to illuminate the floor so you can bait your line or any task should be shaded from difect view the top so you are never looking directly into the point light source when standing up. It's too blinding and completely unnecessary. I had to build my own top shade covers. You want indirect lighting when standing and walking around on you boat.
6. Use marine grade wire for ALL wiring. Marine grade wire is pure OFC Copper with each stand in the wire bundle being Tin coated. Regular copper wire is not Tin coated and will grow green copper oxide in marine applications, especially saltwater. The Tin coating prevents that.

 

[jbcurt00]

Closed

@Fossil Fueler avoid posting to old inactive topics