Underwater LED Lighting

[wingless]

The blue Lumitec SeaBlazeX lights are a good choice for underwater LED lighting. They are well made and throw plenty of light. They are specified to consume 3.6A at 12VDC. The actual current draw was measured to be 4.5ADC at 12.6VDC when selected to operate at continuous intensity.

The housing was painted by me w/ epoxy, then bottom paint.

The lamp housings have been electrically connected to the boat's underwater metal bonding system. I removed the factory coating for one mounting screw and used a through-bolt to permit this electrical connection to the hull zinc.

All four holes were drilled slightly oversize, filled w/ epoxy w/ filler, allowed to harden, then drilled the correct size. The hardware was sealed w/ underwater sealant.

The lights are wired to a new switch on the dash. I was able to locate matching switches / rockers and put this into an empty, unused blank on the dash. I disassembled the starboard engine room wiring harness to route this new wire through the factory harness, so the installation looks factory-fresh.

Now I have more boat bling. It looks really cool underway or stopped.

[Zach]

Never thought about it till now, but it would be pretty slick to have a pair of those pointed at the prop... wrap a line after dark, be able to see what you are doing!

[Stumble]

I love the idea, I just can't seem to talk myself into drilling underwater holes into the hull for aesthetic purposes... But I really want them.

[biker6977]

Thank you! We have these on our fishing boats and hubby wants them on the yet unpurchased sailing/liveaboard we are wanting. I got him to agree to my "hair brained idea" by getting him a book about fishing from a cruiser If I get him a little "blink" for the fishing all the better. Happy hubby is a happy life!

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by wingless

All four holes were drilled slightly oversize, filled w/ epoxy w/ filler, allowed to harden, then drilled the correct size.

Why did you not just drill them to the correct size? Sorry if this is obvious but I'm not sure why the extra step

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by biker6977

Why did you not just drill them to the correct size? Sorry if this is obvious but I'm not sure why the extra step

You should do this over drill and fill any time you drill through fiberglass. It seals the fiberglass itself so that water doesn't penetrate and cause delamination.


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[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Zach

Never thought about it till now, but it would be pretty slick to have a pair of those pointed at the prop... wrap a line after dark, be able to see what you are doing!

Or you could wear a twenty dollar headlamp and not have to drill holes in your boat.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

You should do this over drill and fill any time you drill through fiberglass. It seals the fiberglass itself so that water doesn't penetrate and cause delamination.

Correct!

The typical method is to drill, seal and forget. But, when the sealant fails, then the hull gets damaged.

This way if the sealant fails, the hull is fine.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Or you could wear a twenty dollar headlamp and not have to drill holes in your boat.

Or, you can do both.

Here is a photograph of me wearing my headlamps.

Plus, they are very stylish!

[a64pilot]

As a kid we used car headlights in styrofoam for Crappie fishing at night
Drilling holes in a boat to shine lights through to look cool is I'm sorry to say this, about as stupid a thing as is possible.
And I thought this guy we had in the Marina that had dark blue spreader lights was stupid but at least he didn't drill unnecessary holes in his hull

[TeddyDiver]

Thinking outloud..
How about laminating a led strip on the bottom. Just one smal hole for wiring filled with epoxy as well as on top of the led strip..

[SailingwithSoul]

Personally, I just would get a few of these (or similar). At night, I would tie them around the boat with some clear fishing line and be done with it. No holes in the boat, ans you have the coolest (and cheapest) disco party at the anchorage



http://www.walmart.com/ip/Swimline-F...Light/29256454

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

You should do this over drill and fill any time you drill through fiberglass. It seals the fiberglass itself so that water doesn't penetrate and cause delamination.

Thank you, something I was unaware of. Hubby will think I'm so smart when I mention this when he puts his lighting in his new fishing boat- and fishing boats DO need underwater lighting to attract fish at night- he told me so.