02-04-2010, 01:28 AM
Hello all.
After spending waaaayyyyy too much time watching Japanese utube and trying to figure out what they were saying ( I came to the conclusion that they were just making fun of me), I came up with a squid lighting system for the Jenny Lee, my boat.
It is based off the system that has worked well for me and others off the GI bridge area.
Basic ingredients:
1 quiet generator
heavy duty weatherproofed extension cords - as sort as possible.
1 2x4
Misc. Stainless Steel or Galv hardware, bolts, nuts, split washers and fender washers - no screws - they vibrate out eventually.
2 pairs of 500 W halogen lights from any home improvement store
2 C-style clamps
OK. First I painted everything white. Why? I wanted to. If I had to do it over again, I would have dis assembled all the metal and brought it to a powder coating shop and had them bake on the finish - much more durable and nicer looking.
I then measured the 2x4 to be much wider than the outside roof of my wheelhouse on the Jenny Lee.
I mocked up and then predrilled holes to affix the two (2) sets of halogen lights to each side. Symmetry is critical, not just for looks, but for an even keel.
This whole assembly is then placed on the roof of the wheelhouse.
It is centered.
The C Clamps are then used, with some scrap blocks of wood to ratched it down to the roof. I beleive I will be constantly stopping and tightening the clamps over time. Everything vibrates loose on a boat.
The power cords for each set of lights is then connected to the short extension cords. That connection is waterproofed with two (2) layers of silicone tape, one (1) thick overlapped layer of Coax-Seal pressed firmly together, 3 layers over overlapping Super 88+ electrical tape and finally 1.5" thick walled adhesive-backed UV heatshrink tubing.
The cords are routed around the boat in such a way that they will never be underfoot or interfere with casting or other operations.
The cords are then fed up into the generator enclosure and into the generator.
I am toying with putting the running generator and enclosure either bolted to the back deck, the diving platform, in the cabin with venting out the bow.
Here are a few pics of the assemble made, but not installed on the boat. When I get them, I'll post them up.
All this being said, I am seriously considering just having them off some PVC in the rod holders and get closer to the water. I think it will be more stable and significantly reduce glare and night blinding.
comments improvements etc welcome
After spending waaaayyyyy too much time watching Japanese utube and trying to figure out what they were saying ( I came to the conclusion that they were just making fun of me), I came up with a squid lighting system for the Jenny Lee, my boat.
It is based off the system that has worked well for me and others off the GI bridge area.
Basic ingredients:
1 quiet generator
heavy duty weatherproofed extension cords - as sort as possible.
1 2x4
Misc. Stainless Steel or Galv hardware, bolts, nuts, split washers and fender washers - no screws - they vibrate out eventually.
2 pairs of 500 W halogen lights from any home improvement store
2 C-style clamps
OK. First I painted everything white. Why? I wanted to. If I had to do it over again, I would have dis assembled all the metal and brought it to a powder coating shop and had them bake on the finish - much more durable and nicer looking.
I then measured the 2x4 to be much wider than the outside roof of my wheelhouse on the Jenny Lee.
I mocked up and then predrilled holes to affix the two (2) sets of halogen lights to each side. Symmetry is critical, not just for looks, but for an even keel.
This whole assembly is then placed on the roof of the wheelhouse.
It is centered.
The C Clamps are then used, with some scrap blocks of wood to ratched it down to the roof. I beleive I will be constantly stopping and tightening the clamps over time. Everything vibrates loose on a boat.
The power cords for each set of lights is then connected to the short extension cords. That connection is waterproofed with two (2) layers of silicone tape, one (1) thick overlapped layer of Coax-Seal pressed firmly together, 3 layers over overlapping Super 88+ electrical tape and finally 1.5" thick walled adhesive-backed UV heatshrink tubing.
The cords are routed around the boat in such a way that they will never be underfoot or interfere with casting or other operations.
The cords are then fed up into the generator enclosure and into the generator.
I am toying with putting the running generator and enclosure either bolted to the back deck, the diving platform, in the cabin with venting out the bow.
Here are a few pics of the assemble made, but not installed on the boat. When I get them, I'll post them up.
All this being said, I am seriously considering just having them off some PVC in the rod holders and get closer to the water. I think it will be more stable and significantly reduce glare and night blinding.
comments improvements etc welcome