Good uses for the anchor light hole, once you've moved your light to the tower?

[zelone]

A couple things I have been considering...cigarette lighter style receptacle, USB charging ports for electronic devices, rod holder, maybe a hanging overhead LED flood light to light up the swim deck (probably great for night fishing).

Anyone do anything different with it? Electrical or simply using the hole for something different? It bothers me, now that it is useless.

 

[DBamaC]

I've been wondering if I could mount a rod holder with maybe the bottom removed so I could use it for a flag holder. It would a great location an give me a place to fly Old Glory on Memorial Day and the 4th.

 

[zelone]

Great idea! Flag holder would be a great, seemingly easy use of it. No wiring necessary lol.
Hell, you could probably use the light pole for the flag!

 

[BigN8]

I bought an American flag and pole that fits perfectly in the socket at Academy Sports for around $9

 

[DBamaC]

I bought an American flag and pole that fits perfectly in the socket at Academy Sports for around $9

Did you switch out the sleeve or just leave it in place? I was afraid it would be too shallow without a rod holder with the bottom cut out. If it's not - it's off to Academy!

Before someone asks, the socket is already disconnected from power - I'm going to use it's switch for my LED cockpit lighting. Figure I'll only be using them when anchored so the "ANCHOR" switch makes sense.

 

[davel501]

I plan to keep mine as a spare in case I catch my tower light on a bridge or some other silliness that seems to happen from time to time.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I have a quick connect fitting so I can fill my seat ballast bag.

 

[swatski]

@jcyamaharider I was waiting for someone to come up with something like that for a keg .

 

[justason]

I found the old light from a previous boat and cut it down to be a flag pole. Otherwise I want to keep it in tack as a emergency illumination or backup as well.

 

[eastcoaster]

Is this a legal modification. I thought you were required to have a stern light when running at night. By moving your stern light to the tower now you have an anchor light (only to be used while the boat is stationary) and no longer have the required stern light.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Is this a legal modification. I thought you were required to have a stern light when running at night. By moving your stern light to the tower now you have an anchor light (only to be used while the boat is stationary) and no longer have the required stern light.

They come from the factory at the tower now so I would say it is legal.

 

[bumpy]

Moving the nav white light to the tower meets USCG standards as long as it can bee seen from any angle.

 

[txav8r]

The white anchor/running light is commonly referred to as a 360 light. It stands for 360 degrees, and should be visible 360 degrees around the boat, just as @bumpy shows in the illustration. There are more regulations to the rules and they are state and coast guard dependent. All states are not the same always. Coast guard requirements don't change state to state but some waterways have other stipulations. But the rule also includes the illumination of the white light, and how far it should be able to be seen, example, 1 mile or 2 mile. Moving the light higher just improves your visibility.

 

[Bill D]

Before someone asks, the socket is already disconnected from power - I'm going to use it's switch for my LED cockpit lighting. Figure I'll only be using them when anchored so the "ANCHOR" switch makes sense.

@DBamaC note that if you use the "Anchor" light feed for your LED's, without adding another switch, they will be on anytime you have the Nav lights on. The switch is wired so that one direction is just the stern light (when anchored), and the other is the stern light + bow lights (running at night).

 

[DBamaC]

@DBamaC note that if you use the "Anchor" light feed for your LED's, without adding another switch, they will be on anytime you have the Nav lights on. The switch is wired so that one direction is just the stern light (when anchored), and the other is the stern light + bow lights (running at night).

Well that stinks. I guess I'll just add another switch.

 

[justason]

Well that stinks. I guess I'll just add another switch.

there are a ton of schematics on this forum on doing stuff like this: I purchased this a while back
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...id=1462211584&sr=8-1&keywords=marine+fuse+box

I ran a dedicated power line from the house battery to it under the dash.....anything i want to add extra now goes straight to it

 

[0627Devildog]

I have a quick connect fitting so I can fill my seat ballast bag.

View attachment 36556

Does it have any impact on your mooring cover?

 

[0627Devildog]

@DBamaC note that if you use the "Anchor" light feed for your LED's, without adding another switch, they will be on anytime you have the Nav lights on. The switch is wired so that one direction is just the stern light (when anchored), and the other is the stern light + bow lights (running at night).

I'm confused. . . . (it happens easily I assure you) . . . what exactly is the problem with using the direct connection from the existing light socket to power the tower light?

 

[Bill D]

There is no problem with that. He was talking about using that feed to power his cabin LED's. In that case, the LED's would be on when he was using his red/green navigation lights at night.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Does it have any impact on your mooring cover?

Nope