# Navigation lights?



## zuren (Jun 25, 2019)

I'm curious what others have used for nav. lights on a small tin boat that has no electrical setup or permanent lights. My boat only has a battery for the trolling motor in the back, and no other wiring.

The boat came with some clamp-on type lights from the 1980s - large, use standard bulbs, each light (bow and stern) runs on 2 "D" batteries each. Pretty clunky and the lights are not that bright.

Part of me thought about running some wires and coming up with a more permanent lighting setup, but haven't figured out how to cleanly/discretely run wires in this 14' tin. Then I came across these lights and thought they looked very nice:

https://www.navisafe.com/

They have a tricolor unit with red/green/white built into a single light - https://www.navisafe.com/project/9-navilight-tricolor-2nm-wnavimount-base/:







There is an assortment of mounting options. My thought was the tricolor light, with the Navimount Pole Pack mounted to the transom (https://www.navisafe.com/project/10-navimount-pole-pack/).

This is not a cheap setup - probably $100 all together, but I have not found a nicer solution that makes me happy. Everything else I have seen has 2 lights, so I would have to move forward and back in the boat to turn them on. This solution would be 1 light, that I can easily pull out and set up from where I sit at the tiller. But I was hoping others might share what works for them! These Navisafe lights appear to be rather new, so there are not a ton of reviews.

Thanks!


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## gnappi (Jun 28, 2019)

Most tinnys have a recess on the gunwales of the boat, I and many others ran wires for lighting in them. It's clean and out of the way. Since you already have a battery for the TM, and you need a stern light also, I think in the long run it's more practical than diddling with AAA batteries.

This is just an Idea, there are other ways to secure wiring. I've posted pix of my gunwales before, I covered the wires with wire wrapping to protect them from sunlight, abrasion, and vermin.


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## DaleH (Jun 28, 2019)

I use the LED clamp-on light set from Walmart & such, < $30 and works great.

To that picture of the plastic bag over that console, not good, will form & HOLD IN condensation. Make a cover out of Sunbrella or other, e.g., marine canvas, etc. as they shed water but also ‘breathe’.


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## jethro (Jun 28, 2019)

$100?? I'm with Dale. On my canoe (and I seem to be one of the rare ones that uses lights on my paddlecraft after dark as per the law) I use cheap clamp on units made by Attwood. They are LED and I've had them for about 10 years I'd guess, likely with the same batteries. 

I also don't like the idea of the nav and anchor light in the same unit. The anchor/all around light should always be on the stern so I can see which way you are running.

https://www.amazon.com/attwood-14191-7-Clamp-Portable-Navigation/dp/B01B3M2BOG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=boat+light+kit&qid=1561725010&s=gateway&sr=8-3


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## DaleH (Jun 28, 2019)

An all-around on same post as R/G nav lights would also be illegal. As stated, the ‘separation of lights’ allows one to determine relative course & direction.

I use that same LED light setup, on a saltwater tin, greased all connections w/ dielectric grease before putting the batteries in and they are bulletproof! Plus fully water resistant anyway by design. And I paid $5 less!


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## gnappi (Jun 29, 2019)

DaleH said:


> I use the LED clamp-on light set from Walmart & such, < $30 and works great.
> 
> To that picture of the plastic bag over that console, not good, will form & HOLD IN condensation. Make a cover out of Sunbrella or other, e.g., marine canvas, etc. as they shed water but also ‘breathe’.



Agreed, but I store the boat under canvas without the plastic on it, it's use only on the water.

In the two+ years, I've owned it no internal raining / weeping yet while in use. When it rains it's there doing something canvas cannot, that being keeping everything available and operational.


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## Wyota (Aug 2, 2019)

I'll post a photo tomorrow of my rig, which started on a kayak, moved to an inflatable, and now my tinny. Basically, if you go LED, a small agm battery from battery plus inside a walmart drybox with switch and 2x waterproof connections, a cheap bowlight, and an all around light on top of a length of conduit and placed in a rod holder at the stern will give you the light you need, run forever on a battery charge, and ensure you have the legal 1 meter height difference between bow and stern, all for well less than 100 including the battery (how much less depends on battery size).

Okay, here is the rig. Battery is a larger one as it was made to run 2 lights, spotlight, fishfinder, and bait livewell. For just 2 lights, 10-14Ah battery would more than suffice, fitting in smaller box.


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## 1960 yellowboat (Aug 13, 2019)

Well, I'm cheap
Since I only go out a night very seldom,
I get white, red, and green lightsticks at the dollar store and use them.
Two small LED flashlights from Harbor Freight with some red and green mylar over the lens works too.
Or get a bicycle headlight and color the lens


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## Fishingman48 (Oct 1, 2019)

DaleH said:


> I use the LED clamp-on light set from Walmart & such, < $30 and works great.
> 
> To that picture of the plastic bag over that console, not good, will form & HOLD IN condensation. Make a cover out of Sunbrella or other, e.g., marine canvas, etc. as they shed water but also ‘breathe’.



Am new here and a couple months behind / but agree with the "Walmart LED clamp On" been using them for good 10 15 yrs since LED came out with them & battery's last quite a while. Their Water Proof, money wise pretty cheap & bright too stern light lites up inside of my 12ft. Jon just fine!/ also stow away nicely !!


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## cosborn (Oct 23, 2019)

I went a little overboard with my lighting. Got these nice little LED lights off Amazon, small flood, a 4 gang box, and a spool if wire. Went to Lowe’s and found some plastic trim. Then picked up some 3M automotive tape from O’Reillys (same stuff used to stick the trim strips to the side of your car).

I probably should have used the creases in the sides of the boat like others mentioned, but I decided on using the plastic trim to lock the wire down just below the gunnels. My thinking at the time was that if it were to rain, water would collect on that crease submerging my wires... and I was planning on a lot of splices I didn’t think I could keep water out of.

The trim I used has a little channel in it such that the wire is stuffed in there without being glued down itself (replaceable), which is nice since I take my fish finder and all of its wiring out for the winter to use out of a backpack on the ice instead.

The running lights, blue ambient, and flood lights are on independent switches on the 4 gang box, with an extra empty switch for the time being (ideas on what else I should install?)


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## 1960 yellowboat (Oct 25, 2019)

First of all, I'm extremely cheap!
So,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I got 3 free led flashlights from Harbor Freight and put red and green mylar over the lenes for the bow and put one on a piece of pvc for the stern ans thats it. A u clamp to put the bow lights on and a threaded base for the stern. Even if you have to buy the flashlights, you're not going to spend more than $20


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## Gary Roe (Jan 30, 2021)

I use [url]Obscurso Boat Navigation Lighthttps://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/best-boat-navigation-lights/[/url]. It’s so easy to install as I don’t need to deal with wires. There’s a 32” pole for the stern light and you can take them apart for storage. I only have to clamp all the lights. But be careful not to break the clips that keep the light and the pole. And It doesn’t have to stay in the same boat as you can remove it and use it in another water vessel.


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## InSaneFisherMan (Jan 30, 2021)

Don’t overlook basic requirements, green/red light must be visible at 1NM, all around light 2NM + any local or state requirements.

https://www.boatus.org/findings/48/

There is no requirement for a boat manufacturer to install running lights on modern boats, but if they do they must use US Coast Guard (USCG) certified fixtures and installed per regulations. However, it is ultimately the boat owner's responsibility for the proper display of navigation lights and owners should take note if purchasing a used boat, especially if fixtures have been moved to accommodate additions like T-tops or bow pulpits. At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to be certain your lights are positioned properly and are the proper intensity for your sized boat. To see USCG minimum requirements, click here (opens in new window).


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