Jim, I cruised along the east coast for 5 years without electronics in my M15. During that time I used a clip on bow light and made up a stern light fitting that would clip on the tiller at the transom.
I used the now illegal night light to hoist up the mast using the main halyard. When I was planning the cruise to the Dry Tortugas ( 80 nm west of Key West) I decided I needed masthead running lights and a masthead VHF antenna to be seen and heard in the possible swells. Since masthead running lights can only be used while sailing I installed two sets of running lights - masthead and deck. The deck lights in the bow actually attach to the bow pulpit and the wiring comes though the deck underneath the foot of the pulpit and runs thought the hollow stainless tube to the mounting point. The only tri-color masthead lights I could find were far cheaper at defender than West Marine - about 1/3 less. The make a masthead tricolor with an anchor light for a lot more money so I bought a little white all around light and bolted it to the top of the tri color - added some pins and little wiring and it has worked fine for the last 5 years. I do not use interior lights and I could cruise for a week without recharging the 80 amp hr gel cell battery when only using the anchor light, vhf radio and about and hour of running lights. I have recently added a solar panel but have little practical experience with it yet. Rick Langer has a great small led mast head anchor light that I have been meaning to ask him where it came from - Rick - Can you enlighten us? I could send pictures off line if you like. Thanks Doug Kelch M15 #310 "Seas the Day" On Oct 12, 2007, at 9:12 AM, Jim Sadler wrote: > What are you skippers doing for running lights? I am setting up > Pelican for > ocean cursing and want decent running lights. > I now have lights with suction cups that stick on the side of the > cabin > (this is so un kool). Is the hot tip to mount the lights to the > bow and > stern pulpits? What size batteries are you using? What is the light > arrangement? I am thinking of having a light for under power, an > anchor > light at the head of the mast, and the normal running lights maybe > even a > spreader light. I figure I could be underway at night for maybe 8 > hours and > the battery (or oil) would need to last that long. Are any of you > using a > solar panel or wind turbine? > > Yep you are right > That ole boy just finished reading "Diary of a sea captains wife" > > Captain James Albert Sadler > skipper sailing vessel Pelican M-15 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats ________________________________________________________________________ Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
