Mounting a floodlight

[Scouterdan]

Hi All 

 

I’m trying to work out how to mount a flood light that can to rotated on the front of my boat I have the light with is on a 1” threaded pole but I dont know any to just bolt it in a fixed position I want to be able to turn it so I can see the bank at night when hunting for good mooring. Can’t quite work out how to make it rotatable.

 

any advice will be most welcome

[bizzard]

24 minutes ago, Scouterdan said:

Hi All 

 

I’m trying to work out how to mount a flood light that can to rotated on the front of my boat I have the light with is on a 1” threaded pole but I dont know any to just bolt it in a fixed position I want to be able to turn it so I can see the bank at night when hunting for good mooring. Can’t quite work out how to make it rotatable.

 

any advice will be most welcome

A wide angle car driving light will shine on both banks of a canal without moving it about. The rectangular type. halogen bulb is best. That's what I use. Ideal on the Stort. These were add on lamps for older cars, still can be bought at car spares shops. possibly Halfords, one in Harlow,

Edited January 1, 2023 by bizzard

[Scouterdan]

Thanks blizzard for you advice but I still want to be able to rotate it as it’s built around a Francis searchlight body. 

[bizzard]

3 minutes ago, Scouterdan said:

Thanks blizzard for you advice but I still want to be able to rotate it as it’s built around a Francis searchlight body. 

Perhaps you can mount one separately above or below the Fransis lamp.

[magnetman]

You don't need to have a floodlight on the front of a canal boat. It is unpleasant for anyone else in the vicinity.

 

Let your eyes get accustomed to the low light levels, maybe wear a head torch if you really can't see anything.

 

If you can't see anything when cruising at night without using floodlights then don't cruise at night. Simple.

[Scouterdan]

I think I may have phrased my question wrong, it’s more a car headlight in to replace my light on the front of the boat, it’s not to dazzle people or boats. I don’t tend to cruise at night but sometimes along my stretch it can be difficult to find mooring as it can be shallow. So have the ability to rotate the light can be useful. It will also be useful to be able to turn it on the the towpath at times if we are doing a repair or something that needs light. The light housing has a handle on the back and I would to be able to rotate it.

[magnetman]

Are you talking about a deck fitting?

 

Stainless type (25mm stanchion base fitting)

 

https://www.baselinemarine.com/shopexd.asp?id=4643

 

Tube clamp is another useful search term.

 

This type of lamp is best mounted at the back of the boat (assuming narrow boat) beside the steering position.

 

I'd suggest that using a hand held spotlight would be the best option, from the steering position.

 

A powerful head torch would do this job I think. Not that I like any sort of torch but some people do and you can get very good ones these days.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by magnetman

[Scouterdan]

I have a small square mast on the front deck was looking to mount it on top of that, see picture attached

[magnetman]

There are a few options here

 

https://www.seascrew.com/browse.cfm?YACHT-STANCHION-SOCKET-BASES-&l=0000000490

 

I think it would be worth clarifying the exact diameter of the tube as these things are advertised as 25/1 inch whereas 1 inch is actually 25.4mm.

 

Other than that perhaps a welder could make something for you.

 

Another option I only just thought of is a large diameter pot magnet. Difficult to adapt it to the 1 inch tube though.

 

Are you allowed remove the aerial?

 

Presumably that top piece is removable otherwise the wiring for the aerial would be impossible.

Edited January 2, 2023 by magnetman

[Scouterdan]

The tube is a 1” tube, thanks for your help on this

[Jen-in-Wellies]

I'm struggling to see why you'd want to do this. Unless a crew member can get to the front of the boat, how can they move the light to one bank, or the other? The steerer would need to shout at them which direction to point it. Wouldn't a head torch be a better method, which lights up where you are looking automagically? There are plenty around with adjustable power settings, now all the way up to "vaporise cow at forty paces". As they go on your head, you already have an ideal mounting pole available and ready to use. Assuming you have a head. What is it I'm not understanding?

Typical example. https://starlessriver.com/shop/fenix-hm50r-500-lumens/

Jen

[GUMPY]

I used to use something like this

https://www.radioworld.co.uk/create_rc5-3_medium_duty_rotator

For turning my antenna array. It would cope with a light no bother. It has a 360 degree rotation so you can turn the light round and blind yourself as well as others.

[blackrose]

I don't really understand why it needs to be mounted to the boat either. What are the advantages of doing that?

 

Why not just buy some sort of rechargeable hand held led spotlight? There are hundreds on the market.

 

https://amzn.eu/d/dRonSYS

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by blackrose

[magnetman]

It is a Francis light. They look nice.

 

This sort of thing I believe:

 

 

[nicknorman]

We have a Francis light like that one. The shaft at the bottom goes into a hole in a round mounting block so it can be swivelled, although we have never felt the need to do that.

 

If the OP has an actual Francis light he could get in touch with Paul Westby at Kegworth Marine, he restores Francis lights and will have mounting bases.

[PD1964]

 I have a tunnel light and had it made to swivel when ordered, as it also has LED’s around the inner circumference. I find it handy to light my well deck when I have friends around(not bloody often though😂)

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by PD1964

[Scouterdan]

Hi everyone thanks for all the suggestions, I hadn’t realised putting a light on the front of my boat that swivels would be so controversial. Will investigate the options suggested. I don’t think I will rotate it often just seems a shame to mount it so you can’t rotate it. Wanted to have it rotatable so the option was there even if I never needed to rotate it.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 minutes ago, Scouterdan said:

Hi everyone thanks for all the suggestions, I hadn’t realised putting a light on the front of my boat that swivels would be so controversial. Will investigate the options suggested. I don’t think I will rotate it often just seems a shame to mount it so you can’t rotate it. Wanted to have it rotatable so the option was there even if I never needed to rotate it.

It isn't controversial, just that there may now be better options that you'd not considered than a bow mounted swivel lamp to do the thing you want, see potential mooring spots at night. Especially since hand held and head mounted torches have improved so much in recent years and are no longer rubbish.

[PD1964]

2 minutes ago, Scouterdan said:

Hi everyone thanks for all the suggestions, I hadn’t realised putting a light on the front of my boat that swivels would be so controversial. Will investigate the options suggested. I don’t think I will rotate it often just seems a shame to mount it so you can’t rotate it. Wanted to have it rotatable so the option was there even if I never needed to rotate it.

 Make it swivel if you can, at least you will have the option. Mine as I say is handy for lighting the well deck, mind you I can switch between main beam and LED’s. Many don’t look at the swivel option as it’s “just” a tunnel light, make it a bit more useful.

[Scouterdan]

It is partly the the look I’m after, I have a long tug deck which we sit on in the evenings. And the current light needs replacing as it leak through the to which runs down inside the mast. 

[Slim]

If you want a spot cum searchlight mount it near the tiller where you can control it. I have a dismountable one that I use when going through tunnels. Instantly controllable.

On a broader point what is this fixation with brighter lighting? When I started driving my headlights were 36 watt incandescent 💡 Now my headlights swivel, dip automatically, (a good feature) and even split the beam to project light either side of and beyond an approaching car. For good measure, a replacement bulb,if needed, costs in excess of £2000, yes £2000. Madness 😠 

[PD1964]

52 minutes ago, Scouterdan said:

It is partly the the look I’m after, I have a long tug deck which we sit on in the evenings. And the current light needs replacing as it leak through the to which runs down inside the mast. 

For looks get a vintage Francis light with detachable socket fitting, so you can store inside and not get stolen.

  For what you said originally to look for moorings at night, get a high powered Torch, you could also use it for light when banging in your mooring pins, far easier then someone standing on the front rotating a fixed light and shouting instructions.

  Maybe your over thinking a simple scenario.

Edited January 2, 2023 by PD1964

[Scouterdan]

To honest I was looking for a light to replace my existing one, found a light I liked bought it and converted it so it didn’t act like the bat signal and just wanted advice on mounting it on my boat. I have various high powered handheld, head and magnetic torches already that I use. It’s a similar type of light that man many narrow boats have was just after advice on how other people have mounted theirs.
 

Thank for all the options. I think I’m going to use a 25mm brass end socket with a nylon bolt below and a nylon washer between the lamp and the socket with metal locking bolts below to make it difficult to pinch. 

[bizzard]

4 hours ago, magnetman said:

It is a Francis light. They look nice.

 

This sort of thing I believe:

 

 

Looks like it might fit into a rollock socket and swivel.

[PD1964]

Nice looking boat.👍

What length?

Edited January 2, 2023 by PD1964