Bow light repair for a 68 - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Repairs/Mods
  Bow light repair for a 68

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Bow light repair for a 68

Don Stansell posted 08-21-2001 12:57 AM ET (US)
Looking for a way to repair the bow light of my classic whaler. I don't think there is enough usable wire left exposed out of the hull to make a good contact. Anyone with ideas on how I can fix it. Can I pull new wire????

LarrySherman posted 08-21-2001 01:21 AM ET (US)
I just did mine Don (an Outrage). the wire runs though the rub rail. Just stick a flat head screw driver in between the rubber insert and the reciever track, and pup out the rubber insert.
I would do this when your boat is out of the water, it take a good bit of work to get the insert back in.
Larry
Don Stansell posted 08-21-2001 01:53 AM ET (US)
Thanks Larry,
Not sure that will work with my 16 ft.
the white rub rail seems to be glued on,
nothing but fiber glass under it, at least at the spot I reglued it back on.
Tom W Clark posted 08-21-2001 09:48 AM ET (US)
Don,
There's really only one satisfactory way to get new wires to the bow. Install the newer three piece rub rail. As Larry indicates, the wiring is fed under the insert and penetrates the hull only at the bow and the stern where the terminal block is.
Chesapeake posted 08-21-2001 10:24 AM ET (US)
Don: Tom Clark is spot on. I had the exact situation in restoring my Nauset. BW had the 3-piece rub rail in which all 3 pieces are black. It turned out nice.
Run the new wires from the chock under the insert. When you get to the back of the boat, you need to drill a small hole through the side of the hull to run the wires from the rub rail to the bilge tunnel. Cover the hole with a SS clam shell. 12" or so from the clam shell is a good spot to exit wires that can connect to your anchor light. Run all the wires to the tunnel and up to your console and voila. If you can, climb in look at the wiring on a new 13 or a Montauk at your dealer and you'll see exactly how to do it.
lhg posted 08-21-2001 02:35 PM ET (US)
I agree that updating to the Balbour two piece rubrail is the way to go. See the reference section for picture of my 16 where you can see what the new rail looks like on an earlier hull.
However, if you don't want to install the new rubrail, BW recommended the following for new wiring to the bow light: "This involves running wires immediately below the gunnel (outside of boat) at the spot reached by the tips of the fingers when grasping the gunnel as in lifting. The wires are taped under this lip using a suitable white tape." To access the outside surface of the gunnels, two holes have to be drilled through the hull, one at the bow light, drilled up and in from underneath to hit the base of the bow light. The other at the stern, near the fuse block, which is drilled from the inside, 3" below lip of gunnel, angling up about 15 degrees to come out under this gunnel lip finger groove.
This works fairly well, if good tape is used, and does not show at all.
lhg posted 08-21-2001 02:40 PM ET (US)
That should be "terminal block", not fuse block.
CarlRobert posted 08-23-2001 09:15 PM ET (US)
I too had no usable bowlight wires left on my '62 13'. Since I have SS bowrails, I drilled a small hole in the back of my new bow light and anchored it to the bow. I then drilled a small hole in the base of my bow rail and support (large enought to accomodate 2 18 gauge wires but small enough to not weaken the mount and vertical rail).
I next dismantled the bow rails and using a heavy gauge copper wire, fished 2 18 gauge wires through the bow rail that runs down the starboard side of the boat. I ran the wires through a hole I drilled into the wooden console to my switch.
I spliced the leads from the new bow light to the 18 gauge wires with marine butt connectors and hid them in the bow light housing.
I covered the 2 18 gauge wires leading from the back of the bow light to the base of the bow rail with adhesive lined shrink tubing and sealed the holes with sealant. I did have to drill a hole through the bottom of the ss "T" which joined the right and left rails with the vertical support.
It was a chore to "fish" the wires through the rail assembly.
Hope this helps, if you have bow rails, that is...CarlR

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Bow light repair for a 68
Don Stansell	posted 08-21-2001 12:57 AM ET (US) Looking for a way to repair the bow light of my classic whaler. I don't think there is enough usable wire left exposed out of the hull to make a good contact. Anyone with ideas on how I can fix it. Can I pull new wire????
LarrySherman	posted 08-21-2001 01:21 AM ET (US) I just did mine Don (an Outrage). the wire runs though the rub rail. Just stick a flat head screw driver in between the rubber insert and the reciever track, and pup out the rubber insert. I would do this when your boat is out of the water, it take a good bit of work to get the insert back in. Larry
Don Stansell	posted 08-21-2001 01:53 AM ET (US) Thanks Larry, Not sure that will work with my 16 ft. the white rub rail seems to be glued on, nothing but fiber glass under it, at least at the spot I reglued it back on.
Tom W Clark	posted 08-21-2001 09:48 AM ET (US) Don, There's really only one satisfactory way to get new wires to the bow. Install the newer three piece rub rail. As Larry indicates, the wiring is fed under the insert and penetrates the hull only at the bow and the stern where the terminal block is.
Chesapeake	posted 08-21-2001 10:24 AM ET (US) Don: Tom Clark is spot on. I had the exact situation in restoring my Nauset. BW had the 3-piece rub rail in which all 3 pieces are black. It turned out nice. Run the new wires from the chock under the insert. When you get to the back of the boat, you need to drill a small hole through the side of the hull to run the wires from the rub rail to the bilge tunnel. Cover the hole with a SS clam shell. 12" or so from the clam shell is a good spot to exit wires that can connect to your anchor light. Run all the wires to the tunnel and up to your console and voila. If you can, climb in look at the wiring on a new 13 or a Montauk at your dealer and you'll see exactly how to do it.
lhg	posted 08-21-2001 02:35 PM ET (US) I agree that updating to the Balbour two piece rubrail is the way to go. See the reference section for picture of my 16 where you can see what the new rail looks like on an earlier hull. However, if you don't want to install the new rubrail, BW recommended the following for new wiring to the bow light: "This involves running wires immediately below the gunnel (outside of boat) at the spot reached by the tips of the fingers when grasping the gunnel as in lifting. The wires are taped under this lip using a suitable white tape." To access the outside surface of the gunnels, two holes have to be drilled through the hull, one at the bow light, drilled up and in from underneath to hit the base of the bow light. The other at the stern, near the fuse block, which is drilled from the inside, 3" below lip of gunnel, angling up about 15 degrees to come out under this gunnel lip finger groove. This works fairly well, if good tape is used, and does not show at all.
lhg	posted 08-21-2001 02:40 PM ET (US) That should be "terminal block", not fuse block.
CarlRobert	posted 08-23-2001 09:15 PM ET (US) I too had no usable bowlight wires left on my '62 13'. Since I have SS bowrails, I drilled a small hole in the back of my new bow light and anchored it to the bow. I then drilled a small hole in the base of my bow rail and support (large enought to accomodate 2 18 gauge wires but small enough to not weaken the mount and vertical rail). I next dismantled the bow rails and using a heavy gauge copper wire, fished 2 18 gauge wires through the bow rail that runs down the starboard side of the boat. I ran the wires through a hole I drilled into the wooden console to my switch. I spliced the leads from the new bow light to the 18 gauge wires with marine butt connectors and hid them in the bow light housing. I covered the 2 18 gauge wires leading from the back of the bow light to the base of the bow rail with adhesive lined shrink tubing and sealed the holes with sealant. I did have to drill a hole through the bottom of the ss "T" which joined the right and left rails with the vertical support. It was a chore to "fish" the wires through the rail assembly. Hope this helps, if you have bow rails, that is...CarlR