GT27 Build (Wes K)

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fallguy1000
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

wkisting wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 11:49 am Fallguy, can you elaborate about the drawbacks of side mounted?

I could go with a single, center-mounted combination bow light. That would probably look best, and should guarantee appropriate visibility at all required angles. Or they make separate top mount lights that I could place in each corner of the bow, though I worry a little about those getting snagged occasionally on a dock line or kicked when people board or unboard at a dock from the forward cockpit.
Well, the drawback is that there can be/is a blind spot for oncoming vessels.

A traditionally mounted beam is never obscured by the bow.

This is why a stern, or in our cases, cabin top running light is important, imo.
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joe2700
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by joe2700 »

fallguy1000 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 4:03 pm
wkisting wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 11:49 am Fallguy, can you elaborate about the drawbacks of side mounted?

I could go with a single, center-mounted combination bow light. That would probably look best, and should guarantee appropriate visibility at all required angles. Or they make separate top mount lights that I could place in each corner of the bow, though I worry a little about those getting snagged occasionally on a dock line or kicked when people board or unboard at a dock from the forward cockpit.
Well, the drawback is that there can be/is a blind spot for oncoming vessels.

A traditionally mounted beam is never obscured by the bow.

This is why a stern, or in our cases, cabin top running light is important, imo.
I think wkisting was just comparing a combined red/green v. individual red/greens at the bow. Either way you need an all around white light(and optionally a stern light) on boats this size. Properly mounted side lights should not have a blind spot from the front.

That said on this boat I'd mount side lights on the forward corners of the structure not the hull. Getting some height helps with visibility and they are totally out of the way and away from the water.

I went with side lights because I don't like to see the reflection of a top mounted lights on the deck, but spent quite a lot of time making a mounting surface that was paralell to the centerline on the curved area of the bow. You already have some nice parallel surfaces to mount them on. I used the 3rd light you linked and they are bright and seem to be of good quality:
https://sea-dog.com/groups/3815-led-side-mount-lights

fallguy1000
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

Brian's drawing below has blind spots. My boat will have blind spots. I plan to cheat the centerlines a bit in to help. But a top mounted light would not have a blind spot...theoretically
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joe2700
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by joe2700 »

fallguy1000 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:44 pm Brian's drawing below has blind spots. My boat will have blind spots. I plan to cheat the centerlines a bit in to help. But a top mounted light would not have a blind spot...theoretically
Theoretically sure, there is a spot between the lights that wouldn't be illuminated. Really unless you are 6" in front of the boat you can just see both lights if you are in front. I've never had a problem seeing any boat with that setup at night in the real world and it's very common.

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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by Jaysen »

joe2700 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:13 pm
fallguy1000 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:44 pm Brian's drawing below has blind spots. My boat will have blind spots. I plan to cheat the centerlines a bit in to help. But a top mounted light would not have a blind spot...theoretically
Theoretically sure, there is a spot between the lights that wouldn't be illuminated. Really unless you are 6" in front of the boat you can just see both lights if you are in front. I've never had a problem seeing any boat with that setup at night in the real world and it's very common.
Fallguy's problem is "big forking cat". He has about 11' (by my math) between the lights so that would be a much larger blindspot. To your point though, from 50' away that will vanish...
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fallguy1000
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

Jaysen wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:19 pm
joe2700 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:13 pm
fallguy1000 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:44 pm Brian's drawing below has blind spots. My boat will have blind spots. I plan to cheat the centerlines a bit in to help. But a top mounted light would not have a blind spot...theoretically
Theoretically sure, there is a spot between the lights that wouldn't be illuminated. Really unless you are 6" in front of the boat you can just see both lights if you are in front. I've never had a problem seeing any boat with that setup at night in the real world and it's very common.
Fallguy's problem is "big forking cat". He has about 11' (by my math) between the lights so that would be a much larger blindspot. To your point though, from 50' away that will vanish...
More like 13.5-14'
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

Bogieman
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by Bogieman »

Your boat looks great! Interior looks spacious too. You and the family are going to cruise in comfort

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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by jonnymac »

maybe I have a misunderstanding how the red/green navigation lights are supposed to be. Aren't they supposed to be set up so, basically you can only see one of the two colors at a time. So as long as you use separate lights on port and starboard for the GT27, I'm not seeing how you have any blind spots. See the below graphic for the illustration of my point. I mean fallguy1000 may have a different situation, so multiple lights may by necessary.
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Navigation-lights-1.jpg
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by cape man »

If I see a red light the boat is moving to my left, a green It's moving to my right. Just a white and it's anchored. A red and a green and it's heading right at me. I too like the running light below or out in front of the deck to make it easier to see where I'm going.
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Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by wkisting »

Thanks for the input, all. I hadn't thought about mounting them on the cabin sides, but that's a possibility and would simplify the wiring run, as well as keep them from shining too directly/brightly on the forward deck to obstruct visibility at night. The only concern is that if someone sits in the front cockpit at night underway, they could conceivably block some of the light's angle of visibility--maybe not a huge concern in practice, if the lights are fairly bright.

What's striking to me is how mixed the reviews are of many LED nav lights, seemingly regardless of the cost or manufacturer. I'd like something really bright and reliable, and preferably in actual stainless or polymer (not the "chromed" housings that always seem to spot rust).

I found some neat "pop up" combination bow lights, but a few get disastrous reviews saying they keep burning out or the switch goes bad, and then one or two models that seem insanely overpriced (over $200).
Wes
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