Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I was hoping someone here has some knowledge of where I can buy some good docking light housings, or headlights. I do a lot of catfishing, and night time is a good way to avoid the summer heat lol. Aside from docking, some good lights would make it a lot easier to avoid stumps and branches and such, sticking out of the water at night. I was thinking of using something like the ones that Regency and a few other brands use. But Beef them up a bit, so that they would be a lot more functional. I'd put this LED in them. Very bright.


http://www.eachbuyer.com/100w-white-led ... 79290.html

Anyone?

I've never seen 5 deutsch bags like that on a toon. Sorry can't help with the lights.

It is not legal to run a boat with headlights at night. The lights are called docking lights because that is what they are used for.

Makes sense. What is the best method of avoiding stumps and trees and stuff like that? Just use a spotlight and go slow? That's what I've been doing so far.

But I'd still like to find some for use as docking lights. Some of these neglected boat ramps, have no lighting at all and its nice to be able to see, to put the boat on the trailer. Anyone know if they're selling those things yet, or are they still too new on the pontoon scene? I think they've been around 4 or 5 years now. I can't seem to find them anywhere.

We've went to the auto parts store and bought a set of driving lights to use as docking lights. Mount them underneath the front deck where they hopefully won't get tore off by loading on the trailer and wire them with a toggle switch.

We've also used the hand held spot lights as well, worked good and easy to store in one of the bench seats.

Automotive headlights might be something for me to consider. I really want to recess them into the fence like the boat in that pic. In my boat, they'd just intrude slightly into the baitwell type things. They're not actually baitwells on my boat, they're just storage. Might have to convert them to baitwells someday. But I don't really like to use live bait much... so I'm not sure.

But yea, car headlights might be the right way to go. If only I can find the right ones... It would need to be something low profile. Like one of those cars that just has those thin slits for headlights. Some of the newer cars are starting to look that way. Any ideas anyone?

We installed these lights:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M2GKBCW

They work well, but have only had them installed for a few months.

Looks like its most likely I'll be going with something like that.

Whatever you buy and install make sure you can adjust them up/down to get the angle you need. Most pontoons ride higher in the front so you need to tip the light downward to see better.

Thanks I didn't think about that. So they'll need to be adjustable...hmm. Might have to wallow out a little cave in the fence, and paint the inside flat black. Maybe a thin chrome trim ring to go around the outside. Need to do some photoshoppin

dang double post

Can I run them off of the trolling motor batteries? Its a 24v system, but maybe I could use something like this for the lights:

http://www.amazon.com/HOSSEN%C2%AE-Conv ... 24v+to+12v

If your have a 24 volt trolling motor, you have 24 volts provided by 2-12 volt batteries, I have never heard if a 24 volt batteries for that application. You can pick one of the batteries as your power supply, they are wired in series, (positive terminal bat 1 to negative terminal bat 2, positive terminal bat 2 to motor, negative from motor to negative terminal bat1,) and use it as a power them. I tried to post an image but that failed to work.

Hope this helps. - bat 1+ ________-bat 2 +______ +motor - _____to -bat1 terminal

Might try greatlakesskipper.com I know he sells a lot of sun tracker parts