Extra cockpit light that also stows away
Issue 54 : May/Jun 2007
We have a Davis Mega-Light, cockpit version, which is a seriously cool gizmo — ambient light for the cockpit in white, red, or yellow with a minuscule amperage draw, long-life bulb, and quality construction. It’s perfect for leaving on all night as a low-level anchor light or soft light for just hangin’ out. We discovered on our last overnight, though, that it doesn’t quite put out enough light to play Scrabble at the cockpit table after dark.
I remembered that I had an extra 7-inch red/white dome light lying around following the refit of my Pearson 28. These are the most common interior all-purpose lights; they usually come with a 10-watt halogen bulb and throw a wide field of warm ambient light. Now you can get plug-and-play LED clusters in the same socket type for a direct replacement and lower power draw. But for a couple hours’ entertainment or a specific task, the wattage demand is OK with me.
I cut out a piece of scrap Starboard polymer (wood would work just as well) to serve as a base, leaving three ears on it through which I drilled 1⁄4-inch holes for a hanging line. The line goes through a 1-inch brass ring, to which is also attached a short lanyard with a bronze dog snap on the end of it that snaps back around the line. Some duplex 16-gauge wire and a cigarette-lighter type DC socket plug with fuse completes the device. (I have a weather-resistant DC socket in the cockpit, but if you don’t, you can use a longer lead and run it below.)
This will provide ample light for entertainment involving small print in the cockpit at night, and — double-duty is always a big plus — it will also come in handy as a portable worklight for the engine room or cockpit locker (I don’t like being plugged in to shorepower). It took me about an hour to make. (Note: if using in engine room where gasoline fumes are noticeable, do not switch the light on and off inside the engine room.)
The total cost to me, over and above what I already had, was $10.27 including tax. An hour’s easy work and this thing should last forever. Even if you have to buy the light, you can do the whole thing for $25 to $50, and you’ll be able to light up your entire cockpit with white or red light, thus furthering one of the big goals of outfitting a cruiser — maximizing the usefulness of the cockpit as living space with simple, easily-stowed amenities that go away when it’s time to sail.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
