One sailor’s way to make a movable bracket for a cabin lamp
Issue 37 : Jul/Aug 2004
Shore power (or a good battery bank and electric lights) is convenient, but nothing beats the comfort of a cozy sailboat cabin illuminated by kerosene lamps. I keep Concordia, a 1979 Valiant 32, in San Diego, California. I spend frequent long weekends aboard and, while I love the look of a traditional yacht lamp, I am reluctant to drill unnecessary holes in the teak joinery. But I have found a solution for mounting the lamp without any permanent modifications to the interior, and the mount is both secure and movable.
Valiant sailboats are fitted with a stainless compression rod just aft of the mast. Technically, it’s an expansion rod, designed to prevent the turning blocks at the base of the mast from lifting the coachroof. Whatever its official name and purpose, it is a perfect place to centrally mount a yacht lamp. The lamp can be positioned to light the main cabin and the saloon table, and the mast will block any light that might disturb guests in the forward cabin. Since the rod runs from the sole to the cabintop, the lamp can be mounted at any height.
I used StarBoard to make a mounting plate for a Weems & Plath lamp bracket. Both are available at most marine chandleries. The expansion rod is 1⁄2 inch in diameter, so after cutting two pieces of StarBoard appropriately sized for the bracket, I clamped them together and drilled a 1⁄2-inch hole from top to bottom. Drilling the hole plumb and perfectly centered is essential but diffi cult even with a good drill press. I used a radial-arm saw to cut a shallow guide slot in each piece, and the drill bit followed the slot perfectly. Stainless bolts, washers, and knurled knobs hold the bracket to the mount and clamp it around the expansion rod. Standard nuts would make for a cleaner look, but I like being able to adjust the height of the lamp by loosening a few knobs and sliding the mount to the desired height.
For bright cabin illumination, the electric lights will always go on first. But at anchor with the rain gently falling on the cabintop, it is the golden glow of a kerosene lamp you’ll see shining through Concordia’s portlights.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
