Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

[James0816]

Hello everyone. I could use some great guidance here in replacing these fog lights on a 1993 Godfrey Hurricane deck boat. Lights are dead and rusted out.

Everything I will describe is as if you are looking at the boat straight on from the front.

There are two fog lights as you can imagine on both sides. They have stainless steel bases which are bolted on through the top of the boat. The bolts have a round smooth head and are secured with nuts from inside the hull.

The light on the right was real easy to remove since there is an access port up front and on the right side of the boat. I was able to use a 15mm wrench and vice grips to remove it. Just reach in through the porthole and go at it.

My problem is the light on the left. There is absolutely no way that I can reach this light from the porthole. I'm at a loss as to how to go about removing this one.

If anyone is familiar with this and can lend any type of adivce on how to remove and then reinstall the new light, I would so greatly appreciate it.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Thanks kindly for your assitance.

J.

 

[salty87]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

pics are always helpful.

how about a new porthole covered with a sealed deckplate? Beckson Screw-Out Deck Plates - iboats

 

[James0816]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

the old lights are similar to this...

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?index=0&sbk=1&nav=SEARCH&itemId=111116240006

no new access ports. trolling motor sits where it would go any way

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

I can't offer any help other than to let you know, those are not fog lights, they are docking lights. If you get them fixed, don't ever run with them on at night unless you are very close to a dock you area approaching for a landing.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

^THIS

If you have no other way to reach it then you are likely going to HAVE to cut another hole and you likely will have to remove the trolling motor to do it

 

[James0816]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

I can't offer any help other than to let you know, those are not fog lights, they are docking lights. If you get them fixed, don't ever run with them on at night unless you are very close to a dock you area approaching for a landing.

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

Why wouldn't you use them at night? Gets pretty dark out on the water late evenings.

 

[James0816]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

Well now this is interesting. I was just reading about these lights. Yes, I'm fairly new to the boating world. You actually don't use them while running unless your docking. Hence their name. Docking wasn't my issue when I needed them. Dock had plenty enough of light.

My issue was coming off the lake on the 4th of July. Late at night, pitch black and couldn't see crap out there. Other boats cruising along making wake and had no light to be able to navigate the wakes very well. It was pretty hairy for me I must say. I just putted along nice and slow and made it back ok. But that fact that I didn't like driving where I couldn't see was more than enough to prompt me to fix these. can't see the water, debris, markers, etc. yikes!

But now that doesn't seem viable.

 

[salty87]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

they're only to be used for docking or trailering purposes because otherwise they'll shine in the eyes of other boaters messing up their night vision as well as yours. light travels very far reflecting off the water. they'll do more harm to other boaters than they'll do you good. give your eyes time to adjust and your night vision will allow you to see better than with a few lights that are pointed only in front of you a few feet. get a handheld spotlight for those times when you need to pinpoint something but again don't run with it on all of the time.

it's important to slow down at night. the same rule holds true as during the daytime...don't go any faster than you're willing to hit something. if you can't see what's in front, you shouldn't be going fast because there could be something or worse...someone/boat...that you can't see. sure, lots of boaters go zipping around at night at full speed. given enough time and enough bad decisions they might become news stories or worse.

 

[James0816]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

they're only to be used for docking or trailering purposes because otherwise they'll shine in the eyes of other boaters messing up their night vision as well as yours. light travels very far reflecting off the water. they'll do more harm to other boaters than they'll do you good. give your eyes time to adjust and your night vision will allow you to see better than with a few lights that are pointed only in front of you a few feet. get a handheld spotlight for those times when you need to pinpoint something but again don't run with it on all of the time.

it's important to slow down at night. the same rule holds true as during the daytime...don't go any faster than you're willing to hit something. if you can't see what's in front, you shouldn't be going fast because there could be something or worse...someone/boat...that you can't see. sure, lots of boaters go zipping around at night at full speed. given enough time and enough bad decisions they might become news stories or worse.

Definately great info to know. Glad I posted out here or otherwise I wouldn't have known and probably made a lot of people mad at me. Will only use them at the dock or beaching at night.

Good thing for me is that I don't go fast to begin with. I have a deck boat and just enjoy puttin around the water or dropping anchor and sitting in a cover or such.

We do a ton of night fishing but that was the first time I piloted in darkness.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Need to change fog lights on Hurricane deck boat

You will hardly ever need those. Get yourself a handheld spotlight that plugs into a 12v lighter socket.