Questions about CD25 Cabin and anchor lights?

[hobo_hut]

I just bought a CD25, problem is I wont be picking it until next week. I am trying to order some led lights for all the cabin lights but i dont know what type of socket each use. I plan on ordering from sailor solutions.

How many lights and what type sockets are there in the cabin of a cape dory 25?

Also i want to get an led for the anchor light. What is the socket type for that?

[Brian2]

I suggest you wait and check out the fixtures before going on what anybody else has. Not all the CDs have the same stuff, even if they are the same model.
Also, I installed LED bulbs in most of my fixtures last season, dome lights and reading lights. They didn't work at first, as the plus and negative 12v dc leading to the fixtures was reversed. For incandescent bulbs, it didn't matter which way the current flowed, but LEDs are diodes and only work with the current flowinf one way. I had to cut the wires from the fixturs, reverse them (or unreverse them) and then the bulbs worked fine in the fixtures.

[Carl Thunberg]

Before you immediately jump into a pretty expensive LED upgrade, you may want to see how things go as-is for a while. You may find through some judicious choices, your existing lighting works. Here's how we made the existing lights work in our former CD25.

• 1. At anchor, I would run a Coleman LED lantern with 4 D-sized batteries up the jib halyard. We could cruise for an entire week on 4 D-size batteries. Just remember to attach a downhaul to it or you'll never get it down in the morning. There's nothing worse than staring up at the top of your mast wondering how the heck you're gonna get yourself outta this one. Don't ask me how I know that
  2. At night in the cabin, we would use the cabin lights very judiciously. We never hesitated to turn on the lights for short periods of time when we needed them, but our primary source of lighting in the cabin was another Coleman LED lantern, again preserving the marine battery.

We used a 400 milli-amp solar panel to recharge the battery. While under sail, we had the VHF radio on most of the time, as well as the depth transducer. With this level of power consumption and the lighting choices described above, we never had a problem with a depleted battery. Anyway, it's something to consider. It worked for us. You may find it works, too. There's always time to upgrade later if you find it doesn't work.

[Steve Laume]

We too use a 6volt lantern battery powered anchor light. Mast head anchor lights are great for an open anchorage. In most of the harbors we anchor in, I am much more concerned with a late arrival or some guy in a big engined tender T boning us up close. It seems like an anchor light mounted lower makes the boat much easier to see in a crowded anchorage. The LED units that plug into a lighter socket would be a great way to utilize the boats power.

I use an LED head lamp for reading and some other chores. We use short stubby candles for general lighting at times. This is not only to save battery power but also because I like the light and they smell nice too.

All that said I would still like to upgrade at least some or all of my bulbs on the boat at some time. If you use your boat for a while it will give you some idea of which lights tend to get used the most. Our V berth is only used as a stowage area, so spending money one energy efficent bulbs that are very rarely used there would not make much sense for us.

LEDs seen to make good sense from both a longevity and power consumtion point of view. Aside from that, they are just plain cool, Steve.

[Clay Stalker]

I use a Davis Mega-light hung from a stay for an anchor light....very bright, especially from a distance and uses very little juice. Interior lighting are mounted kerosene lamps most of the time, and turn on overheads only for short periods. Have not gone to LED interior lights yet because of the cost but may in a future upgrade.

[tartansailor]

I am in the process of changing all of my lights, both interior and navigation to LED.
The bulbs were purchased on line at a cost average of 25 bucks, but I have to change the sockets from SC Bay to DC Index.
They both take 2 ear bulbs but the latter has a hi-lo, while the former are both low ear slots.
I am keeping a kerosene hurricane anchor lantern as a back up just in case.

Dick

[Sethrkallman]

Living in an off the grid house. we have experimented with most every hyper efficient light source available. for us the LED is not too good in living space, the light is cold! There are new 12 volt compact flourcent now available, good light no flickering. We put in two a couple of weeks ago. low wattage 12 v halogen are good too.
Seth