All-round anchor light at masthead--Need info please

[Bill Goldsmith]

My anchor light is apparently burned out. I am getting 12V at the mast base deck connector, so it appears I need to change the bulb.

To minimize the number of trips aloft, I am seeking advice regarding:

--The type of light bulb I need to buy
--Hints on how to open the light to replace the bulb, i.e. what tools to take up and how the thing comes apart.

It appears to be the original factory light, sitting atop a short length of rigid pipe that is threaded and screwed into the masthead fitting.

We won't get too much into the fact that I unstepped the mast this past winter and neglected to replace the bulb while easily accessible............ Something like...: How many Cape Dory owners does it take to change an anchor lightbulb....? Oh well,

Thanks for any comments.

Sheepishly,

Bill Goldsmith
CD27 #173
Second Chance



goldy@bestweb.net

[Ed Haley]

Before you go to the length of climbing the mast, you should be sure that the connector wires in the plug at the base of the mast is electrically connected to the male and female prongs. This is a common place for discontinuity after a disconnect during storage. Occasionally the wires either corrode or break rendering the electrical supply to the masthead light inoperative. Remove both plug covers and inspect the terminals and wires. Perform a continuity test on the masthead side of the connection. If all is well, then replace the bulb while inspecting the connections atop the mast.



eghaley@twcny.rr.com

[mike]

Instead. I bought two 180 degree lights (or whatever the degree is) and bolted them back to back on a bronze plate and drilled a hole at top and bottom of the plate and mounted a electrical cord w/ 12 volt plug and raise with halyard and tie a line at bottom to keep taut. Looks quite nautical and cost about $25--the two lights were $8 each at defender. Forget the brand but they were #1 rated some time ago by practical sailor and are Swedish or Norwegian (I think). I'd spend another $25 anytime to forgo a trip up the mast.

Mike

Before you go to the length of climbing the mast, you should be sure that the connector wires in the plug at the base of the mast is electrically connected to the male and female prongs. This is a common place for discontinuity after a disconnect during storage. Occasionally the wires either corrode or break rendering the electrical supply to the masthead light inoperative. Remove both plug covers and inspect the terminals and wires. Perform a continuity test on the masthead side of the connection. If all is well, then replace the bulb while inspecting the connections atop the mast.

innisfree@att.net

[Mark Yashinsky]

Sounds two clowns (I'm one of them) when the mast is up and none when its down and easy to do.
Ed H. -- the deck connector was just replaced and there IS power on the two conductor cable going to the anchor lite. Just hope the wire at hte lite did not break when the mast was raised. But thanks.

[Warren Kaplan]

We won't get too much into the fact that I unstepped the mast this past winter and neglected to replace the bulb while easily accessible............ Something like...: How many Cape Dory owners does it take to change an anchor lightbulb....? Oh well,

Thanks for any comments.

Sheepishly,

Bill Goldsmith
CD27 #173
Second Chance

Bill,
Don't feel too sheepish about all this. Listen to this. When I bought Sine Qua Non last year the mast was unstepped for survey and also for shipping from New Jersey to New York. The surveyor informed me that the lights on the mast "were not operational". In the course of fitting her out I easily changed the bulbs on the unstepped mast. I assumed that would take care of the problem. What this Cape Dory owning "genius" DIDN'T DO, was test to see if the lights worked on the unstepped mast. Well, the mast was stepped, Sine was put into the water and low and behold the mast lights didn't work! I remember mumbling to myself at the time, "What the hell were you thinking?" Obviously, I wasn't thinking at all!
Warren Kaplan
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27 #166 (1980)



Setsail728@aol.com

[Darin Bartram]

In case you don't want to make your own, there's something called a mini-amp mega light that works the same way. I think it's about $40, and has an automatic switch that turns itself off at daybreak.

Instead. I bought two 180 degree lights (or whatever the degree is) and bolted them back to back on a bronze plate and drilled a hole at top and bottom of the plate and mounted a electrical cord w/ 12 volt plug and raise with halyard and tie a line at bottom to keep taut. Looks quite nautical and cost about $25--the two lights were $8 each at defender. Forget the brand but they were #1 rated some time ago by practical sailor and are Swedish or Norwegian (I think). I'd spend another $25 anytime to forgo a trip up the mast.

Mike

Before you go to the length of climbing the mast, you should be sure that the connector wires in the plug at the base of the mast is electrically connected to the male and female prongs. This is a common place for discontinuity after a disconnect during storage. Occasionally the wires either corrode or break rendering the electrical supply to the masthead light inoperative. Remove both plug covers and inspect the terminals and wires. Perform a continuity test on the masthead side of the connection. If all is well, then replace the bulb while inspecting the connections atop the mast.

dbartram@bakerlaw.com