Replacing the Navigation Light
Below is how we replaced the navigation light on the bow of our 2002 Stingray cuddy cabin. This step-by-step guide may differ as the cuddy cabin offered some obstacles to the replacement process, but replacing your navigation light should be a similar experience.
We needed the following tools for this repair job:
1) Replacement nav light
2) Screw driver
3) Wire Stripper
4) Splice kit
5) Electrical tape
We carry a tool kit in our truck, to make sure we can handle most repairs on the go.
Our need to replace the light broke when we were docking the boat and hit a piling. It cracked the glass. Since we could not replace the navigation light before the rain came, we rigged up some protection for the wiring by duct taping over it. The duct tape left the discoloration you see in the photo below.
The first step is to turn off the power to the boat. This boat has a disconnect switch for the battery, so we ensured it was in the "Off" position. The next step is identifying the correct navigation light for your boat. The is a wide variety of lights to choose from, but it is very important to match the footprint of the light you are replacing. The navigation lights typically come with various colors (bi-color may be required for the bow within your state), input power and poles.
Different states and countries have different requirements based on the size and type of your vessel. Within our navigation lights category, you can find a wide range of lights to choose from, each with a different purpose. If you need help identifying the correct light for your boat, give our sales team a call or email and they will happily help you out.
The next thing we needed to do was remove the chrome-plated cover. This was simple removal with three screws.
With the chrome cover removed, we cleared out all broken glass to ensure that it did not fall into the hull.
We removed the pole and weather protective mount to reveal the wiring inside. At the opening, you can see where the wires had been spliced previously. We used two more splices to ensure the connections were added. Our new splices are the red ones below.
Following the splicing and ensuring that the connections are secure, we used the original screws and installed the new boat bi-color navigation light on the boat. Looking good & ready to avoid a ticket from the Coast Guard!!
Do you need help with replacing your navigation lights or components? Our sales team is here to help. Give us a call (919-951-4313) or email (sales@boaterstop.com) and we will help you out.