1972 COHASSET Navigation Lamp Replacement

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
superdave_gv
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:55 pm

1972 COHASSET Navigation Lamp Replacement

Postby superdave_gv » Fri Aug 28, 2020 6:02 pm

I will describe my navigation lamp replacement project on my 1972 COHASSET II 16 classic. This job was 90-percent research and planning and 10-percent effort.

The [original] wiring [for the combined sidelight lamp at the bow] was laid in the [Unibond hull interior foam]. [My new wiring would require] a drill-through-the-hull [installation]. Fortunately my boat already had the three-piece rub rail installed by a previous owner so running the wiring through the black [vinyl center insert] channel [of the three-piece rub rail] was a breeze.

The [combined sidelight lamp and white all-round pole lamp were purchased from] Specialty Marine. The lamps use LED bulbs.

I tested the lamps before drilling.

The [pole lamp] fit in existing original hardware. I purchased a rubber insert, but I already had a suitable rubber gasket in place and it worked well.

At the console a Cole-Hersee M-476 switch was used. The switch terminal marking R is for Rear (half-pull), H for Headlight (full pull), and A and B are Battery: the nomenclature comes from use in automobiles.

The utility of navigation lighting is secondary to passing an inspection and just wanting the lamps to work. I thought using a switch to permit just the all-round light when anchored and both [sidelights and all-round] when underway was useful.

Sorting out and tracing the fuse box and block was fun.

I used Ancor tinned wire.

I splurged and bought a ratcheting crimper for the [wire] connectors. The crimper worked well.

From the console to the stern terminal block a three conductor cable [with insulated conductors in colors green, white, and another color] was used. I used the green conductor for the sidelight lamp power (as green in the light). I used the white conductor for the white all-round lamp power. [Apparently the other conductor was used as the common or negative return circuit. Perhaps this was a black conductor as the combination green-white-black insulation is common in 120-VAC wiring—Moderator.]

The old terminal block location was filled with some 3M 4200 for now. [In the future I will repair] this area with MarineTex. The new terminal location works better for me. I went without a box.

The liquid electrical tape has not been painted on yet.

A stainless vent covers the wiring thru-hull at the stern.

Any [holes drilled through the hull] were filled with 3M4200.

Special thanks to all for maintaining this wonderful resource and body of knowledge. With it, I am eager to celebrate my boat's 50th birthday in April 2022.

navlights_all.jpg
Fig. 1. Collage
navlights_all.jpg (114.99 KiB) Viewed 1386 times

jimh
Posts: 11673
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: 1972 COHASSET Navigation Lamp Replacement

Postby jimh » Sat Sep 05, 2020 11:45 am

More information about Cole-Hersee switches and their use in control of navigation lamps is given in SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL at

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2410

More information about replacement of in-hull wiring in older Unibond hulls is given in the FAQ at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q4

Lamps with light-emitting diode (LED) illumination may be polarity sensitive and will not work if wired with the polarity reversed: incandescent lightbulbs are not polarity sensitive.