Adding additional tail, brake & signaling lights

B

Bill.Secure

New member
With my CD-25 and trailer shortly to be released from their respective repair shops (see post "It shouldn't happen to a dog ..." for details), I've been looking at ways to improve the rear visibility of the boat and trailer.

Eye level lighting would be a major safety enhancement. Because the trailer lights are low, their visibility to following drivers is poor. Additionally, with a long wide rig, the lights on the truck are largely obscured.

What I've found that (on paper at least) appears easy to use, inexpensive and likely to be effective is a 60" LED light bar called "Line of Fire". It is thin, sealed, very light weight and looks like it could be attached to the transom running behind the motor (need to get the boat back with the replacement motor before I'm sure of this statement). It costs $50 locally, $45 on-line and comes with a standard trailer electrical connector. The guy at Trick Trucks said it's very bright. It incorporates tail light, brake light and signaling functions.

I'm guessing I'd mount it so it's removable when on the water, but I'll know better when I have both the boat and it in hand. If "Line of Fire" meets expectations, I'd also consider putting a second one on the rear lip of the cabin roof, but one thing at a time.

Thoughts/experiences anyone ???

Bill Moseley
Edgewater, MD
 
No experience with it, but my thoughts are :thup! That looks like it was made for what you have in mind. Looking at it online even got me thinking about ways to use it myself. Lots of folks have made removable light bars gizmos using traditional lamps with all kinds of ways of hanging them, both for the reasons you have and for keeping the lights out of the water. This LED bar looks simple and very well suited to the task. You can easily splice in a female plug at the rear of the trailer so a simple unplug-and-go will work. I like it.

P.S. - I really don't feel up to going back and rereading "It shouldn't happen to a dog ..." , though. Too tough. So you'll soon be back in business, huh? Good, good. The insurance guys do alright by you?
 
I believe I mentioned this before: I took at 10 foot piece of PVC pipe trimmed to 8 1/2 feet, I belive it was 2" diameter, and put the LED lights outboard, and the 3 LED lights in the center. Split into the wiring harness at the back of the trailer, and put in a 4 pin connector, so we have brakes, turn and tail lights. This is secured with bundee cords to the outboards (foam protects the outboard from the PVC Pipe). I don't have a photo, since that unit with with the boat I sold in June--but I'll be making one for the next long trip.

You can place this anywhere you want. Be sure and seal the splices into the lines well. use silicone grease on the connectors--and we disconnect on launch. It gets the bright lights right up to drivers levels.

If you have "standoffs" you can also put lighting on them--at any level which you desire. I put just a combination red (rear)and yellow (forward) light on the top--but you can put more if you want. I also put retroflective tape on the standoffs.
 
The CR25 solved this issue. The tail/brake lights are built into the transom of the boat. The trailer lights plug into the boat itself.
 
ffheap":2rh6asvm said:
Hi Folks,

How about reflective tape all over the trailer? Cheaper.

Fred
Click to expand...

Hey Fred, how do you get that tape to blink when you turn or stop? :disgust

It's like insurance, you gotta spend a few bucks to save your important assets.... :love

And your Axx. :lol:

Charlie
 
I've had my trailer lights whacked a couple of times while parked. My cheap solution was to buy some lights from the nearest West Marine (no too pricey) and to screw them onto pieces of plywood. I drilled a hole in each corner of the plywood boards. I ran a piece of 1/4" nylon rope through the upper two holes and tied knots in the end such that a plywood has a rope "handle" on the top. I can hook these into the rear cleats on the boat. The bottom holes hang down close enough to the tie down D-rings on the boat that I can run a cable tie through the D-ring and one hole on the plywood to secure the lower end.

I made a Y-cable for the trailer that allows me to hook in both the pre-existing trailer lights + my hanging lights. I generally don't tow with my add-on lights. But I always have them in my truck for a quick replacement when (not if) someone whacks my lights again in a tight parking lot.
 
I was talking about additional lights BEYOND the legal requirements.

I did the clip on lights for a while. I attached the lights to small clamps, one facing forward, one facing aft. I then clipped them to the ventilators on my aft side decks, making sure the right goes to the right side, and the left to the left side. I still have them, though I now have the regular lights.

Sorry to confuse anybody.

Fred
 
I was looking for something else (AirBags and tow vehicles :shock: ) and found this thread. So, I am working on this project too.

I just put a RECON LED light bar on the back of my truck

https://gorecon.com/product/60-tailgate ... se-lights/

and I am looking at doing the same for the back of the boat. It would be up above the aft gunnel cleats, has tail, brake, turn and backup LEDs. Comes with a straight 4 plug, but for the back of the boat, to get the backup lights, I am gong to convert that plug to a 5 pin and use 6 wire covered bundle, and add amber or red clearance LED lights on the end of a 7 foot bar, and maybe add some extra backup potential too. I was a bit disappointed in the light bar, backup lite is only a center section of the bar, not the full 60 inch width.

It kind of follows the same philosophy as on my motorcycle, "Hard to have too much light".

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

Friends_Cal_09_10_Oct.thumb.jpg
 
My Current C Dory 25 trailer, I put in LED tail/brake and turn lights at the top of the standoff' PVC pipe. I used one size up "45* EL..and slipped it over the pipe. the wire was spliced for the taillight below. I also put a "jewel" amber light toward the front of the pipe, and a red (stop, flasher, turn) aft. By looking in the Rear view mirror I could see the amber light, and know that the flasher.brake or turn light is working. Also so many of the trailer lights are tucked under the boat--and up high , like the transverse bar, as well as the the vertical lights are very visible.
 
thataway":1c3py9ju said:
...I also put a "jewel" amber light toward the front of the pipe, and a red (stop, flasher, turn) aft. By looking in the Rear view mirror I could see the amber light, and know that the flasher.brake or turn light is working. ....
Click to expand...

My trailer came with amber marker lights on the front of the fenders that are connected to the red lights at the back. They let me see what the red lights are doing via the rear view mirrors.
 
ssobol":1qthyoze said:
thataway":1qthyoze said:
...I also put a "jewel" amber light toward the front of the pipe, and a red (stop, flasher, turn) aft. By looking in the Rear view mirror I could see the amber light, and know that the flasher.brake or turn light is working. ....
Click to expand...

My trailer came with amber marker lights on the front of the fenders that are connected to the red lights at the back. They let me see what the red lights are doing via the rear view mirrors.
Click to expand...

Yes, my trailer (Pacific) has fender lights. My new LED lightbar will have amber side markers, red side blinkers, and stop, turn, tail and backup and will be about 6 feet above road height. It is still in production, so no pix yet.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Goodness - if the driver can't see that an 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall, 30 foot long trailer with working lights in the regular old spot isn't stopping or turning, then it's a bad day at driver education class. I always laugh a little up here because the State makes folks with big loads put an oversized load sign on the front and back of their rigs and run a strobe light. I'm like....duh....never would have noticed....Totally agree some people need all the help they can get on the road :-)
 
T.R. Bauer":ykbp7j1x said:
Goodness - if the driver can't see that an 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall, 30 foot long trailer with working lights in the regular old spot isn't stopping or turning, then it's a bad day at driver education class. I always laugh a little up here because the State makes folks with big loads put an oversized load sign on the front and back of their rigs and run a strobe light. I'm like....duh....never would have noticed....Totally agree some people need all the help they can get on the road :-)
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Totally agree, however, the light placement on some trailers are there only to fit the requirements, not to provide logical notification to following drivers. (Witness the lights on a trailer that has the the aft crossmember a full 4 feet (or more), forward of the transom on the boat, and then below that crossmember, and compare that to a quality built trailer that has the lights on the end very close to the transom.

IMG_4106.sized.jpg

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
T.R. Bauer":2lwlf96q said:
Goodness - if the driver can't see that an 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall, 30 foot long trailer with working lights in the regular old spot isn't stopping or turning, then it's a bad day at driver education class. I always laugh a little up here because the State makes folks with big loads put an oversized load sign on the front and back of their rigs and run a strobe light. I'm like....duh....never would have noticed....Totally agree some people need all the help they can get on the road :-)
Click to expand...

That is a Federal D.O.T. thing! Any thing over 8'6" requires F&R signage, Strobe & a trip permit :thup The state just gets the permit fees :wink:
 
I have an extra led light, about 8" or 10" wide that mounts on the cavitation plate on the outboard. A wire runs down to a standard trailer plug mounted on the trailer's rear cross member. The light does running lights and brake lights only. I bought it years ago. It's very bright. Don't remember the brand name.

I hardly use it as most trips we do are relatively short. If I were going on a longer trip, say to another state, I'd probably put it on.

It's more at "eye level" for other drivers and is the farthest back part of the entire rig, due to it being mounted on the cavitation plate with the outboard up for towing.
 
T.R. Bauer":3egqdeir said:
Goodness - if the driver can't see that an 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall, 30 foot long trailer with working lights in the regular old spot isn't stopping or turning, then it's a bad day at driver education class....
Click to expand...

But then you'd have also thought that people could see other cars and pay attention to them. But nooooooo. That's why cars are required to have centerline brake lights now. Usually higher up than the conventional ones.
 
Bringing this back as I am actually getting started on getting this project done.

Wondering if anyone has pictures, or part numbers. I have collected some parts, including an 8 ft aluminum channel to mount the lights in/on and a 45 foot 7 wire cord to run from the "Y" at the truck to the light bar above the OB's. This will be for more long distance tows, or city tows.

The 8 ft bar with lights and wire will fit inside my truck for extended parking situations. I am planning on mounting the lights on the inside of the 2" channel and having the upper and lower edges to protect the lights and wire run. It will be all LED lights: The 60" Recon Lite Bar, additional 60 watt backup, Red brake, and orange turn lights with orange and red markers at the ends.

At least that is the plan. This will all be running off the 7 pin plug on the truck to a "Y" and then the cable will run alongside, or through the boat, as needed.

So, what are your thoughts on any part of this. Maybe it seems excessive, but IF it keeps someone from busting one of my props or lower units, it is worth it, I think.

I am now trying to figure out the wiring arrangement :shock: :roll:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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