• This item is now an E10 LED! • Uses only a fraction of the power of conventional bulbs! • Shines much brighter than conventional bulbs! • Will last over...
• Uses only a fraction of the power of conventional bulbs!
• Shines much brighter than conventional bulbs!
• Will last over 50,000 hours of continuous use!
• Virtually indestructible and will hold up to the harsh marine environment!
Vintage style (NOT PERKO) navigation bow light used on Classic Boston Whalers from 1958 to approximately 1984 when Boston Whaler began outsourcing to Perko. Made from high quality, mirror polished true 316 stainless steel, some vendors advertise stainless items as 316, although they are an inferior 304 which costs much less. This item is also equipped with a 12 volt LED (light emitting diode) light source, which is far superior to conventional bulbs. 14 gauge wire is the most common but 16-18 can also be used. Requires a 3 amp fuse when wired separately, 7.5 amp when wiring with stern light. M8-1.25 Studs are 2.25" or 3" depending on boat. Includes all necessary mounting hardware. Will fit most models of classic Boston Whalers and other boats with similar dimensions.
Dimensions: 6 5/8" wide x 4" deep x 3" high
Outside dimensions of through bolt holes: 5" (shown in last picture)
Note: To seal water from the base of the light caulking may be required
Note: If you have a single piece glue on rub rail you will need to select the 17' hull from the drop down to get the longer 3" studs. If you have a 17' hull with the metal backing plate in the gunnel, you may need to source a M8x1.25x89mm stud.
Note: The 12V LED bulbs use approximately 1.5 - 2 amps. 16-18 gauge wiring can be used but will be larger than necessary, In this instance,, you can simply snip off some strands to reduce the gauge and then use butt connectors.
Well finished piece overall however navigation lights are something I scrutinize deeply. I suppose the led bulb is a one mile? Not particularly bright. Another aspect of the red green globe is that they really aren’t separated. If you view the stbd side green, there is a strong halo of red from the front and rear of globe. This shows the privileged vessel slivers of red along with the green. It’s not until a vessel is directly abeam that an oncoming vessel would see pure green. I taped the 90 degrees of the rear part of the globe, painted black the inside of the SS housing and that eliminated some of the overlap of colors but the front of the globe still has bleed of red over the green. Looking at the literal original bicolor light from 1967 there is very tight coverage of the globe. I’ll get the colors entirely separated, this attempt with tape was just a first attempt. For mounting, the flat head hex drive screws were too short. I ordered 316 SS hex flat head in 4” from McMaster Carr and they worked perfectly. Used TefGel on the threads. Not sure what later models look like under the rub rail but I had to add a piece to make a suitable surface for flat head screws. I made a nylon spacer to close up the huge gaps that otherwise would have resulted from a simple bolt on. Overall I’m happy with it and would recommend the product, just be ready to think your install through for a well done job
Store owner replied:
Hi Russell,
Thank you for your thoughtful review! Many older Boston Whaler designs left a lot of room for improvement but we do not tend to do that in order to keep with the exact OEM design we received from a customer (25+years ago on this light). The LED bulb is the largest and brightest we could find to fit under the lens but still an improvement from the old incandescent bulbs from factory. As for brightness, regulation does call for a minimum brightness of 1 candela (12.5 lumens), and be visible within 1 nautical mile.
The lens itself should be able to be pushed forward a bit to hit the metal top housing divider arm and help with the glare you are seeing but it sounds like the tape did a decent job.
I'm surprised that the studs provided were too short. The longest we carry is 3" for the 17' hulls and I have never heard of any fitment issue. Is it possibly that rubber base you put underneath the level out the light on the rub rail? That is a great addition! It looks very professional. How did you get the nylon to be so perfectly curved on the edges?
The reason the light doesn't sit level without it is because when these lights were originally on the boat, they were paired with a single piece glue on rub rail which laid much flatter than the new 3 piece kits that are standard today. Since these smaller Whalers are so low to the water, the beam being focused at a slight upward angle has the ability to transmit/shine over a long distance to clear over the top of swells, etc Cheers!
Store owner replied:
Gorgeous! If you are on IG, we do monthly photo contests for a chance to win a $100 gift card. Just send pics to specialtymarinecontest@gmail.com and include your name/IG handle, location, and any information about your boat that can be used in the caption :)
Phenomenal very happy! Specialty marine is the only way to go 😃
It was a perfect fit on the 1986 Montauk I am working on.
The bolts were 3/8 of an inch too long so I put stainless washers on the heads to take up the space. They are under the gunwale so you do not see them.
Beautiful piece of hardware, blows doors off anything Perko could build. Really classes up the whaler, arrived quickly. Once you hold the part, its incidental what it cost, it is such high quality. Thanks!
Store owner replied:
Hi Jeff,
Products are covered under warranty (see link at the top of the website). We are happy to work with you if there is ever an issue in the future! :)
Looks great fine quality. Expected no less from Specialty Marine
