Light rail

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Xpress_442

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Sep 19, 2012
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Location
Port Lavaca, Texas
Hey guys I'm racking my brain trying to come up with a removable rail idea for bowfishing lights. Any ideas? Post pics if you can. I'll try to get a pic of the bow of my tin posted a little later.
Ps I have aluminum pipe but minimal access to tools (benders etc)
 
Here is an idea for ya, I say put some recessed rod holders on the bow. You could then have someone fab you up your light rail and use the same diameter pipe so that they fit right in the rod holders.....best of both worlds, you light rail would be removable and you will always have a couple of rod holders up front.
 
If you don't want to go the rod holder route consider nutserts with a flange attached to the light rails. That's how I have the rod/gun racks in my little boat...... 8 screws out, remove rod racks, 8 screws in and the gun racks are installed.
 
Great ideas I never thought of that I was think of gettin rod holders welded onto the front but didn't think I would like the way it would look but if I could figure out a way to get flush mount ones put in that would work perfect
 
Here's a link to the thread where I have some pictures of my removable light rail:

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=22675&p=231163&hilit=gigging+light+rail#p231163



And a little video of the gigging lights in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOre4nmHqk8
 
I was talking about the flush mount type of rod holders.........they come in many different styles such as vertical, 45degree, 15degree etc.....You would have to install them a little back from the bow since they usually need 12 inches or so below the deck.
 

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The rod holders are also a good way of doing it, but as you said, you have to inset them into the deck. My design only requires one 1/4" hole on each gunwale, for the light bar to mount to. (with some, like war eagle, triton, etc, you can buy rail adapters, instead of having to drill a hole in the gunwale) And, with the folding design like my light bar, it's easy to collapse it to a compact size, for easy storage.
 
I like your set up too PSG, You know I sell the taco light like you have on your boat, I have one that is much brighter than the one you have....it has 6 led's, easily twice as bright and draws very little from your battery. I wish they would allow bow fishing here......looks like it would be a blast to me. Is it time for a new ride yet.......? I went through your build again and can really appreciate what you do.....cant wait to see what you do next.
 
bigwave said:
I like your set up too PSG, You know I sell the taco light like you have on your boat, I have one that is much brighter than the one you have....it has 6 led's, easily twice as bright and draws very little from your battery.


Now THAT would be the kind of LED system I'd like to have. As I said, I tried that one, and it was a disappointment, it cast off a pale blue color, really hard to see anything with that, so I went back to incandescents. I'd love to be able to run LED's to minimize power draw, but only if they put out the right wavelength of light.



I wish they would allow bow fishing here......looks like it would be a blast to me.

It sure is. I enjoy gigging, but there's really not much challenge in just sticking a fish with a pole spear. It's MUCH more challenging with a bow, or a crossbow. Kinda like combining hunting and fishing. I tried going high-tech, using laser pointers, etc, for aiming, but I have found that in the dark, when you only have a split second to take a shot at a moving fish, nothing beats hand-eye coordination.


Is it time for a new ride yet.......? I went through your build again and can really appreciate what you do.....cant wait to see what you do next.


It's definitely time to build another boat......the equipment and the designer(s) are willing and ready, but the funds just ain't there yet. Hopefully, by next spring, we can start pooling some money together, and see about building a supercharged version, and maybe even try to market and sell this one.

One of the reasons we had not yet tried to move forward with building boats, was the factor of reliability, which was an issue with the 2 stroke engine, but has been pretty much dealt with by using the 4 stroke. Also, the factor of being able to build a boat that met ABYC standards, and was actually an insurable vessel. Having gone through the process this past summer of having my jetboat surveyed, and approved for insurance, is a BIG step in that direction, as the survey, and the willingness of the underwriter to cover my boat proves that we CAN in fact build boats that meet standards, and are insurable.

Warranty might be another issue, though, especially considering that we are using a manufacturer's engine in a vessel not generally used with their engine.

I would love to get to a point where we have about 2 or 3 boats in production at any given time, on a steady basis. And who knows, maybe even a TV show. We're every bit as dysfunctional and funny as American Chopper, or any of the other shows that classify as entertainment...and I've already been on TV, along with the jetboat, so, who knows. Anything is possible.
 
You might try looking for railings from an old pontoon that's either being scrapped,( or one that should be). They will usually have a flange on the bottom to fasten thru, by putting it against the inside of the gunwale and bolting thru it. rather than screwing thru the deck. If You know someone with a "walker" :wink: , see if You can borrow it, of course wait till they go to bed, JUST JOKIN'.. Can You picture 2 old walkers on the bow side by side, w/a pr. of halogen lamps on the handle bars? [-X Sounds like a SNL skit for geriatric misfits, ( of which ,I'll be one someday, not toooo far off). :roflmao:. I better quit before I get hate mail. Just thinking of where You could get prebent tubing for cheap. Any way good luck and let us SEE what You come up with.
 
I've seen boats set up for gigging, that had a waist-high railing around the bow, to keep people from falling overboard. Kinda looked like a giant walker on the bow...LOL

I could have used that about 5 years ago in November, when I fell overboard, and it was about 25 degrees outside! I scrambled back in the boat so quick, the guy that was out there with me, didn't even realize what had happened. The only part of my body that got wet was my hands, and my feet, thanks to my tight-fitting foul weather gear, and the fact that I had fallen out in only 2 feet of water. Fortunately, I was only about 1/4 mile from home. So, needless to say, gigging was over for that evening. It was the one and only time I've fallen overboard in 30 years of boating, and hopefully, the last.
 
PSG-1 said:
Here's a link to the thread where I have some pictures of my removable light rail:

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=22675&p=231163&hilit=gigging+light+rail#p231163



And a little video of the gigging lights in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOre4nmHqk8

There seems to be a bit of a problem with your video. :(
 
That is very strange then. When I click it, I get the youtube video screen with this text in it.

This video contains content from SME and EMI Music Publishing, one or more of whom have blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.
Sorry about that.

And last time I checked, I'm in the same country as you. :lol: Mabye you see it normally because you're the owner. Need to find out what results someone else is getting with it.
 
Dang copyright disputes with youtube again. I've had videos that were blocked, then later unblocked, and vice-versa. I was wondering why that video hadn't had any views in a while. Reckon I might as well take it down, since no one can watch it.

I left a nasty comment for youtube on that video, all in caps, in case anyone from youtube reads it, they'll know where I stand on the issue. LOL, trust me, it wasn't nice.

I guess if I do any more videos with music, I need to just post them to Vimeo, instead of you-boob.



Here is the video on vimeo:


https://vimeo.com/50931217
 
Xpress_442 said:
Hey PSG how'd u build that set up

It's made from 4 pieces of 1/4" X 1" aluminum flat bar. 2 shorter pieces for the gunwale attachments, with a pivot at one end and an attachment hole at the other end.... and then 2 long pieces with the pivot point in the center, for the bow.

To build it, you measure from the center of your bow, along that angle, to where it meets the gunwale. Cut 2 pieces this long. Then, measure back from the corner of each piece, to a location on your gunwale, where you can put a bolt, a rail mount, etc. This is how long to cut the side pieces.

Since the 2 pieces that meet in the middle will be offset, you may want to flush bolt a couple of pieces of flat bar to the underside of the higher piece, so it rests neatly on the gunwale without flopping. Where you attach your side pieces, you will also overlap. So, 3 bolts will give you the folding mechanism, then you just need 2 more bolts to attach to the boat.

The beauty of this design is that it is adjustable, so it will fit the bow profile of quite a few different boats. I've used it on my 16 foot triton, my 16 foot dura craft, and on my girlfriend's 14 foot war eagle. On some boats, it's as simple as drilling a hole in each gunwale, and on others, a rail adapter can be used to attach the light bar.

And, as mentioned, the other nice thing is that it folds up nice and compact, it will fit inside a tool box, with plenty of room to spare. I know that because I have a tool box on my floating dock, as a dock locker, and I have stored the light bar in there.
 
Whenever you get a chance can u post a few close ups of the rail mounts, hardware etc please? Thanks for all the help guys hopefully I'll b able to get something built pretty soon right now I'm just clamping the lights to the bow handles and I'm not likin it very much
 
Here's a couple of it installed on the jetboat (these were previously posted in another thread, but I'll use them to illustrate what I'm talking about)

100_0248.JPG

You can see the 2 long pieces that come together in the center of the bow, and the 2 short pieces that join them, at the corners of the gunwale.

100_0249.JPG



Removed, and folded up:

100_0251.JPG

100_0252.JPG


You can also see in these photos, that the attachment bolt of the light bracket, is the same bolt used to hold the pivoting sections together, minimizing the amount of hardware.
100_0253.JPG

I can get some more detailed shots if you need them. Let me know.




And here's one of the adapter I use for my dura craft.

100_0250.JPG

Not the prettiest mount in the world, in fact, they are a little sh!++y looking. But they do serve their purpose. I may re-do them one day. It may be that I don't even need these blocks, I might be able to find a way to bolt directly to the holes drilled in the gunwales.

I also have a set of adapters that fit the rail of my Triton, and they also fit the rail of the 14 foot War Eagle my girlfriend used to own. I'll get some pictures of those mounts tomorrow, when I have some light.
 

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