Navigation in the dark or in poor visibility is not just a matter of convenience, but a critical aspect of water safety. Side lights They allow other boatmasters to determine your course, dimensions and traffic status, which prevents collisions. For owners of inflatable vessels, installing lighting equipment is often the first step in serious tuning.
Unlike metal or fiberglass boats, installation on the PVC boat It has its own unique features. You can't just drill a hole and screw a flashlight tightly. Flexible side, lack of a rigid transom in some models and the specificity of the onboard network require a personal approach to each step of the work. In this article, we will examine all the nuances, from the selection of equipment to the final sealing of the connections.
Properly installed lights are not just about following the rules, but also about your comfort during night fishing or cruising, and installation errors can lead to short circuits, cylinder depressurization, or worst of all, water emergencies, so planning and implementing a project should be approached with the utmost responsibility and care.
Choice of navigation lights for inflatable vessels
The first step is to find the right equipment, and the market offers a lot of options, but not all of them are suitable for inflatable boards. PVC boats The best models on suction cups, rods or magnetic bases (if a metal bulge is installed), rigid fasteners with cylinder drilling are used extremely rarely and only by experienced craftsmen.
Modern LEDs (LEDs)LED) The lights have almost completely replaced incandescent lamps, which consume the minimum energy, which is critical for autonomous batteries, and are highly vibration-resistant. When choosing, pay attention to the angle of light scattering and color temperature, which must strictly comply with navigation standards.
When buying lights, make sure they are marked to conform to the WFPSS-72 standards, otherwise the GIMS inspector may not accept your vessel.
Also worth considering are universal mast lights that are fitted to special sockets, which are compact and easy to remove when transporting a boat, but they will require pre-planning a point of installation on a rigid structure, such as a transom jar or transom.
- 🔦 On the suction cups: Ideal for temporary installation, does not damage the material, but requires a smooth surface.
- 🧲 Magnetic bases: suitable only in the presence of a metal profile or bulge, provide reliable fixation.
- 🔩 Strubkins: universal solution for fastening to a transom or rigid elements of a cockpit of any thickness.
GIMS requirements and WFPSS-72 rules
Before taking up a soldering iron and a drill, you need to clearly understand what should burn and where. Inland waterway regulations (INRWS) and international regulations (IPRS-72) strictly regulate the colors and sectors of visibility of lights. Violations of these rules not only entail fines, but also create chaos in the understanding of the situation by other boatmasters.
Small vessels of less than 12 metres in length, which are the majority of the PVCAt night or in reduced visibility, a white all-round light must be lit, visible from all sides, and if you are driving for an outboard motor, side lights may be additionally required, although small high-speed craft often only allow the use of one combined light or a white masthead light.
⚠️ Warning: The white all-round light must be positioned above all other lights and illuminate the 360-degree sector, and must not be installed below the eye level of the steering wheel or with closed structures.
It's important to distinguish between "season light" and "anchor light." Although technically it can be the same light, the rules for using them are different: a sea light only burns when the boat is moving, an anchor light when it is standing. Combination of functions is possible, but it requires a clear understanding of what mode you are switching on.
Location and chromaticity of lights
Color coding is the language that captains speak on the water. Green light always points to starboard, red to left, and white is used for stern and top lights. Color confusion can lead to fatal errors in boat divergence, especially in narrowness.
For the typical PVC The most common configuration is one white circular light on the mast (top light) that is visible from all sides. If the length of the vessel allows and local regulations require, the side lights are installed: green on the right and red on the left, each of which illuminates a sector 112.5 degrees from the diametric plane.
| Type of fire | Colour | Sector of visibility | Location. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top (travel) | White | 360 degrees. | On the mast, above all. |
| Onboard (right) | Green. | 112.5 degrees | On the nose, right |
| Onboard (left) | Red. | 112.5 degrees | On the nose, left. |
| Aft-handed | White | 135 degrees | On the transom, behind. |
When installing side lights on inflatable cheekbones, it is important to ensure that they are rigidly fixed. The soft side can deform on the wave, changing the angle of lighting. It is recommended to use rigid platforms or brackets that are attached to the hardness elements of the boat, rather than to the cylinder itself.
Preparation of electrical equipment and wiring
The electrical part is the heart of your light system, and in water, humidity, splashes and salt mist create an aggressive environment for contacts, so all connections must be made to the highest standards of tightness, and conventional insulation will not work here, it will quickly unstick and become saturated with moisture.
For switching, use a silicone-insulated polycore copper wire. It is not tanning in the cold and is resistant to ultraviolet light. Choose the wire section with a margin: 1.5 mm2 is usually enough for LED lights, but if the length of the track is large, it is better to take 2.5 mm2 to avoid voltage drops and dim glow.
How to sell on a boat?
Use a low-temperature solder and be sure to insulate the soldering site with a shrink tube with adhesive layer. Conventional heat shrinkage without glue can let water through under pressure.
A safety lock is a mandatory part of the circuit, and it's placed as close as possible to the power supply (battery), which will protect the wiring from fire in the event of a short circuit, which on a boat with fuel and gas can be a disaster, and the value of the fuse is selected based on the total power of all consumers.
- 🔌 Connectors: Use waterproof connectors such as DT or RCA with rubber seals for quick removal of the mast.
- 🛡️ Goughra: Hide the wiring in a corrugated hose to protect it from mechanical damage and UV radiation.
- 🔋 Battery: for powering the lights it is better to use a separate traction battery or have a spare one, so as not to thin the starting one.
Technology of installation on soft board
The most delicate point is the attachment of elements to PVCDrilling cylinders is strongly discouraged unless you have professional vulcanization skills, and even a well-glasped hole can become a stress point over time and lead to etching of the seam.
The best option is to use hinged elements that are attached to stringers, banks or shutter cylinders using belts, Velcro straps or special clips. There are ready-made sets of racks for lights that are fixed on a slingboard or inserted into the plugs for oars.
⚠️ Warning: Never attach a fire mast directly to an inflated cylinder without a hard pad. When wind is gust, the mast works like a sail and can pluck a piece of cloth or flip a light boat.
If you use suction cups, the surface of the balloon should be perfectly clean and fat-free. Before installation, wipe the attachment place with alcohol or a special PVC cleaner. On a dusty or greasy surface, the suction cup will not last long, and you risk losing fire overboard.
☑️ Checking before getting on the water
Sealing of compounds and protection against moisture
Water will find its way wherever there is a slit, so sealing the compounds is a priority, all twists must be soldered and closed with a heat shrink with a glue layer, and when heated, the glue inside the tube melts and seals the compound tightly, creating a monolith.
For added protection, you can use a silicone sealant, but only one that does not contain acetic acid (to avoid corrosion of the contacts). Apply it carefully, forming a smooth transition in which water will not linger.
Pay special attention to the wire insertion into the lamp case, even if the lamp is protected. IP67It is recommended that the threaded connection or cable input be further smeared with waterproof sealant before final assembly.
Testing and maintenance of the system
Once you've finished, don't rush into the dark, do a thorough test in safe conditions, leave the boat on for hours, splashing water periodically on spray joints, simulating rain and splashes, and this will help to identify hidden sealing defects.
Regular maintenance will prolong the life of your system. After each foray, especially on salt water, be sure to rinse all the elements with fresh water. The salt crystallizes and corrodes the contacts, even if they are protected.
Regular checks of wire tension and insulation state before each season will save you from sudden lighting failure at the most inopportune moment.
At the end of the season, remove all removable cells, dry them and put them in a dry place. The battery also requires proper storage: it needs to be fully charged and recharged periodically during the winter to avoid losing capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use conventional car LEDs for a boat?
Technically, yes, if they are airtight, but car lights often don't have the right angle of dispersion and color temperature required for navigation, and they may not have the necessary certification for water transport, which may raise questions for inspectors.
Which battery is better to use to power the lights?
To power only lights, any lead-acid battery with a capacity of 7 Ah is suitable. However, if you plan to use a sonar or pump, it is better to take a traction AGM or GEL battery with a capacity of 20-50 Ah, which better tolerates deep discharge.
Do I need to register the installed lights in GIMS?
The installation of lights does not require separate registration as it is a safety equipment, but the design and equipment of the boat must meet the requirements for the annual technical inspection.
What to do if the wiring overheats?
Turn off the power immediately. Chances are the wire section is too small for current consumption or there is poor contact (resistance) in the circuit. Replace the wire with a thicker one and double-check all connections.