What would you do here?

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
Finally getting around to properly wiring the boat for lights and 12V dc power outlets and I have a couple of questions. The boat is a 14' Lund SSV or something like that.

1. I am running wires trhough the gunnel and it is a greatplace to do so. Wires went up to the bow light no problem and I pulled wires to the middle bench seat, drilled a hole and pulled the wires out. My question, how do I best "hide" the wires, or mount them so that they do not get yanked on? I bought a piece of some type of wire hide from the hardware store but I don't think it is goig to stick real well. In the pic I am looking down from on top of the boat and you can see the bench seat. I want to run wires from the gunnel through the seat and then wire a couple of interior LED lights and a couple of 12 sockets.

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2. Where would you place the stern light (I bought one of those Attwood plug in light pole bases so I can stow the stern light when not in use). View attachment attwood.jpg I have two options. On the wooden seat, or on the metal triangular gusset on the top corner of the boat. Pole is plenty long to put in either place. I like the metal gusset but am afraid that there is nothing to support the bottom part of the light base. It will kind of hang there in the poen under the metal corner gusset. I can't find any reason not to mount it on the seat but something doesn't sit right with putting it there either.

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Sure apprediate any insight.

Mark W

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Well, there are many options. If you just want to protect the wires, you canget some tape that is desidned for wrapping gas lines. It is vinyl tape made to stick to metal (black pipe) and it is waterPROOF. Clean the side of your boat, stick the wired down with it, then slap some paint on the top.

For the light, I would make a mounting base that attaches to both the gusset andthe seat, then mount the pole light bast to that. Your mounting would be stable then.

Those things would be easy to do and serve your purpose, but they would not ba fancy.

Dave
 
Yep, trailer wire. I figure the trailer gets worse wear and much wetter than anything in my boat where the wire is going to be that I used it. Are there problems with trialer wire? I don't hunt salt.

Mark W
 
Yep, trailer wire. I figure the trailer gets worse wear and much wetter than anything in my boat where the wire is going to be that I used it. Are there problems with trialer wire? I don't hunt salt.

Mark W
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Mark, trailer wire is not marine wire. Marine wire has much thicker insulation and, more importantly, it is tinned. I'm sure it will be "fine" and lots of folks get by with less, but it isn't right.

T
 
I had a similar issue. This is a really old Lund and I'll be damned if I'm going to tear the wood out of it and replace it to run wire which is exactly what would've happened removing the fasteners. Eventually all of the wood will come out that has carpet on it but it wasn't time yet.

I had to run the transducer and power cable mid boat. Anything that is exposed in a fly fishing boat gets snagged so I tried to snag proof everything. I even ground and sanded the edges of the conduit clamps and peened the edges down. I used conduit and the big gray tube(an old St Croix fly rod tube and cut it to fit perfectly in the well)has the extra cable wrapped up in it. I had to slit the conduit to get the wire through because the connectors were too big to push through. I actually ruined the one that came with the fish finder and had to buy another one. Did you know that the transducer cable costs nearly as much as the new fish finder!? By the way, using a commercial Makita grinder with a cutting blade is not recommended for slitting the conduit. Danger! Danger!!

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PS The back well is filthy because I haven't power washed it in two trips.
 
Thanks Jay for the pic's. I was/am thinking something similar. I've got every wire through the gunnel as what I'm running doesn't have big plugs. I too like clean and snag free as hunting for many years has taught me the value of thinking of these things.

I'm really looking for thepro's and con's or mounting the Attwood on the seat or mounting it to the metal gusset. The only downside with the gusset is that the bottom of the attwood mount will be "in the opne" at the back of the boat and I'm thinking that if it could get hit and broke, it will get hit and broke. Downside on mounting to the seat is the potential of interferring with my blind.

Decisions, decisions.....

Mark W
 
As far as the light goes I'd mount it on the metal corner dealy and use some PVC or conduit(shocker!)similar to what I did. You could epoxy the PVC to the base of the light or just wedge it in there. My buddy did that with his light and ran some little conduit along the transom to his battery box.
 
They have that flexible black conduit down in the automotive section at Walmart, right next to where you get that trailer wire. You can slip that over your wires and use some plastic wire clamps (get them at the same place), screw them down somewhere out of the way.

Ed.
 
Install it on the metal corner and run a peice of wood or sheet metal across under the bracket to protect it, creating a triangular shaped compartment.
 
Marine wire has much thicker insulation and, more importantly, it is tinned. ------------------------ What do you mean "tinned?" Just the ends? I will be wiring my boat soon. Don't want to do a 2nd rate job. Dave [/QUOTE]
 
The tin really protects it from corrosion. Marine wire is expensive, but it is really nice stuff to work with.
 
I'd use the sheathed wire.

Once exposed, you can 5200 it flat to the corners/surfaces.

I do think the trailer wire is a poor choice for your application.

We normally run thicker wire than that.
 
Yeah, I'm going to can the trailer wire. Since I have LED lights, they draw significantly less poer than normal incan lights so thicker isn't really needed for the lights. For the 12 V sockets, without a doubt.

So, just a question, does everyone who thinks the trailer wire is a bad idea go and rewire your trailer with tinned copped marine grade wire? My trailer sees way more abuse than the boat as far as elements go. Minnesota salts the crap out of the roads and the trailer wire gets wet whereas the the boat wire will probably not get wet.

Just asking.

Mark W
 
Trailer wires may be bad, but wire to wire connections are the worst! I just try to make it through late season hunting without getting a ticket and then it seems like every spring I have to repair my trailer lights, connections, and wires.
 
Mark,

as with everything that we talk about on this page it is a question of choice.

Tinned wire. Totally the "RIGHT" thing to do. Best wire available, right gauge, right color...
Then there is the "Wrong" thing to do. Ah hell, this will be good enough, get me by for now, get me on the water, maybe down the road I will replace it right, I am cheap, I don't have the funds, it should work. Any of those comments are and can be used, and quite frankly are all valid..to a point.

Real question just comes down to your personal decision to go Top of the line or make some concessions. In the end, it is your boat, and your choice and you live with both. Even if the light goes dark and something happens.

By the way, tinned wire for a few lights on a boat your size is really not that much.

On new construction, it would be my only way, but then, that is me.

good luck with either, Ed Askew hit it on the head on how to deal with the wires.
 
Well said.

I've found that in Michigan, the trailer wire connnections really last if you protect the exposed metal wire strands with the liquid electric tape, heat shrink tubing, or lots of good electrical tape. A dollop of dielectric grease helps with the bulb connections corroding.

FYI: I this spring I added a 12 volt outlet and a battery charger to a new boat I purchased for some bigger bodies of water. I used the marine wiring just to avoid having to redo the wiring in 5-10 years. I also spurng for stainless hardware and really good wiring clips. For my peace of mine, I think it was a good investment.
 
Yeah, I'm going to can the trailer wire. Since I have LED lights, they draw significantly less poer than normal incan lights so thicker isn't really needed for the lights. For the 12 V sockets, without a doubt.

So, just a question, does everyone who thinks the trailer wire is a bad idea go and rewire your trailer with tinned copped marine grade wire? My trailer sees way more abuse than the boat as far as elements go. Minnesota salts the crap out of the roads and the trailer wire gets wet whereas the the boat wire will probably not get wet.

Just asking.

Mark W
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Mark,
I got tierd of rewiring lights on the trailer each season, even using the submersible type. I built myself a light bar that I strap onto the transom area. It sits high so the driver behind me can't miss them, and I use the trailer wire set up not tinned wire. When I'm running wire in my boat I use marine grade, plus I silicone my wire connections (if I don't heat shrink).

Good luck

-Jack
 
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