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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Light in Dumpster

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dalelargent
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/19/2012 : 09:13:32

Hi all,

I purchased a beautiful 1989 WK/TR back in January, but have been on the hard since due to winter. (I was able to sail her on the Columbia River before purchase - it was so fun!). Since that time, this forum has provided numerous tips for me. Thanks!

I searched and didn't find a thread on installing a light in the dumpster (btw, why is it called that!?!).

Question 1 is based on this: I haven' yet owned this boat in use but it seems useful to have a light in the dumpster. If so, I wish to do it now wile it is easy. Am I exaggerating the value of a dumpster light? Do some of you have them but "never" use them?

Question 2: If they are indeed useful, I might as well benefit from your experience on where/what you mounted. Suggestions?

Thanks again to this community for continually sharing.

Dale

1989 c25 WK/TR #5838
1998 Catalina 36 mkii
1983 Vagabond 14

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 09:24:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dalelargent
 Hi all,

I purchased a beautiful 1989 WK/TR back in January, but have been on the hard since due to winter. (I was able to sail her on the Columbia River before purchase - it was so fun!). Since that time, this forum has provided numerous tips for me. Thanks!

I searched and didn't find a thread on installing a light in the dumpster (btw, why is it called that!?!).

Question 1 is based on this: I haven' yet owned this boat in use but it seems useful to have a light in the dumpster. If so, I wish to do it now wile it is easy. Am I exaggerating the value of a dumpster light? Do some of you have them but "never" use them?

Question 2: If they are indeed useful, I might as well benefit from your experience on where/what you mounted. Suggestions?

Thanks again to this community for continually sharing.

Dale

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Unless you're going into it at night, I wouldn't bother. During the day there's enough light to see everything. The farthest I would go would be one of those battery powered, stick on LED lights.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 09:38:33

You've been keeping this purchase from us since January 2012?

Congrats and welcome Dale!

Light in the lazarette - nice amenity. I wish I could count the number of times I've left the lights on in our house attic - for weeks at a time!

Perhaps you could use a mercury switch . . .

LED bulb?

What's your hull#?

Edited by - OJ on 04/19/2012 09:44:00

JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 09:41:53

Welcome Dale! I agree with Peter - a stick-on light makes the most sense.

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dalelargent
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 09:52:35

Thanks for the welcome - and the advice.

Hull #5838

I, too, wondered if I would leave it on by accident...

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 10:08:26

Welcome to the forums.

Catalina calls is the lazarette. I think it is called the dumpster around here because it is shaped like one and easy to lose items in.

If you want a hard wired light it wouldn't be difficult to add one since on most boats the electrical panel is located in the dumpster. You would just want to be careful to turn it off when you aren't using it or you'll run your battery down. A light which turns itself off automatically would be best.

I don't know of boat oriented lights with that level of control, but in my shed lighting project I used a LED controller with brightness and automatic shutoff controls:
http://alexwetmore.org/?p=574

It dims the lights over a period of about 10 minutes, and if I'm still in there and see them getting dim I can just press the button to turn them back on. The controller is fairly expensive though ($40), and unlikely to be worth it.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 10:31:35

Get a battery powered LED puck light. They come in 3-packs for about $10. Or, if your boat has the shelf along the outer hull, leave a flashlight on the shelf. As for puck lights, I would place it on the dumpster wall, cockpit side, just forward of the hatch opening.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 12:22:26

I have spent a lot of time in there and have yet to need a light. At night I just use a flashlight or one of the lights that clips onto your ballcap. In the daytime a piece of rope looped over teh lifeline keeps the lid from closing and lets light in.

Why do you think you will need a light down there? Do you think its that dark? Maybe I'm part hobbit, but i don't find the light an issue at all, and after a drink or two it can be cosy down there.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 12:37:44

A couple of years ago my wife bought a couple of baseball caps from Land's End or L.L. Bean. The have 2 LEDs in the brim with a small watch size battery providing the power. I put that on when the sun goes down and I take off my Tilly knock-off. If I need a little light in the dark, flip the switch and voila! Bright enough for most tasks. My wife reads with one on often. Much more comfortable than one of those head lamps.

Edited by - on

Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2012 : 19:08:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dalelargent
 ...in the dumpster (btw, why is it called that!?!)...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I'd bet that few if any Cat-25 owners would have trouble recognizing what part of our boats that term refers to. I just had an interesting side trip looking the word up in Wikipedia, as well as Googling the term "dumpster diving." Amazing what you can find on YouTube.

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Sam001
Vice Commodore

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USA
441 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 10:02:48

I have a LED that has a motion turn on (and botton) and timed turn off. I thinks it cost 11 bucks. Sticks on anywhere and you can screw mount if you want too.

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BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 13:24:44

Hi Dale - If you do go the hardwired route, you can always wire another indicator light (maybe red) somewhere that you won't miss it. Another option is a tiny buzzer from Radio Shack, although annoying, I'm certain you won't leave the light on.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3448 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2012 : 14:25:07

Dale,

Congrats on your new to you Cat 25 ! Looks like Gary and you have newer wing keels, just a bit higher in number to mine.

Compared to so many other projects you could be working on, I do not believe there is a real need and definitely no priority to putting a light in the dumpster. But as was already suggested, maybe a hockey puck LED would suffice if you believe the light would be beneficial to you.

Edited by - on

dalelargent
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2012 : 22:27:34

Thanks for the feedback, all.

I have decided to do no dumpster light for now and indeed work on other things. If I find a light to be desirable, I will go with the battery-powered puck LED.

We have moved our launch up to this coming Monday. Oh, boy! Just got the new name and city on yesterday...

Dale

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2012 : 16:02:36

How 'bout one of them there clapper lights? Don't get that jingle stuck in your head.

Name looks great Dale! Who's Molly? Jim?

Edited by - OJ on 04/24/2012 16:02:56

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2012 : 16:39:13

Looks good!

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dalelargent
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2012 : 14:38:05

Molly Jim was the name of our past dog. She only made it to three. Not understanding physics well - especially mass and inertia - she chose to run in front of a moving car.

Weeks before we got her, my two kids were thinking of names for a future dog. One wanted "Molly," the other "Jim." I started joking about calling the dog "Molly Jim" so that no matter what, both kids would be happy and it wouldn't matter if we got a boy or girl dog.

Turns out the joke accidentally stuck. We really loved her and, somehow, it seems nautical to us.

You know: "Ahh, there be the mighty Molly Jim, matey..."

So, Molly Jim it is!

The dog had her own little song, demonstrating just how silly our family likes to be:

"Molly Jim - she's not a him
Molly James, she' one of the dames."

It somehow still seems fitting for our C25.

We launch on Monday!

Dale

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2012 : 15:48:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dalelargent
 We launch on Monday!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Clean looking boat there Dale.

C25 production certainly slowed in the final couple of years - not much span between serial numbers for the 1989 & 1990 models that appear on this site . . .

Edited by - OJ on 04/25/2012 15:49:22

dalelargent
Navigator

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USA
198 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2012 : 20:37:02

Oh, yes. I see we are only 16 apart. What sort of time span do you suppose that was?

Do you happen to know what number was the last produced?

Dale

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