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 Lighted boat parade, any wisdom to share?		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts
Initially Posted - 11/18/2004 :  01:14:30  Show Profile  Visit tmhansen's Homepage
I think lighted boat parades at Christmas must be a warm climate tradition. We are planning to enter out boat this year. Never having done it before I would love to learn from the mistakes of others rather than make them all over for myself.

Tried to borrow a generator but looks like we will have to rent one. I have a bunch of rope lites (tubes with lights inside) My plan is to make a spiral down the mast around the shrouds like a giant xmas tree. I'm wondering how to keep the lights from sagging between shroud and forestay. Any ideas?
Todd Hansen
Fiorghra'
San Luis Obispo, CA
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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts
Response Posted - 11/18/2004 :  12:55:54  Show Profile
I've never done this, so take it for what it's worth. Could you use a halyard to hoist 6 or eight lines, then anchor those to the deck - stanchions, hand rails, etc. - in a circle. Then spiral the lights around that.

Or better yet, hoist light strings instead of lines and just have the tree shape from straight lines rather than a spiral.
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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts
Response Posted - 11/18/2004 :  16:13:34  Show Profile  Visit Champipple's Homepage
Just remember to put some kind of line on anything you hoist that doesn't go all the way down to the deck.... Otherwise you'll be climbing after it.
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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts
Response Posted - 11/18/2004 :  18:15:18  Show Profile  Visit Douglas's Homepage
I have seen small wire ties used but I think cotton is the best bet. It will break away when tugged to remove. I used a large Loop of line to hold all the lights ends and hauled them up the mast. Spread them out at the bottom along lifr lines and back up.
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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts
Response Posted - 11/19/2004 :  10:36:12  Show Profile
An article in yesterday's local paper discusses boat fires and mentions holiday lighting displays. Bottom line: Let's be carfeul out there.

[url="http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041118/COLUMNISTS07/411180351/1023/COLUMNISTS"]Article[/url]

Steve
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Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts
Response Posted - 11/19/2004 :  13:22:10  Show Profile
Todd, I used my 800 watt inverter to power three strands of the small white lights during the 4th of July. Seemed to have plenty of power from two house batteries. I had them on for about 3 hours. I connected the three ends to my unused jib halyard and hoisted them up, put a couple of wraps around the stays and it looked great. Good luck.
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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts
Response Posted - 11/20/2004 :  13:24:38  Show Profile
Todd - in a couple of weeks Hill Country Yacht Club will hold its 21st. Parade of Lights. Here's a few pointers from our pros:-
1. Don't use minilights - they are not visible from any distance, use the "regular" lights (7.5v I think).
2. Get a big enough generator - # of lights x 7.5 + 10% for safety.
3. Tie down the generator very well on the foredeck, with a piece of carpet under it to reduce vibration.
4. Carry spare fuel for the generator and boat and a funnel to fill 'em with. (Our parade lasts about 4 hrs and normally requires 2 refills on the generator.)
5. Have at least one working flashlight on board!
6. You can tie the lights to chicken wire and attach that to the shrouds which adds security.
Hope these help.
Derek
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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2004 :  03:05:15  Show Profile  Visit tmhansen's Homepage
Thanks Derek. I just reserved two 2000 watt Honda generators today. Cost a bit more than one large 3000 watt one but it comes in smaller packages that are supposed to be very quiet. Should give me enough juice to power up an amp and blast xmas music over the noise of the big sport fishing boats.

Hopefully I can a picture to share. Should be fun even if it is cold. Its getting down to 38 degrees here at night this week. Get to spend a couple nights on the boat anyway! This is turning out to be quite a production but we have been planning it since we watched the parade last year.
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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2004 :  11:11:27  Show Profile
Enjoy the parade, Todd. Ours has just been cancelled because we are flooded again....lake is 6' above the road into the marina (it's now
17' above normal level and still rising). Deja vu all over again...
Derek
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Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2004 :  15:15:36  Show Profile
Derek,

How much rain have you folks gotten in the past week? Seems like it's been raining non-stop down there for a while.

Ain't hill country weather fun? Desert dry or monsoons & flooding.

Good luck, and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2004 :  18:05:40  Show Profile
Jeff - so far at our place we have had 64" this year - a normal year is 28"...what's also interesting is that we have not had one day with temps over 100.
The lake will remain high for a while. With all the flooding downstream from the dam, the Corps won't let out more than normal flow. We do have access to our boats - the marina runs a pontoon boat shuttle every hour on weekends from their other marina on the other side of the lake. But it sure is a pain in the...
Derek
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Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts
Response Posted - 11/24/2004 :  21:49:10  Show Profile
Hmmm. Kind of puts a dent in the global warming argument. Oh well, as long as you can get to the boat & sail it's all good.
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fredflemming
1st Mate

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USA
29 Posts
Response Posted - 11/30/2004 :  12:53:55  Show Profile
Todd,

Despite all the temptations of the holiday season, make sure the lights are lit but not the captain , boat handling is the dark is exciting enough.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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