R-27OB spotlight and remote helm switch?

Blue Soul

Blue Soul

R-27 LE
Joined
Sep 17, 2024
Messages
35
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Fluid Motion Model
R-27 (Outboard)
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2744K021
Non-Fluid Motion Model
R-27 LE
Vessel Name
Blue Soul
Has anyone considered or installed a remote controlled spotlight on an R-27? Any lessons or thots about such a project?
 
If you decide to add one I'll make you a good deal on a new-in-the-box spotlight that the previous owner had bought for my boat. When I bought the boat a few months ago the factory original wasn't working so he had bought this Marinco 22040A but I was able to fix the bad connection and get the original working, so don't need this new one.
 
Thanks for the reply, Andy, but I am looking for an LED light.
 
Fatdaddy57 said:
Has anyone considered or installed a remote controlled spotlight on an R-27? Any lessons or thots about such a project?
Click to expand...

The R27-OB was originally designed with a spotlight in mind. There's a fuse for one located in the fuse block behind the helm. There is power already ran to the base of the mast. If you pull down the center teak in the ceiling, under the mast, you'll find two wires, + and - labeled for the spotlight. I used that wire to power my Internet router for the boat when I put in my Cellular/Starlink router.

I bought a battery powered handheld spotlight for the few times we would ever use one. Having a spotlight up on the mast I wasn't interested in as I feel the shiny stainless steel bow rails would just reflect the light back, blinding me such that I wouldn't be able to see.
 
Thanks for the insight. I will definitely look into it. I was also considering a place to mount my Starlink Mini. Decisions... Decisions... ;-)
 
Fatdaddy57 said:
Thanks for the insight. I will definitely look into it. I was also considering a place to mount my Starlink Mini. Decisions... Decisions... ;-)
Click to expand...

Here's some ideas for you.
 
If you decide to forgo the mounted spot light, look into a marine beam. it is absolutely PHENOMENAL! There is no light scatter like a traditional light (nothing to reflect on surfaces), just a super concentrated light beam.
 
Thanks, Hawk! I will definitely look into it.
 
This is the one I was referring too, I didnt realize the company had expanded so much since i bought mine. Looks like it is currently unavailable though...

store.marinebeam.com

Marinebeam Ultra Long Range LED Illuminator Flashlight

High Lumen, 700 Meter ANSI FL1 Beam Distance | Over 100,000 Candela
store.marinebeam.com store.marinebeam.com
 
I installed the starlink mini in place of the TV antenna on our boat. One thing I found out is that the starlink does not like lower voltages. Anything less than 13.5 volts and it starts becoming intermittent even though the specs said it works down to 12v. The slarlink supplied power supply puts out 30v. So I went ahead and installed a 12v to 24v inline booster and that is working great.
I just purchased a starlink cable and cut off one end.
The other option is to get a 100 watt USB-C unit and use the cable that starlink sells to connect up to USB-C.
 
Fatdaddy57 said:
Thanks for the insight. I will definitely look into it. I was also considering a place to mount my Starlink Mini. Decisions... Decisions... ;-)
Click to expand...

Here's what the spotlight power looks like, available just under the mast, in the ceiling.

www.letsgochannelsurfing.com

IMG_7464.jpeg | Boat Maintenance (Project Name)

12 volt power for a spotlight, that can be used to power an Internet router.
www.letsgochannelsurfing.com www.letsgochannelsurfing.com
 
I’m planning on getting a wireless remote control spotlight for our 2023 R27 OB and would like to put it where the flying saucer TV antenna is currently located on the mast. The mast has been braced and we never use the TV antenna anyway so that seems like a good option. There is a switch on the helm inboard panel marked “accessory” and I wonder if this might be repurposed to “spotlight”. The switch just above that one says “fan” but there is no fan that I can find. Did this apply to a different model using the same dash? Anyway, if anyone in the incredibly talented Tugnuts community has any suggestions, cautions, or encouragements, please share your thoughts, experiences, and wisdom. TIA.
 
Bsmith said:
I’m planning on getting a wireless remote control spotlight for our 2023 R27 OB and would like to put it where the flying saucer TV antenna is currently located on the mast. The mast has been braced and we never use the TV antenna anyway so that seems like a good option. There is a switch on the helm inboard panel marked “accessory” and I wonder if this might be repurposed to “spotlight”. The switch just above that one says “fan” but there is no fan that I can find. Did this apply to a different model using the same dash? Anyway, if anyone in the incredibly talented Tugnuts community has any suggestions, cautions, or encouragements, please share your thoughts, experiences, and wisdom. TIA.
Click to expand...

If you pull the teak down in the center of the cabin... all the way up front, you'll find some wires that don't go anywhere, labeled "spotlight". There's 12 volt power there. The fuse is located in the head, behind the mirror.

IMG_7465.jpeg


IMG_7464.jpeg



That's a good spot for a 12volt, hard wired, window fan. I tapped power for the "spotlight" here.
We use a portable, battery powered, handheld spotlight.
IMG_7225.jpeg
 
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Sadly, sometime between when Channel Surfing was built and our 2023 RT27 the wires labeled spotlight were discontinued. The only wires in the center under the centerline teak panel go to the horns and the anchor light. Bummer! It looks like a much bigger wire run will be needed. If I am guessing correctly the power can come from the area behind the dash probably using power from the accessory switch, run below the shifter throttle controls, aft and then up behind the panel that contains the round port, across the overhead, and forward to where they go up through the deck into the mast and to the spotlight. Is there an easier path that I am missing?
 
Bsmith said:
Sadly, sometime between when Channel Surfing was built and our 2023 RT27 the wires labeled spotlight were discontinued. The only wires in the center under the centerline teak panel go to the horns and the anchor light. Bummer! It looks like a much bigger wire run will be needed. If I am guessing correctly the power can come from the area behind the dash probably using power from the accessory switch, run below the shifter throttle controls, aft and then up behind the panel that contains the round port, across the overhead, and forward to where they go up through the deck into the mast and to the spotlight. Is there an easier path that I am missing?
Click to expand...

These two videos show how to run the cable.


 
Thanks! Looking like an all day long 30 minute project. As they say, the first two hours are the hardest of a 5 minute job. At least most of the work can be done in the air conditioning.
 
Finished installing a Golight LED remote control spotlight today. It works and all the smoke has remained within the wires so far. Success! Martin’s advice on wire runs was very helpful. I did discover an alternate route for the wires to travel forward from the run beginning at the light above the round porthole. If you remove the vertical upholstered trim piece at the starboard edge of the windshield one can direct a wire snake aft, above the window, and emerging at the light above the starboard side porthole. It is also possible to snake wires down into the area behind the dash where they can be connected to power. I used the dash switch marked “accessory”, soon to be renamed “spotlight”.The wire is covered by the trim piece as it heads towards the back of the dash. The one advantage of this method of routing is you don’t have to remove the helm seat.
A fiber optic cable inspection camera was super useful in exploring the hidden worlds of the Ranger Tug without having to completely disassemble the boat. This one was pretty cheap and has worked well. : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJGFL6B8?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2&th=1
No photos as it was being installed but I’ll try to get one of the finished installation. On the water testing soon!
 
After years of using a handheld Sionyx on my previous boat I had a Sionyx Nightwave installed on the R27. I had used a handheld spotlight on a previous sailboat and found the night blindness caused by using the spotlight meant once I turned it on, I couldn't turn it off unless I was going to have 3 minutes before I needed to see again. The Sionyx and other vendor's night viewing cameras are almost like daytime viewing and helps tremendously with avoiding crab pot buoys and other small items in the water and when docking. Only drawback is they don't rotate so your only view is forward. I've added a cheap WiFi night view camera (linked to my Starlink) and set it up aft for those times I have to dock aft first and I can view that on my iPad.

It is a bit more expensive than a spotlight and perhaps the spotlight meets your needs best, but I thought I'd mention a different approach and the battery camera with a solar panel using WiFi means no wiring is needed. Only drawback is you can't see it on your MFD, but can on a tablet. The Sionyx is attached to the MFD and works great there.
 
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