Bill, I'm about to go into my second year in the Portland Christmas Ships parade. Last year I decorated with a lot of LED rope light around the perimeter of the deck edge, rails, and the top edge of the cabin. I also had a small prefabricated (4 ft or so) LED christmas tree mounted up top near the mast. And I used some decorations loaned to me by some other Christmas shippers (a couple of wreaths mounted to the front rails, a small snowflake on the bow, etc). And although the photo below doesn't show it, I later added some small LEDs strings around the back two windows (using 3M outdoor mounting clips that can be removed later) and some rope light wrapped several times around the smoke stack on top of the cabin.
I'm working on a different rooftop display for this year (a fire-breathing, tail wagging sea monster). I'll try to post a photo or two of it later. Meanwhile, below is one of our boat from last year. You might also check out the Christmaships.org website gallery. There's a pretty good set of photos from the boats that have been in the Portland parade the last couple of years. Last year we had 3 Ranger tugs in the fleet!
There are lots of tricks and techniques I've picked up from other Christmas shippers -- everything from the ever-important zip ties, to how to put PVC to good use, etc. PM me if you need some other ideas, or even some internet sources for lights and materials.
I loved participating last year and hope to go out almost all of the 15 nights that the Portland parade will run. It's a unique boating experience, and makes the holiday season even more magical. I hope you do it!
Good luck. And if you get your boat decorated this year, do post some pics!
Gini
