WTB Bi-Color Bow Light Assembly

[Zarn]

I was washing the boat today and simply "touched" the old all plastic Perko bow light assembly with the brush... the chromed/zinc lamp holder disintegrated and the 87' vintage housing fell apart. Ratz....!

BONUS: I was also recently looking for a cabin water leak... when I pulled to old bow light base off the boat... I found that too.

Trying to keep the replacement all original if possible. Not much on-line anywhere that helps. Looking to see if anyone has a plastic bow light assembly in reasonable shape laying around they want to get rid of before I order a real spendy one from Defiance. It seems like they have a good supply of Arima parts in including a bow light,  however their standard itemized parts disclaimer has a "may not fit older models" twenty year clause. Which I totally get. But... I like antiques.

Please PM with details.... Thanks...!

[DSledgeR]

http://www.westmarine.com/aqua-signal--series-20-navigation-lights--P009_277_001_007

The one in the middle is the one I have.....is it the same??

[Diablo]

Here is another source. They have stores in Bellingham and just opened in Seattle.

http://www.reddenmarine.com/perko-1310dp0chr-bi-color-light-12v.html

[Salmon King]

They are on the shelf at Wally World...if you shop there.

[DSCS]

I use an Attwood 3500 Series LED that I got at West. It is not all black plastic, but the "look" fits right in with my '90 Chaser. I don't think anybody seeing it would think that it is a replacement.

Atwood 3500 Series LED Navigation Lights

Alan

[Zarn]

Thanks for the replies. I have several sources for replacements and will have to choose one... but check this...

From what I can gather so far Arima switched over from the Perko to the Aqua Signal series 20 bi-color bow light probably around 1992 and still uses it till this day. And... I get why they did that.

One issue is somewhat apparent and the main reason I was looking for the original model replacement. Have a look at the light I posted in the galley. The mounting base is 1" in diameter and extends 1" down from the lens seat. To accommodate this a 1-1/8" hole was drilled right through the bow of my 88SR.

That is a lot of hole to now fill in along with the old screw holes and then drill new holes in the boat. Yes all that will be covered by the new light but what a PITA (kinda) overall for what should a simple, 15 minute job.

I am going to hold out for a few more days to see if the old style Preko light shows up somehow. Then strip the interior carpet to get to the spot, breakout the Marine Tex, form a new wire channel and install the new fixture.

All said and done the up side is I won't have water pouring into my cabin while underway or parked outside from a large hole in the bow any more..

[StreamFixer]

Joe

I hear Alan is volunteering to make holes in boats.  If you decide you are really missing that large hole you are about to fill, I suspect you could talk Alan into coming down and making you a new one   :biggrin:   

StreamFixer

[Salmon King]

Zarn,

When mine broke on me last year I bought the replacement from WalMart.
I think they carry Attwood but in any case it was a direct replacement for my original Perko.

[Markshoreline]

You can easily patch that hole by taping across the bottom with duct tape and then fill in the void with marinetex or similar material- I'd use a syringe.  Color won't even matter if your light covers it.

[Zarn]

Yep... That's the ticket... Thanks Mark.

It is still a PITA job... LOL. Still searching for am exact replacement. I'm getting close now....

[Arimaway]

I have a similar problem.  My bi-color bow light wasn't working.  I unscrewed the top and while taking out the bulb the internal contacts broke apart.  The metal inside was badly corroded.
I looked on line for a replacement but couldn't find anything I was comfortable ordering without seeing it first.  I removed the old light and brought it with me to West Marine and another marine shop.  Nothing close to the original in stock anywhere. 

[Arimaway]

I came back home to do some more research and came across this item.

A Perko 1612DP2BLK.   Does the top of that extended bow light look familiar?

I went out to the boat with the old bow light and grabbed my stern light / anchor light pole and sure enough the end of the pole fits right into the bottom end of the old bow light.

I've seen the Perko 1612DP2BLK on line for as little as $22  I think I'll give it a shot at taking the light off the end of the post.

I will likely have to drill a couple of holes in the base of the light to mount it to the bow, but I think it'll work out OK.

[Arimaway]

I can drill the holes to be positioned to match the holes in the old base.  No need to drill new holes into the bow of the Arima. :biggrin:

[SB Steve]

Check with Belinda tomorrow if you want something to exactly match.  I had to replace the socket for my stern pole light, and she gave me an exact OEM replacement for my 88 SR.  Nice to plug and play with the exact same mounting holes.  Let us know what you end up finding out!  I would love to have that info. on file.

[Arimaway]

HI SB
  I sent Belinda an email to which she replied.  She said she didn't recognize the light I removed.  That hinted to what I kind of suspected in the back of my mind, that it is not original to the boat. I just sent her another email asking if the hole under the light was normal or if someone had drilled it out to custom fit the light I removed.  I'm curious to what she comes back with.

Belinda did mention that the lights they used on older Arimas were the Aqua Signal Series 20 lights.

 

[SB Steve]

HI SB
  I sent Belinda an email to which she replied.  She said she didn't recognize the light I removed.  That hinted to what I kind of suspected in the back of my mind, that it is not original to the boat. I just sent her another email asking if the hole under the light was normal or if someone had drilled it out to custom fit the light I removed.  I'm curious to what she comes back with.

Belinda did mention that the lights they used on older Arimas were the Aqua Signal Series 20 lights.

Hey Arimaway.  Well at least you know it probably wasn't OEM...I guess you can match up whatever fits and looks the best.  Thanks for the info on the Aqua Signals replacement...going to take note of that.  My socket for the stern light was Aqua Signals too.  It was driving me crazy trying a couple different domestic options that were close enough to the mounting holes put just wouldn't fit the pole light.  I guess Aqua Signals is from New Zealand?  Probably a metric diameter on the pole.  The new one fit perfect and was actually slightly updated.  Was your old bow light using existing wires running under the carpet liner?

[DevMah]

IMO
Whatever light you decide on go with the LED lamp it you won't ever have to worry about a bulb.


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/attwood--series-3500-base-mount-led-bi-color-1nm-navigation-light--9034463?recordNum=6


Dev

[Arimaway]

  Was your old bow light using existing wires running under the carpet liner?

Yes but the wires are extremely short and tight.  I pulled the liner back a little and will likely splice several inches of wire on to the ends of the existing two wires and then glue the liner back into place. 

[Arimaway]

IMO
Whatever light you decide on go with the LED lamp it you won't ever have to worry about a bulb.


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/attwood--series-3500-base-mount-led-bi-color-1nm-navigation-light--9034463?recordNum=6


Dev

I agree. in this day and age LED is the way to go.  My opinion is all lighting should be replaced with LED.  I already replaced the stern light with an LED light. I will also do the cabin dome light since it doesn't work either. 

Free up some amps for the modern electronics like my Garmen FF, Raymarine MFD and Standard Horizon VHF.  I still would like to add a stereo and maybe some LED deck lighting. 
These boats can be an addiction.

[Markshoreline]

Arimaway
Clever choice for the bow light!  How are you going to match up the holes?
I recommend getting a stereo with Bluetooth then your entire library is available in the boat!  I have Bose Marine speakers that mount in the front starboard panels and sound good.

[Zarn]

HI SB
  I sent Belinda an email to which she replied.  She said she didn't recognize the light I removed.  That hinted to what I kind of suspected in the back of my mind, that it is not original to the boat. I just sent her another email asking if the hole under the light was normal or if someone had drilled it out to custom fit the light I removed.  I'm curious to what she comes back with.

Belinda did mention that the lights they used on older Arimas were the Aqua Signal Series 20 light.

I had that same hole in the top desk on my 87' SR. The fixture looked exactly like the one you show. Probably was the stock original. Yes the old light on my vessel was a Aqua signal 20. I sealed that hole tight with a champagne cork and a bead of life seal. (see my gallery) That also took care of a water leak originating from that area. I went w/an attwood LED replacement it was all of $28.00 at the time.

[Arimaway]

OK
I decided to go with my hunch. 
I ordered the Perko extended bow light I pictured above.  I ordered it from Walmart.com.  Store pickup $25.78 including tax.
The light is a perfect match. the new base even had the holes to be drilled, clearly marked.
Though I decided to clean up the old base and re-use it since the holes were already drilled and counter-sinked.
So for this project, no holes to fill, no new holes to drill.

[Arimaway]

I cut the post in half, cut the wires, then clipped off the rivet holding the post to the light base.
I disassembled the new light and then reassembled using the old base which I cleaned up with some acetone and a dental tool.

Ready to be installed back on the bow.

[Arimaway]

The odd thing is, on the bow where I removed the old light from, there doesn't seem to be any sign of old holes having been filled.
Looks as if this light was always on my boat. 
Not an LED though.  Uses a festoon bulb.
One day when the bulb burns out, I'll replace it with and LED festoon replacement.

[Arimaway]

Mounted, caulked, spliced in, soldered and heat shrink rapped.

Ready to go.