greenhornet73

All 3 lights are LED and all light up if individually connected to power but when all are connected, just the spotlight runs. If i disconnect it, the 2 stern lights light up

To clarify my madness, I connected the two stern lights at that end so one set of wires ran to the butt connectors to the spotlight and main line

I ran them parallel I believe since I used butt connectors to connect the spotlight wires and stern lights to the main power wires. So 2 wires crimped in one end and the main on the other end. Did one like that for the positive and one for the negative.

If connected to power separately all the lights work but connected in- line just the spotlight works. Before I left the house this morning I reversed the quick connects for the spotlight, positive to negative, and the spotlight turned off but the sterns turned on. Later I will try reversing the pigtails to the stern lights instead and see if that works. Glad to hear I may not have to run new wire through the t top frame all over again. I’ll post later how I make out. Thanks so much.

Wow that would be awesome if that’s all it takes. I’ll try it when I get home and let you know. Thanks!

I am pre- wiring my t top to install on my center console and just hit a bump. I connected my 2 low draw LED stern lights with 16 gauge wire and pigtailed them to my LED spotlight at the bow end that is on 14 gauge wire to create one circuit on a toggle switch. Anyways, once I finished the splicing I connected it to my little portable 12v battery and only the spotlight worked. When I disconnected just the spotlight using the quick disconnects I had wired in, the stern lights turned on. Is the reason because of the 2 different wires used or is the spotlight drawing too many amps leaving the others dry? I have more 14 gauge wire I could rewire the stern lights with if need be but not sure if that would be a solution? Any advice would be really appreciated so I can be up and running as soon as I can do the t top install.

P.S.- every month DEC positions open up and always at least a few looking for an Environmental Scientist. Great opportunity to get his feet wet in the industry and build his resume. Also get great benefits working for the state. I’m with the Feds. Have him log into USAjobs.gov and also with the DEC employment

Congrats to your son for his dedication. I received my BS in Environmental Studies in 2013. I still get multiple calls per year for job offers from here to Florida. Hope he lands a good one.

Those big breeders are very few and far between the last few years unless you’re fishing “the canal”. It’s hard enough just to find a pod of schoolies. I have never fished the Hudson run and it sounds like it’s a good opportunity to catch good numbers of fish. It’s a shame the fishery has declined so much but it’s time something is done to try to build the population back up. I get that baitfish have an impact but too many times I have found bays thick with baitfish without a single fish crashing the surface for them and it’s evident the gamefish just aren’t there.

I’m all for the slot limit imo. I’ve been fishing the fall run for stripers from CT to ME since 2008 and have seen the rapid drop in numbers since probably 2010. I used to have trips where I’d land 40 stripers in a 3 day stretch with my fly rod and the next year be lucky if I got 20 over a 3 day trip to now only a handful throughout the course of a week is now “good”. Those charter boats really put the hurt on those schools and multiple boats ran 2 or 3 times daily. I get DEC updates whenever each state that I have fished has had a change in regs and strict regulations are in effect this year at least from North Carolina all the way to Mass. Hopefully in 5 years or so we’ll start seeing good “runs” again and they can loosen up the regs a little.

Definitely would be out of the way up there and from a 7’ height and only 4’ of bow to clear in front of it should hopefully avoid glare off the boat. I may have a buddy hold a handheld spotlight from the position at night to test it before I install anything. Thanks guys for all of your input

Great advice, I was concerned about glare but didn’t trust my theory without actually testing it out. Now have to find a mounting position without it being in the way since I don’t have a pulpit or a railing at the bow and don’t want to block my navigation lights from other boaters

With this mild weather I have been adding additions to my boat and stuck on where to mount a spotlight for navigation. I often return back to the launch at night and want to have a permanent light mounted in the most effective spot. I plan to have my T Top installed that already has a stern light but wondering if an overhead bow light would hinder more than help rather than a light placed below eye level? Any thoughts on this?