Excellent info, Maria, thanks. I WOULD like to see those pics. --Craig, chonshell@ia4u.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maria Jorge" <mcjorge@bellsouth.net> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 1:58 PM Subject: Running Lights I have an 86 M17 that came with a non-functioning masthead tricolor. We just completely rewired the mast, adding a vhf cable and combination foredeck/steaming light just below the spreaders. I opted to keep the masthead for visibility but had to add deck level nav lights to keep in compliance. We used an aquasignal bi-color light hanging off the bow pulpit. This looks neat and still has excellent visibility. A stern light was added on the transom upper starboard corner. We led the wires through the bow pulpit and drilled a hole in the rear starboard bow pulpit base (exactly in the middle). This wire exits in the cabin and is then led forward for about a foot or so, through a hole in the forepeak above the access plate, and then down underneath the forward berth, along the starboard side and to the electric panel. Aesthetics is important to us also and we covered the wire in a section of white, slitted shroud cover material available at West Marine. We found that the trick to the wiring was being able to secure it properly. We started out using plastic self stick 3M pads about an inch square to which you affix the a plastic clamp that holds the wire. The pads didn't hold. We ended up removing the pads, scuffing the surface of the fiberglass and the pad with a dremel tool, and then epoxying the pad base. Don't waste your time with self stick pads. Epoxy in place is the way to go. We also rewired the entire boat, added an AGM 105 amp battery, Solar Panel, Blue Seas panel with voltmeter, Blue Seas fuse box, main switch, 12 volt outlet, bilge pump switch, LED cabin lights, VHF radio and ran the wiring for the Tillerpilot coming soon (early Xmas present). The Blue Seas products are excellent (I believe this is what Bob Eeg uses on the new Montgomerys). If anyone has questions on any of this, I'd be glad to elaborate. I'll try to post some pictures soon. My brother, who is a Fed Ex Airplane mechanic, was very meticulous in doing all the wiring. I was fortunate to have him. Maria M-17 "Halcyon" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Honshells" <chonshell@ia4u.net> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 1:17 PM Subject: Running Lights Has anyone on the list who has the older M17's tri-color masthead navigation lights moved them to the deck or hull? I don't know if I can describe this without a diagram, but I was thinking a convenenient arrangement might be vertical-mount sidelights, located in the farthest upper aft corners of the cabin trunk. Because the cabin-trunk is higher and wider as it leads aft, I think this location would be plenty visible. I was thinking standard light model #281147 (Perko), or LED #2099091 (Perko) in the West Marine catalog might be attractive, unobtrusive options. Does anyone have an opinion? Would it be difficult to lead the wiring to a v-berth bulkhead mounted panel? Aesthetics are very important to me, so does anyone think the cabin-trunk location for the lights might be obtrusive? Thanks!