Catalina 34

C34 Fleet Forums => Fleet 5 => Topic started by: Rees on July 09, 2022, 11:16:19 AM

Title: Crazed Running Light Lenses
Post by: Rees on July 09, 2022, 11:16:19 AM
My bow, stern running and steaming light lenses are all severely crazed.  I have considered just buying entire new fixtures. I admit I have difficulty spending a couple hundred dollars for new ones when all I need is the new plastic lenses.  Heck, one doesn't even get LED light bulbs with the new fixtures!  Has anyone found a reasonably priced source for replacing just lenses for these lights? Any other smart solutions to the problem?   

I resolved this issue when I found that new lights were less than I thought they would be - under $25. I replaced the bow and stern lights with new. The most difficult part was drilling new holes in the stainless mounting plates. The steaming light was about $35 but I bought the identical fixture and was able to swap out the lens with new. 
Title: Re: Crazed Running Light Lenses
Post by: waughoo on July 09, 2022, 12:19:19 PM
You might have more responses if you repost this in the discussion forum.  That said, I just replaced all my navigation lights aboard with USCG approved led versions.  I used Marinebeam for the bow, stern and mast head/foredeck light and a Lunasea combination anchor/tricolor for the top of the mast.  The easy ones were the steaming/foredeck fixture and the anchor light.  The deck level lights required new pads to be built as the shape was larger than the original aquasignal lights I removed.  I am very happy to have it done and the difference in light output is noteable!

As for a direct answer to your question, I think a new aquasignal lamp is the only way to get "new" lenses as the same fixture is still made.  And at that point, replacing the whole fixture is likely the better answer for reliability.