Steaming Light Replacement?

[RON SCHERER]

I have a 1987 Cat 34 that needs a new steaming light. Has anyone replaced theirs and where did you find your replacement? Also is there any little pesky things I should be aware of before I start the job and any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone. Ron

[Ted Pounds]

Ron,

If all you're doing is changing the bulb there's nothing special.  They're bayonet bulbs just like the nav lights.  You can get them at West Marine, etc.  You might want to take out a nav light bulb to take with you so you get the right one.   Buy some spare while you're there.  I haven't replaced mine, but I did have to clean up some corrosion on it.  If your replacing the whole unit I don't have any experience with that.

[Ron Hill]

Ron : Your fixture is a steaming/deck light.  If you just want to replace just the steaming bulb you need a bayonet base with a double contact.
If you replace the entire fixture you'll have 3 wires.  A blue+ and red+ and a black-.  One of the + to the steaming (blue as I recall) and the other + (red) to the deck light.  
Look in your West Marine catalog for the bulbs and fixture.

[rappareems]

Ron,

I would suggest putting one of those stainless "cages" around the fixture.  I put a new fixture on a couple of years ago and the cage has protected it from getting beat up by the halyards.

Mark

[Ron Hill]

Mark : Out of curiosity, how can a your halyards beat up the steaming/deck light?
My unused halyards are stored at the base of the forward inner stay turnbuckle with the line pulled tight.  
I've never had a problem with the leach of the Genoa bothering the deck/steaming light while tacking.
Most of the guards I've seen are to cover a radome or a TV dish(on the front of the mast).  That guard is there to also protect the Genoa.  

[John Gardner]

Ron,
I replaced mine a couple of years ago.  I'm racking my brain to remember what I did.

I put on a West Marine catalog number 174409.  I don't quite remember what I took off, or how, but I know the holes of the new lamp didn't line up with the existing holes.  I was a bit concerned that after disconnecting the wires from the lamp, I might let them go and lose them down inside the mast.  However, when the lamp was removed, there was a knot in them so they couldn't go back through the hole.

I think I filled the old holes with pop rivets.  The new lamp had to be fitted by drilling two holes.  I used pop rivets to attach it.  Not too difficult really.  My biggest difficulty is usually making sure I have everything I need before going up the mast!

[pklein]

If you have original equipment 1987 steaming/deck light, I'd replace the whole thing.  Did it on my '89 several years ago and was most happy.  The deck light bulb is better and the fixture was very inexpensive.  I was forced to do so because the socket on the deck light corroded beyond repair.

Bought the light from West Marine.

[rappareems]

Ron,

As to the guard... When I bought the boat the steaming light was trashed, so when I replaced it I put the guard around it.  It is an unobtrusive unit, the kind you find protecting a cockpit fitting for example.  I am not really sure how it got beat up!