TOPIC: Fin boats with "tail lights"

I think there are other boats out there besides the Larson Thunderhawk and late model Flyers, that have red tail lights. 2 questions. 1.) How were they wired originally? With the stern lights or on their own switch? 2.) For navigation, there should not be red lights on the rear of the boat. So are any of you doing anything different with the tail fin lights? Leave them red? Don't use? convert to white? one green? Million candle power spotlights? Amber LEDs?

Thoughts?

I'm not sure how they were originaly. I would wire them to a pigtail I could drop down by the motor and plug into the trailer wiring for towing.

Definately do NOT operate the red tail lights while in the water. You will cause all sorts of confusion for other boaters. The red and green bow light and white all-around stern light are very important for night time movement on the water. Not just for you, but for other boaters.

I have heard about some folks wiring up the boat tail lights for use while towing on land.

Andreas

Originally the red "trail lights" had their own switch. There were two pull switches on the dash from the factory, one for the navigational lighting and the other for the tail lights. The factory brochures said that they could be used for trailering. Lighting for trailers was optional in some states and not all trailers had lights at that time.

Lee Wangstad

I used to have a 59 or 60 Herter's Flying Fish that came with, I don't know if it was an original option or not, both red and white lights on the fin-end. It had a 16' connection cable that ran inside the hull, through the bowpiece/ventilator and connected to the tow vehicle with a round connector. It had all trailer light functions plus back up lights..... no trailer lights needed.

Thanks Lee. That tells me 2 things. The answer to the question, and that my dash has only as many holes as when it left the factory!!!! (but of course that nasty looking toggle switch has to go)

Yes,I was well aware the rear mounted red lights would cause some real curiosity at night. It's bad enough the Thunderhawk has 2 stern lights.