I wanted to upgrade the anchor and steaming light on Kaos and fix some cosmetic issues with the radar mount, get my GPS and wind instruments updated, and find a proper platform to mount my Starlink. I ended up choosing a couple of Seaview products which I cover below.
Hi Steve, looks really good! I’m guessing you disabled the AZI and ELV motors in the starlink dish mount? or, does it just “torque/Time out” when it tries to align? Often wondered if that would work…
I wouldn’t put it in a mount like that and hope the motors time out 
- pretty sure it would kill them, and it might do other damage.
I cut a hole in the back of the dish in a very specific spot and unplugged the motor cable. There’s a rubber plug in the hole in case I want to plug it back in again for some reason, which is unlikely in my application.
I have 3 I’ve done this way myself, and have done it for about 50 others for customers. Works very well, but the newest version of the dish now comes flat, so not really necessary anymore.
Hi Steve,
We’re mogating South toward the Chesapeake, and sitting here reading your articles 
While we have a sailboat, we have somewhat the same light issues - in our case, we have the olde AquaSignal “stack” on top of the mast - strobe (which we’ve never used except once to annoy the USCGA), tricolor and anchor. I replaced all the incandescent bulbs with LEDs many years ago using Marinebeam replacements and they’re working fine, but I keep wondering when I’ll have to journey up there to replace/clean one of those bulbs/light sockets. Is there any sort of replacement fixture that would be easy to replace the olde tower assembly (with or without the strobe)? I’ve already replaced the red & green bow lights and white stern with sealed units.
Second, the Seaview sealing gland you used - I have a couple of those and I love them - all my solar wiring and coaxes from the Cell/wifi antennas goes through one or the other. One thing I found - if you drill all the holes you need (using their handy brass tube “bits” ) you can then slit the rubber sealing gland with a razor knife out to the edge and you don’t have to remove the connectors! [Cut only out to the edge, don’t cut the rubber piece apart!] I did this when I installed the 22G last year, and its still bone dry inside.
Hartley
S/V Atsa
What does the “stack” have in it? Just a steaming and anchor light or more?
I actually like the LunaSea anchor lights if that’s all you’re looking for, although they do have the strobe as well. I’ve written about them a couple of times:
Yup! There are a lot of ways to avoid chopping off connectors
I used one version of their glands when Upgrading VHF and AIS antennas and love the copper tubes to cut the holes.
They actually have one version where the entire base part comes in two pieces so if the cable is already run AND you don’t want or can’t pull it back, but need a gland, you can snap the two halves around the cable, and then cut the rubber and slip it around, and you’re done! I thought I’d written about that one too, but can’t find it…
Hi Steve,
Nice day on the water here in Annapolis! The AquaSignal Series 40 masthead light has two sections: an all-around white that contains the strobe and the anchor light, plus a tricolor section on top. It has a base that the wiring connects to, then the light stack is attached to the base, with connections for all the various lights. I really don’t need the strobe, but the anchor light and tricolor is a must.
I could remove it entirely then install something new by drilling & tapping the mast top (1/2" aluminum!) - but thats a lot of work at 65’ up.
Update: I just deleted a lengthy whinge about Aquasignal not having a direct replacement - and they don’t (my base is too old) - but the new base (Series 34) has the exact same screw holes, so that should be within my skillset! Good news!
Thanks!
Hartley