? For Bowfishing Experts

[joebuck]

I'm considering rigging up the duck boat for bowfishing. I want to run 4 lights up front. Can I use a battery ( industrial or heavy marine) and what kind of lights and how many amps and all that good stuff. thanks

[Wile E. Coyote]

Most people use 500 to 600 watt Halogen lights and run them off of a generator. I think you'd be hard pressed to run them off of a battery for any length of time.

[joebuck]

Don't want to go generator route but wondering what kind of lights I need? Lets say I go with 6 lights. 3 on each side of bow...How many Amps does the average bowfishing light pull?  I plan on using some type of industrial battery. 6 hours on the water would be my max.

[tukudu]

Joebuck,
    If you go the battery route you will need to use big rig tractor trailer batteries. Believe me it is tough to do reliably. A good alternative is a honda portable generator which can handle two of the construction type lights that clamp on your guard rail/shooting rail at the front of the boat. THe portable generator is quiet and real safe.You will not be pleased with trying to do it with a battery system.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

We use a honda generator as well, but ours isn't quiet in the least. Have to yell to talk over it. Good thing is, the fish dont really seem to mind.

[Wile E. Coyote]

I'm with tukudu on this, you will not be happy with batteries, find a lightweight portable generator. We use the honda as well with good results.

[owlbait]

You could use the round tractor lights and run 4 for about 1 1/2 hours off marine battery. Thats what I use to run, Have Halogens and generator now. Battery lights work well but limit your time. Also used the off road Baja lights on my set-up. Good luck and have fun!

[joebuck]

Thanks guys....I just always took for granted my buddies in Ga.bowfishing rigs when they would take me years ago..Never thought to ask How , what ,when and where... Only reason I was thinking batteries because I have a connection in that industry...However these Big Mouth carp are everywhere at my hunting club on the Mississippi.. Is there such thing as a cheap Honda used generator?

[countrygirl]

Joe,the Honda is the way to go but I flounder gig using a Marine trolling motor battery and three 60 watt 12 volt bulbs that you can get at a marina or at an RV dealer and the bettery will last about 5 hours. I have one rigged to go under water and the other two are clamp- on work lights that you can get anywhere. That - bay place has used Hondas for about 350 or so and also you may want to look at The yamahas becaue I hear good things about them too. Tom

[Terry Green]

Joe....get ahold of Mark Land....he might be able to give you some tips as well.

Here's his email......

[email protected]

   

[joebuck]

Dang! TG ! Why does my boat have Muzzy written on it! I think Mark L. and David Waldrop invented Ga Bowfishing..Biggie was around there too but he couldn't stay awake   :D

[Apex Predator]

How about LED lights?  Wouldn't they last much, much longer?  Is there a light out with LEDs that would work?

[Biggie Hoffman]

Couldn't stay awake? You drug me to Cairo Ga for a traditional bowhunters meeting then we went to Seminole for a few hours,till midnight, left there and went to West Point, got there at 3am, shot fish till daylight then drove all the way back home.....I think you were asleep 1st...just cause I was driving you get upset cause I fell asleep?

[Littlefeather]

I run 6-500 watt hallogen lights with a small generator. I tried the battery technique way back. It was a flop. I couldn't keep a battery big enough to run much light for any time at all. You can rig your boat with lights and AC power for under $600. I did and we've shot tons of fish off the crude set-up. Good luck! CK

[joebuck]

One early morning on the way back home from an all night bow fishing excursion, I woke up and asked Biggie " dang this Hwy 27 sure has gotten rough!" Biggie said " I hadn't noticed I've been a sleep" Biggie was driving !         He had cleaned out a mile of ditch between Columbus and LaGrange Ga.

I'm taking the hint the battery will not work no matter how big...I can get a really big one but I don't know how much amps average light pull per hour.  I'm with you Littlefeather...600 and under! crude and simple

[robslifts]

i use 4 lights on two seperate batteries they are baja 12v lights and they work fine pm me for more info

[OconeeDan]

Grady "Gator" had a neat setup on his boat, I didn't see it working but he said it worked fine.
He made a wood frame (you could use a cut down palet), mounted a B&S side shaft engine.  Pulley on the shaft, hooked with a fan belt to a big alternator for a car.  Mounted the engine, generator to the same framework.  Wa-la, he ran the lights off the alternator.
You can get generators at the junkyard for cheeeep.  
Dan

[southernarcher]

I find the high pressure sodium lights much better.Alot more lumens,with less wattage.

[joebuck]

SouthernA...how many amps does the HPS pull an hour? I read on another bowfishing site someone said to use this....What brand /watt  light do you use and how many?  thanks

[ToddinBR]

I have six 150 watt Rab HPS lights running off a 3500 watt generator. I replaced 6 500watt halogens with the HPS. It is like night and day. They cost alot but well worth it if you go alot.  the 150's need about 4 amps to charge and then drop to around 2 amps after warm up.