Movable oil lighting

By: Derek Jensen p15 #694 "El Nino", HMS-18 #11 "Hamada"
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I've always thought that oil lamps were great on small boats, and this little oil lamp has both functional and sentimental value for me. Sentimental because I bought it on a trip to Vancouver Island in my little boat, and functional because I can both read and heat the cabin with it.
The components of my "system" can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1. components of the system. The lamp on the right and the lamp mount secured to the moveable board along with it's captive smoke bell.

I have mounted both the oil lamp frame and a smoke bell to a well varnished board. This allows me to move the lamp into various fix-mount positions in the cabin of either of my boats, and also is balanced well enough to allow the lamp to be set down on a stable surface. Refer to Figure 2 for a picture of the lamp assembled on the board. Though not visible in the pictures, the board has a stainless eye bolt screwed onto the top that allows the lamp assembly to be hung from various hooks in the cabins on my boats. All hanging locations also provide a securing strap to lock the lamp in place.

Figure 2. Lamp assembled on mounting board.

The main location for mounting the lamp while underweigh is the compression post. (See Figure 3). I have a small loop of shock cord that snaps up under the lamp board to hold it fast to the board. I have pounded through some big wave and never unseated the lamp. This is a great place to leave the lamp when cooking out in the cockpit, and it warms the interior of the boat nicely.

Figure 3 Lamp hanging on the compression post on my p15. This is the primary storage location while using the lamp on the p15.

I have also created a spot on El Nino where the lamp is handier for reading while in the cabin, on the port side of the boat just aft of the window (see figure 4 and 5). I glued a wedge shaped piece of wood to the bulkhead and epoxied a hook above it. The wedge also has Velcro on it which mates with the lamp board, and a short piece of line that ties the board into the bulkhead for ultimate security. The lamp would be safe here while underweigh also. This has worked so well, that I've also put the same system to work on Hamada, with the added ability to mount the lamp to the cabin side near the v-berth for reading while in bed (See figure 6 and 7).

Figure 4. Pantry lamp in reading position on El Nino

Figure 5. Alternative mount on El Nino, lamp not mounted to show detail.

Figure 6. After enjoying the oil lamp atmosphere on El Nino, I made 3 mounting positions on Hamada and also made a new movable lamp assembly.

Figure 7. The new lamp assembly installed in the reading position on Hamada.