The purpose here is to develop a simple set of circuits to drive "navigation" LEDs, providing for adjustment and the inclusion of blinking lights. The test harness in which the design is developed and proven (in addition to validating the components destined for your model boat) can itself be adapted into your hull as a power distribution panel (once waterproofed as described below). All of the parts utilized can be obtained from Radio Shack.

Shown to the left here is a completed test harness. Note that instead of batteries (ie., the radio power source in your hull), we're using a bench power source set to 6 volts. There's an experimenter's breadboard (the smallest one you can get from Radio Shack), a variable potentiometer (looks like a volume control without the knob), three solid green LEDs, three solid red LEDs, and a single blinking LED (the blinking LED shown here happens to be a green one, but you'll probably want to use white). All of the LEDs are labeled in their packaging as "T 1-3/4" which refers to their size.

Here's a closeup of the breadboard. Two wires (a "pair") connect the breadboard to a power source. The potentiometer has three posts, each of which seats into the breadboard. The positive lead goes to the middle post, the right post can be ignored, and the left post forwards potentiometer-adjusted power to the non-blinking LEDs as shown here.

The blinking LED(s) require unadjusted power, ie., from the middle post of the potentiometer. The wire leading from the pot to the far left LED on the breadboard carries this power.

Here's a closeup of the connections to/from the potentiometer. The white wire comes from your power source. The black wire to the right returns ground to your power source. The black wire to the left carries unadjusted (ie., original sourced) power to the blinking LED(s).

The stripped copper wiring hugging the breadboard distributes adjusted power to the non-blinking LEDs. These LEDs are adjusted for brightness using the potentiometer. The blinking LED(s) is/are not adjustable.

The very top and very bottom rows shown here are grounded. Note the bare copper wire at the far left connecting these two rows. All of the other bare copper wires shown here carry adjusted power out to the LEDs. Each of the five-hole columns on the breadboard (other than the rows previously described) are isolated from any other columns, but each hole in a single column connects to every other hole in the column.

Note that each LED sits on both a column and a grounding row. Your LEDs from Radio Shack have two leads, one of which is longer than the other. The longer lead sits in a powered column and the shorter lead sits in a grounding row.

The fittings intended for attaching railings to your hull can be bored out to adapt a LED.

One LED at a time, remove it from the breadboard and replace it with a twisted pair of wire (the length of which is entirely up to you). Solder the LED's leads to the far end of this twisted pair and now verify that the LED still illuminates with the inclusion of the extended wiring. Next, disconnect the wiring at the breadboard and pass it through a bored hole in your hull where you desire this navigation light. Now secure the fitting to the hull as shown. Reconnect the wiring at the breadboard and verify that the LED still works.

Now do this with every other LED desired. When you finish, all of the LEDs are operational, powered by a breadboard loosely located somewhere within (or capable of being located in) your hull. Now find a place to secure it. Note that there are mounting holes at each corner of the board.

You can waterproof the secured breadboard as follows: power up the board and insure that all of the LEDs are working. While powered up, brush the entire top face of the board with five-minute two-part epoxy. As it dries, continue to verify that all the LEDs are working. When dry, the board will be waterproof, and the connections will be secure.

You now have a waterproofed distribution panel securely attached to something in your hull. The power pair leading into the panel can be spliced into your existing radio wiring on the radio-side of the equipment's on/off switch, in which case the lights will be controlled by the same switch that controls your radio receiver.

Alternatively, you can drive the panel directly from the boat's batteries (with the inclusion of an additional in-line on/off switch) independently of the radio section; to do this, splice into the battery-side wiring prior to the existing on/off switch and solder in the wiring pair going to the panel. Pay attention to which wires are positive, and match positive to positive and negative to negative. Next, splice an on/off switch into the positive wire leading to the panel.