Tis the time of year when folks start needing reliable bow lights to get those last few rows in, so we have Ben Chang up at Whitemarsh Boat Club to thank for reminding us of this slick trick: turn the bow numbers from all those head races you hit this fall into cheap, DIY safety lights.

We looked at this idea--the Bow Number Bow Light Hack--a few years ago, but this is the perfect moment to check it out again. After all, this is the time of year when everyone has a load of just-used bow numbers on hand and lots of boats that need lights to row safely.

As Ben pointed out when he emailed us, bow lights have a way of getting lost, broken, or just plain disappearing over those months since the days were last short enough to leave your practice time in the dark. If you are short on lights now that you need them, why not hack up some new ones by recycling some surplus bow numbers.

The genius bit of this trick, apart from its low-cost and repurposing points, comes from the fact that you can just use the bow number clip on each shell to mount the safety light (and if your boat doesn't have a bow clip, maybe you can employ that other great hack--the Shoe-Mounted Bow Number trick--as a workaround.)

You can build this Rowing Hack for about four bucks with some inexpensive bike lights. Here's Ben's own how-to (and the math):

1) Score bow number card with a utility knife and snap into 4 quarters.

2) Drill a hole near a corner and 4 holes in the middle spaced as a 1" x 1.5" rectangle.

3) Pass two 8" zip tie loops through the holes. ($0.08)

4) Clip a red light on one side and a green light on the other side and tighten the zip ties. ($3.35 per pair)

5) Tie an elastic 1/8" cord through the corner hole with a spring lock. ($0.35)

Using the elastic cord as a lanyard you can cinch around the bow-ball is a clever add-on that was missing the first time we looked at this hack. That feature keeps the light from floating away if it does get knocked out of the bow number clip, and cuts down on at least one way that a bow light might get lost.

The lanyard also creates an easy way to hang and store the lights when you don't need them, like over the winter's indoor months or when the days are longer, so maybe it will keep them from disappearing over those months too.

Even if you don't need new bow lights right now, this hack makes for a great winter-time, "get ready to row" project...especially since that stack of bow numbers you accumulated this fall isn't going anywhere, so you might as well put them to work.

Do you have a slick up-cycling trick that comes in handy at your boathouse? If so, share your ideas--and hacks--in the comments below.

If you have a great rowing hack to suggest for future inclusion, then please send it to us like Ben did and we will feature your idea in a future column.