You need to part with a couple of your secrets. Are you currently running off of shore power? How do you do all the draping? Are you running multiple power cords? Man, I wish I could do half of what you got going on!
No secrets among fellow sailnetters! I'll answer your questions in the same order as presented:
Patience doesn't have a shore power system. That picture was taken just after we got back to the dock and the engine is still running to power a 1000W inverter (for the mizzen lights) and a small Yamaha 1000W generator is running on the bow for the lights on the main mast. The lights in the picture consume most of my total output of 2000 watts. The inverter is the weak link in the system. It draws more amps than my engine mounted generator can supply to the battery, so it slowly draws the battery down. This year the #1 battery died during the parade and I had to switch to the #2. More / larger generators or more batteries next year!
By draping I assume you're asking how do I make the "tree shape". All you need are tent stakes, lots of 3mm line (buy cheap stuff that stretches), zip ties and spinnaker/whisker/PVC poles. Oh yeah... and lights, lots of lights. How many lights? That's based on the the "P" and "J" dimensions of your rig. The tree branches should fit inside those dimensions (see diagram below):
You'll have to make up four sets of "tree branches" for each tree (mast). Find a big flat piece of ground. Put three tent stakes in the ground in a right triangle pattern based on the P and J dimensions. Stretch the string between the stakes as tight as you can. Now attach the lights to the string using the zip ties in a zig zig pattern using your best second grade tree drawing skills, starting at the upper vertex of the triangle. Make sure the lights end with the male plug end near the adjacent side of the triangle (adjacent, opposite, hypotenuse... remember geometry?)
Now go down to the boat. Rig spinnaker / whisker poles port and starboard. If you don't have actual poles, PVC poles of roughly the same dimensions work just fine. Haul your "tree branches" up on the main and genoa halyards. I put three (forward, port and starboard) on the genoa halyard and the aft branch on the main halyard. On each tree branch, tie off the "adjacent" string tight at the base of the mast and stretch the end of the "hypotenuse" string away from the mast towards the bow / pole end / boom end to form the tree shape.
With respect to power cords, between the "tree" lights, "snow" lights and stars, I've got extension cords running all over the boat. I took all of the cords out of my house and I still ended up making a run to the hardware store for more! I also use plug strips to consolidate the cords where possible.
Here are a couple of videos that show the "snow" LED lights.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bz_Z1ClPPn1RRlNaWW9aUE5HQzQ&usp=sharing
Merry Christmas to All (even the grinches in this thread!)
