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Whether you are fishing at night or going for a peaceful paddle under the stars, LED lights can make for a great addition to your boat. They add a colorful accent and significantly increase your visibility, ensuring you can safely navigate the water in the dark. Also, they offer a decorative appeal, allowing you to make the boat more appealing to guests. Naturally, not all lights are suitable for installation on the boat. You require specialized waterproof fixtures that can withstand being splashed on by water. Finding compatible light fixtures can be tough, but we are here to help. Here are some of the premium boat lights in 2024 that are available on the market right now.
Brighten up your boat with these long-lasting, easy-to-install lights. This package includes six 3.8-inches LED boat lights that are 120 lumens each. They are perfect for vessels both large and small, so you can place them on your kayak or pontoon to enjoy a night on the water. A set of screws and foam tape bases are included for quick and simple installation.
These lights are completely waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof, making them suitable for use in all weather conditions. They also feature a surface mount design that makes them very easy to install, while their decorative appearance is perfect for lighting up both indoor and outdoor spaces on the boat.
A set of floodlights perfect for night fishing that has been crafted with aluminum housing and a stainless steel mounting bracket. This six-inches LED light pod is sure to shine bright and stay free of rust. The lights are 120 lumens, offering optimal visibility for fishing safely at night.
Plus, the company boasts a universal fit, meaning these lights are compatible with various boat styles as well as other vehicles, including trucks, UTVs and ATVs, tractors, motorcycles, or heavy machinery.
You can safely use these lights on the boat as they are IP68 waterproof and can be operated in high/low temperature conditions.
A set of 4 heavy-duty spotlights for boating, off-roading, or outdoor use, these high-intensity LED lights shine brightly at 3600 lumens and have a working life of 50,000 hours. The flood reflector cups create wide beams for an increased range of vision and the housing over the lights is thick enough to ensure better cooling.
The mounting bracket can also be adjusted about 45 degrees to make direction changes easy. These lights have IP67 waterproofing, so they are perfect for both indoor and outdoor use on the boat. Also, all four lights come with mounting brackets, so they are very easy to install.
This 16.4-foot LED rope light is perfect for under the gunwale, on the boat deck, or as a fishing night light. The package includes self-adhesive backing as well as clips and screws for easy installation. The rope can also be cut after every three LEDs, so you can adjust the size to your liking.
You can install this LED rope light on any part of the boat, as it has an IP65 waterproof rating that ensures reliable operation even after consistent exposure to water. Also, these lights are very durable with a total average lifespan of up to 50,000 hours.
In the event that you get caught up in the sea at night, you may feel lost and anxious. However, boat lights are made to make such situations feel as normal as possible. Boat lights are sources of illumination while out on the water and can also double as signal beacons. Apart from lighting, they also serve aesthetic purposes on boats. You can have light fixtures on both the interior and the exterior of the boat. Certain exterior boat lights are made compulsory by authorities for whether the boat is sailing at night or not, while other lights are usually fixed at the boat owner’s discretion.
The different types of boat lights are classified based on the function they perform on the boat. Many boat light configurations are flexible, while others are cast in stone.
Navigation lights are the most important type of boat lights. They are standard lights required in every boat. These lights are used to ensure all boats are safe on the water. The boat owner has no influence on the configuration or colors of these lights because they are fixed. The colors of the navigation lights are white, green, yellow, and blue. The use of each of the colors under specific circumstances is codified.
Boat cabin lights are fixed inside the cabin. There is flexibility in the type of bulb used for cabin lights. Cabin lights can improve the ambiance of the cabin.
Underwater lights are fixed on the boat’s exterior. These lights are usually colored bulbs and serve different purposes. They are aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and add glamor to the boat when they come on at night. The light also attracts fish and can prove helpful to a boat owner fishing at night.
Courtesy lights are lights fixed on stairways and passages inside a boat. The choice of courtesy lights is entirely up to the boat owner. They are installed to ease movement around the boat at night.
Boat docking lights are another category of boat lights mandated on boats by law. Boat owners have no say in the choice and installation of these lights.
Getting back to the dock to park the boat at night could prove tricky because of other boats that have already been docked and the absence of light. Docking lights are there to save the day. They help the boat owner to maneuver and dock easily without hitting the dock or other vessels. Docking lights are typically very bright.
If you are out at sea at night and you dropped something, spotlights will help you find them. Spotlights are either handheld or built-in to the boat. They are also useful when you need to signal for help.
Usually installed on the boat’s spreader, spreader lights are like courtesy lights. They illuminate the boat’s spreader and surrounding areas.
There are various factors to consider when buying boat lights. A good understanding of these factors will help a boat owner make an informed decision on the type of boat light to buy. The following are some of the most important factors to consider before purchasing a boat light.
The purpose you intend for the boat light to serve is the most essential factor to consider when making a boat light purchase. Essentially, your answer to the question “what do I need the boat lights for?” will establish the purpose. Once the purpose is confirmed, every other factor can then come in.
Except for handheld boat spotlights, all other types of boat lights are attached to the boat, and they will become extra consumers of the boat’s power. Boat lights do not need the same amount of power; some lights need more power than others. Therefore, care should be taken to avoid overburdening the boat’s electrical system.
For the boat lights with flexibility, you can choose among a wide array of light bulbs. The most common types are LED bulbs, halogen bulbs, incandescent bulbs, and fluorescent bulbs. Each type of bulb has its pros and cons. Also, some bulb types are ideal for certain types of boat lights.
The brightness of the boat light is another factor to consider before buying a boat light. Though they are essentially meant for illumination, some types of boat lights require more brightness than others. You do not want to have an overly bright light where dimmer lights are ideal and vice versa.
The prices of boat lights differ according to the specific type of boat lights and the type of bulb. Thus, the price of a fluorescent spotlight varies from the price of LED spotlights. Generally, the cheapest boat lights out there cost as little as $15, and there are high-end lights that cost $500.
Boat lights are meant to enhance safety and make the sailing experience better for all. Hence all proper safety measures concerning boat lights should be strictly adhered to. For example, some categories of boat lights should only be used when necessary. Docking lights fall into this category. Although termed as ‘headlights,’ they are not meant to be used like a car’s headlight. Putting them on while sailing could temporarily blind an oncoming sailor; hence they are only to be used when docking and put off afterward.
The category of lights required on boats at night is the navigation lights. Specifically, the green and red sidelights are required to be visible from a dozen miles away.
Yes, they do. Fish are known to be attracted to any light underwater. This is likely because they are used to feeding on bioluminescent plants. They, therefore, come circling around the light.
Underwater boat lights should be installed beneath the waterline when the boat is in a stationary position.
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