Boat Lights and Accessories
Boat lights are a broad category of marine accessories and cover quite a few product classes. These devices can include both lights used for navigation after dark, docking lights, and lighting used on the boat for passengers. Most of these lighting choices are mandatory to have with you on a boating trip, and in some states there are laws governing what you need and what type of lighting accessory is appropriate. Also, these regulations change with the size of the boat so be sure to check with your local coast guard if you are unsure.
Navigation lighting is used to identify yourself to other boats so they can see you in the water after dark and determine the approximate size of your boat and the direction you are heading. This class of lighting is mandatory between sunset and sunrise and in certain limited visibility weather conditions. In its most basic form this navigation lighting consists of a set of red and green lights mounted on the bow and a set of white lights mounted on the stern of the boat. The red light on the bow should be on the left and the green on the right when facing the bow. If you are using any GPS gear with an antenna above, this needs to have a white light attached and rotating as well. There are a lot of manufacturers that offer kits to make these situations easier for boat owners.
Another class of lights includes various lights to either signal other boats or help with illuminating the water for fishing or docking. These can either be mounted to the boat itself or be handheld. There are a lot of choices in this category and good selection depends on the size and style of the boat and your budget. If the light is mounted, there are several models that allow this light to be rotated and directed anywhere within a given sweep range. These mounted lights are typically powered from the boats battery system directly, or an auxiliary battery used for accessories. A wonderful selection of handheld lights are available as well and come in various sizes and styles. Most of these are battery powered, but there are several that have hand cranks used to generate power for them. Be sure if you choose a handheld light that it is designed to float in case it is dropped overboard. This way it can be easily recovered. Docking lights are usually mounted on the boat and are used to aid the mooring process. These lights are normally higher powered and directed specifically for docking and typically illuminate the side rails and decking.
The last group of lighting is used for convenience lighting on the boat and can include dome lights, cabin lights and personal safety lighting. After sunset, the use of dome lighting helps the passengers navigate the interior of a boat and some common areas where these are used include cabins, bathrooms, bait preparation area, and bridge. These are usually operated by a switch on their housing that allows you to use only the ones in the immediate area. Other lights include deck lighting that helps keep the areas lit for dropping the anchor and pulling a catch on board. Lastly, there should be a few strobe lights on board to aid in recovery of a passenger in case the need arises. These can be attached to a life vest or raft and are usually deployed by reacting to the water, or through the use of a pull cord.
