We are about half way through a project to replace the ancient dull incandescent bulb and color lens running lights on the boat. I understand there are some low quality, less reliable led boat lights out there, so we were careful to go with high end US made lights. Total cost, tax in, for the port and starboard, stern and independently switched poll anchor light on the roof, as well as high end marine connectors, was about $250.
So far we have the Port and Starboard lights installed and what a difference. In clear bright sunlight you could barely tell the old type port light with the dull red lens was even on. The new led's are incredibly bright and highly visible, even in direct bright summer sun light. They should really show up in the fog.
The transom light is a bit of a challenge because the boat was converted from i/o to a pod and outboard. The transom light is partially blocked by the cowling of the main outboard when viewed from directly behind and especially from lower angles as the light was mounted right in the upper center of the transom. Further the back of the transom has a 6 inch bevel before the flat top on it. To make this work, one of my fishing buddies is fabricating a stainless bracket to go over the old light to correct for the bevel angle and mount a ratcheting swing down/up poll type 20 inch stern led light onto the bevel portion of the transom. When in the up position it will now be completely visible from the required DOT specified stern light angles and be way above the motor cowling. In the down position it will lie flat against the transom and be out of the way for accessing the large fish box on the pod and for swinging the net around etc.
The new lights should be safer/brighter, last decades, require no further servicing and drain the batteries of only a tiny fraction of the power the old incandescent type needed. I will not miss replacing the old bayonet mount bulbs which would burn out and sometimes break off the glass from the base as you try to remove them.
The only slight downside I can think of is that in say a head on approach of another boat with a novice skipper in bright daylight with the Nav lights turned off, they do not provide the visual cue of a red unlit lens to help remind the other boat of basic navigation rules such as passing red to red in that circumstance. When the led's are turned off the lens is clear and they look silver white rather than red or green as the color is provided by the led's only when they are turned on.
We are so pleased with the new lights that future projects may include converting all other boat lighting to LED's to significantly reduce amp draw on the batteries and eliminate the need to service/replace bulbs for any of the boat lighting.
If you have the time for another boat project this is a good one. The technology has matured. led's are now brighter and the quality stuff is now mass produced and more reasonably priced.
So far we have the Port and Starboard lights installed and what a difference. In clear bright sunlight you could barely tell the old type port light with the dull red lens was even on. The new led's are incredibly bright and highly visible, even in direct bright summer sun light. They should really show up in the fog.
The transom light is a bit of a challenge because the boat was converted from i/o to a pod and outboard. The transom light is partially blocked by the cowling of the main outboard when viewed from directly behind and especially from lower angles as the light was mounted right in the upper center of the transom. Further the back of the transom has a 6 inch bevel before the flat top on it. To make this work, one of my fishing buddies is fabricating a stainless bracket to go over the old light to correct for the bevel angle and mount a ratcheting swing down/up poll type 20 inch stern led light onto the bevel portion of the transom. When in the up position it will now be completely visible from the required DOT specified stern light angles and be way above the motor cowling. In the down position it will lie flat against the transom and be out of the way for accessing the large fish box on the pod and for swinging the net around etc.
The new lights should be safer/brighter, last decades, require no further servicing and drain the batteries of only a tiny fraction of the power the old incandescent type needed. I will not miss replacing the old bayonet mount bulbs which would burn out and sometimes break off the glass from the base as you try to remove them.
The only slight downside I can think of is that in say a head on approach of another boat with a novice skipper in bright daylight with the Nav lights turned off, they do not provide the visual cue of a red unlit lens to help remind the other boat of basic navigation rules such as passing red to red in that circumstance. When the led's are turned off the lens is clear and they look silver white rather than red or green as the color is provided by the led's only when they are turned on.
We are so pleased with the new lights that future projects may include converting all other boat lighting to LED's to significantly reduce amp draw on the batteries and eliminate the need to service/replace bulbs for any of the boat lighting.
If you have the time for another boat project this is a good one. The technology has matured. led's are now brighter and the quality stuff is now mass produced and more reasonably priced.
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