Boat lighting options

[Any_Weather]

G'day guys, just interested in opinions on coloured lighting in boats? I am getting a boat built shortly and starting to get my gear together. I have seen that blue lights are becoming popular in boats? I will have white floodlights up in the top but what about the lower lights? Also what colour is best for underwater lights?

Thanks
Lee

[Dantren]

Not sure about underwater, but I have found red lights under the gunwhale are best for night lighting.

[fandtm666]

i got the RGB setup with a small remote so i can change through colours

IE: red whilst fishing - white whilst re-rigging etc

[deckie]

Blue or Red to preserve your night vision is different for everyone.
have used both and can say with 100% certainty i can see more outside the boat with red lighting...but i;ve stood next to a bloke who could see more when we switched to blue. Go figure. Blue LOOKS nicer which i reckon is why you see it a lot more now. personally i prefer that red cheap brothel look anyway. RGB's are a great compromise...but a lot of the control boxes are cheap 50c crap u can buy for 10bux from a chinese website or fleabay, or if u like to throw money away the same thing made in the same place might be 50 bux+ in australia. U/water lights 90% choose blue coz they look sweet..but apparently green attracts more life. may as well go with blue.
Most important to remember tho is whatever lighting and colours u like position them so u arnt looking at them whenever possible...i.e. indirect lighting is what u want for both cockpit and cabin. Obviously a deck spreader/flood light coming down from flybridge/hardtop/bimini wont be indirect so try not to look anywhere near it. Amazing how screwed your vision is for minutes afterwards after looking at any sort of direct light.
In general..indirect cabin lighting using strips led;s is better than one or two big lights on the roof..plus u then arnt in your shadow all the time. Light at the baitboard is damn handy but not if its shining at you...diffused and just enough to see what you;re doing is enough. Cokpit lighting usually a combo of some undergunwhale strips or led's about knee height pointing down and across the deck...plus a nice strong deck flood. That would be the regular job most would consider. You dont want much if any light at the helm for driving...that can actually make it tougher to see and often best to dim lighting on sounder/gps/etc when udnerway. Try to position the all round white lighting(nav) so it doesnt shine down too much onto the work area coz it also cuts your vision. On top of or over the bimini/hardtop is perfect..,certainly never place them anywhere in front of you when underway.

If u use the search function there are plenty of great jobs the guys in here have done using LED's and should give u some ideas. Its easy to wire and can be a bit of a fun project. Yell out if u need specific types of lights etc but lots available to choose from.
Steve

[liltuffy]

G'day guys, just interested in opinions on coloured lighting in boats? I am getting a boat built shortly and starting to get my gear together. I have seen that blue lights are becoming popular in boats? I will have white floodlights up in the top but what about the lower lights? Also what colour is best for underwater lights?

Thanks
Lee

Lee, this has been done a few times before.... Check out my thread of 1 May this year. It's called "LED lights for cockpit". I reckon the red lights are the way to go for traveling and general night lighting with white lights for full lighting.

I've been reliably informed that blue lights are deadly attracting squid but have yet to prove it. Break sea M & G might sort that theory 😄😄

Craig

[outwide1]

bd4874535503150861636.jpgalex photo 5.JPGLee, get yourself a BLA book mate. They will send it out. There are some nice lights in there.
I have gone over board with my lighting.
I am trying hard to not show you mine until i start and post it.
Just a tip,KHORR lighting do the LED strips for under the gunwale and change from blue to white with a remote, i picked mine up last time i was home.
search the web for there site and prices,they are at Yatala.
I have gone blue underwater,this is all bling stuff but does look good at night.
I think i will shut now before i let out all my secrets.lol
Talk soon.
Mick.

[Any_Weather]

Hi guys, thanks all for the response. Sounds like the blue will be the go.
Mick, that looks like she's gonna be one hell of a machine, looking forward to the build pics.
Thanks again
Lee