ICYRA Sailing and Yachts

Boat lighting isn’t always the first thing people consider when making maintenance decisions for their craft, but these days it’s a hot topic. The issue is on LED lighting—a fairly new alternative to the tried and tested light bulb that promises lower running costs, longer life, and better efficiency. Not all boaters are convinced, though. So what’s the real deal on LED boat lighting?

Alternative lighting options came about as people started seeking less power-hungry lighting solutions. Light bulbs tend to eat up energy, and with electricity costs going up, it was getting expensive to have them on board. LED lights use a fraction of the energy, last much longer, and have been used in households and consumer electronics for several years. The first LED lights were not as bright or high-powered, but the technology has improved and today’s units are just as good as daylight fluorescent lamps. They were an obvious choice for other applications, including boat lighting—except that they were a lot more expensive.

LED lighting is more expensive because the bulbs themselves cost more to produce. The raw materials are harder to get, and the designs don’t usually lend themselves well to large-scale production. All this means that the higher costs are passed down to consumers. You can expect to pay twice as much, or sometimes more, for an LED unit compared to a light bulb or fluorescent lamp. Installing them on your boat is another matter; on older vessels this may involve some rewiring or even rearranging some fixtures.

But the price is a one-time cost, and if you choose well, you can save enough in energy costs to offset the difference and even make a profit. Today’s LED lights are 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last about twice as long, assuming regular use. Maintenance and energy costs can drop by almost 80% for most boat owners. Versatility is also another plus; you can use LED lighting for interior cabins, spreader lights, and pretty much any other part of the boat.

If you’ve had your old lighting system in place for years, the change may be a little hard to implement, especially when you’re on a budget. But studies and experience have both proven that LED lighting is well worth the trouble, regardless of what vessel you have and what you use it for. When it’s time to give your boat a makeover, a change in lighting is definitely worth considering.

Comments are closed.