How to Install Navigation Lights on a Boat

If you have a fairly large quality boat, there are some things you must have in your boat. Navigation lights are something that must be in your boat and that is recognized by law which is essential for all boats in the world.

Navigation lights are usually fitted for two reasons. When you are away from the dock in between the sunset to sunrise. And the second reason is when there is a lot of rain or fog all around. This is usually done so that one boat can survive another collision.

In addition, navigation lights can enhance the beauty of a boat, much like the decoration of different parties. Two types of bright lights are usually used for navigation. The first is green and the second is red.

Research well about your boat

Before installing the navigation lights, you need to check your installation area thoroughly. This is a very important part of your boat

In case of installation of navigation lights. You need to choose a place where it can be seen very clearly from the front. You certainly don’t want to know how to put it in such a way that it doesn’t look good and the brightness is interrupted.

So before you do this, you must do the research to put it in the right place so that there is no mistake in any way.

What you will require for installing your navigation light

It mainly depends on what kind of light you put on your boat. If you install ribbon type lights, you may not need much. No special equipment is required to install the lace type lights except for one or two.

On the other hand, if you want to do a little bigger and more complex type of lighting, you may need some tools. However, some tape, some extra wire, cutter, screwdriver, in some cases drill machine may be required.

You can also use liquid tape which you can easily get at various department stores or online stores.

Finding the right spot for installing and marking it

Now you need to find out where you want to put the light on. Once you find it you can mark it with a marker pen.

I have said before that if you don’t mark well, it can cause a lot of big problems later. So you have to take it very seriously so that you can put it in the right place.

Wiring and Attaching the stripes

You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. If necessary, you can turn off the circuit breaker for safety.

This type of work may not be like other general electrical work and if you do not have previous experience in this type of work, you can take the help of someone experienced in this case.

Extra care must be taken when connecting it to the control panel. In this case you can also take the help of manual guide book if you want.

Connecting the stripe and Waterproofing it

You don’t want to damage your navigation lighting system. So in this case you must check that your lighting system does not come in contact with water in any way and it would be very good to have it water proofed.

Now connect it with your boat battery and it’s ready to go.

Some Tips and trick for installing navigation lights

  1. Always try to buy the best quality navigation lighting system. Before buying it, you should check various parameters and reviews as well if you want.
  2. While wiring the light you must keep in mind about some legal laws and guidelines before installing it on your boat. Though many laws depend on your location, the main rules almost remain the same. 
  3. You also check videos regarding this issue which can help you a lot in this case.
  4. Some people prefer liquid tape rather than duct tape. So you can buy it from your nearest convenient store or from an online store.

Frequently Asked Question

1. Should I Use Navigation Lights?

Yes.

This is considered to be quite an effective method when you operate your boat from sunset to sunrise. It can also protect you if your vision is disturbed, especially during heavy rains or heavy fog.

This is done so that the two boats do not collide with each other in any way.

What does a red and green light mean of a navigation light?

Both the red and green lights are called combination lights or sidelights. It basically helps boats from making a collision which can be visible from a long distance in a sea.

The green light indicates a boat’s starboard (right) side whereas red light indicates a vessel’s port (left) side. 

Conclusion

Hopefully the above various tips and tricks will help you to put your light on. If you follow each step carefully, you will surely succeed in this endeavor.

Even then, if you can’t, you can get help from someone with experience. You can also read the user manual guide very well at the beginning of the work, it will also help you a lot in your work.

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