We have all taken a stroll through the marina at night and noticed the vibrant underwater lighting emitted from various vessels. It can be mesmerizing to peer into the surface below as if its a firework show in the sky. Underwater lighting can leave you awestruck at the beauty it adds to a vessel.
Just as our homes offer lights to enhance our landscaping, consider below surface lighting as a similar comparison. Immediately our initial reaction is the addition of underwater lighting is a far more complicated installation process and extremely expensive. Let's dive into the ins and outs when considering installing or upgrading underwater lighting to your vessel.
Right off the bat is the importance of selecting a high-quality light manufacturer. Yacht Gurus has eliminated the need to research the best product on the market today as we install Underwater Lights Limited. Underwater Lights Limited was founded 29 years ago; during this time, hundreds of superyachts have been fitted with Underwater Lights Limited systems. With confidence in the product, let's determine why we should invest in underwater lighting.
What first comes to mind is elegance. Why would you not want to retrofit your vessel with the most current industry standard? The addition of underwater lighting exudes elegance as if the yacht is not already a floating palace. Beyond improving the visual ascetics, there is a great deal of practicality involved. First and foremost is safety, face it, moonless nights, secluded anchorages, a man overboard, the threat of unwanted entrance exists. We can use the saying night and day as a perfect example, turn your night into day at the flip of a switch. We hear about it time and time again: theft, the theft of tenders is reduced substantially as visibility around the boat increases. Have you ever peered into a well-lit fish tank? If you have, it's hard to dispute the fact the fish appear vibrant in color as if its an underwater oasis. Underwater lighting aboard vessels creates a similar experience, except it's a view from the surface. It is a proven fact that many marine species draw closer to light. Consider dining top deck while enjoying the seemingly endless aquarium below you.
We have seen the evolution of light bulbs over the years, whether it be related to our automobiles or homes. What was once a low output high energy load bulb such as a halogen light has now evolved into a Light Emitting Diode or LED. An LED consumes a limited amount of energy and boasts a much longer life span than a halogen or a high-intensity discharge lamp. While Underwater Lights Limited still offers the more traditional metal halide bulbs, the majority utilizes LED style technology in each of its applications. The life expectancy of underwater LEDs ranges from 20,000 hours to 40,000 compared to just 3,000 hours with a metal halide bulb when properly installed. LEDs offer such a long life span the technology is virtually maintenance-free. Should your vessel already be fitted with the older Underwater Lights Limited metal halide, Xenon or Halogen bulbs, and you would like to make an upgrade, don't feel as though you are married to the color or beam angle forever. Underwater Lights Limited features retrofit kits to modify the existing installed system.
With the reduced energy consumption of an LED light comes the need for a Light Emitting Diode Driver. An LED driver is similar to a low-voltage bulb transformer; the driver lowers the source of energy before reaching the installed LED or LEDs. Underwater Lights Limited offers lights integrated with a driver or requires the installation of an external driver. In the event, the LED and driver are not unified, a cable connects from the LED to an externally mounted driver.
Many are familiar with a ballast when applied to fluorescent bulbs in our homes. A ballast functions much like an LED driver; it limits the amount of energy received by the light. As with an LED, metal halide bulbs in marine applications also require the reduction of supplied power through a ballast.
Underwater Lights Limited offers a wide variety of products to match varying hull types, including fiberglass, wood, glass-reinforced plastic, and metal hulls. It is a misbelief that they are suited only for yachts. Whether you have a 10-foot bay boat or a 280-foot mega yacht, underwater lighting can be installed on your vessel and is an attractive feature. When selecting a light best suited for the size of your boat, the hull hole size ranges from 9 millimeters to 4 inches.
A new product from Underwater Lights Limited has recently come to the market. The latest QTS version, which replaces the QT model light, is modified to fit any hull material type, eliminating the need for welding. Other key features in the modification include a flat lens design to reduce drag in both bottom and side installations, an upgraded Titanium housing to avoid the necessity of bonding to a fiberglass hull, and an incredibly bright 140-degree spread of light.
If you are looking for a wide range of colors, Underwater Lights Limited has you covered. Many of the products offer a variety of color selections in a single light. At the rock of a helm switch, adjust to the color of your preference. These colors include red, green, blue, and white. Going out for a fourth of July cruise display your red or blue light, Saint Patricks Day shine green, or a classic elegant white. No matter what, you have a color for the occasion.
A growing trend is below surface lighting aboard fishing vessels. Underwater lights attract microorganisms, which in turn attract baitfish, and finally, large fish prey on the bait. As a result, underwater light can be a great asset to sport-fishermen on all varieties of boats from small center consoles to large sportfish vessels. Not only do the lights attract fish, but they often allow for the ability to recognize the type of fish before handling it. The two most popular light colors amongst fishermen are green and white because of the short wavelength.
Another critical factor when selecting a light is the beam angle. Beam angle is the width in which the light is distributed in the water. A narrow beam of light is a spotlight where a wide-angle would be considered a floodlight. Underwater Lights Limited offers a wide range of beam angles from 60 degrees to 140 degrees. It is best to decide what type of coverage you are looking to achieve while taking the beam angle into account. Determining the number of lights needed to accomplish this can be challenging; leave it up to an expert at Yacht Gurus.
We have touched on the benefits of underwater lighting, the bulb type and colors of underwater lighting, what hull construction materials accept the lights, and beam angle, now let's consider the installation process. Whenever you're dealing with anything below the waterline, the risk of water intrusion amplifies greatly even more so when penetrating the hull. Moreover, the combination of electricity and moisture can lead to unpleasant consequences. Extra care must be taken not only drilling through the structure but sealing the light properly in place; therefore, marine-grade sealants are a necessity. Beyond properly mounting the light, cables often run in confined spaces, drivers or ballasts must be wired adequately, and light control switches installed. The process is time-consuming and must be done with care.
The underwater illumination of your vessel will be breathtakingly beautiful. Not only will it enhance your vessel's visual aesthetics, but it will also serve many other purposes. When making any modifications to the hull, the job is best suited for a professional. The Yacht Guru staff is not only extremely knowledgeable in Underwater Lights Limited products to best fit your vessel but also highly experienced with the installation process. Give Yacht Gurus a call (954-348-4894); you won't regret it!
