Deck lighting

[collinfiske_RFC]

Does anyone have experience putting LED's on to their decks, compartments, live wells ect. Looking to do this in the most effective way possible without taking a loan out. Thank y'all. 

[riverbasser]

I've done it before. What do you want to know?

[iabass8]

There's hundreds of videos on youtube on how to do this. It is a pretty inexpensive thing to do, too. 

[weekend_hooker]

I bought the Bluewater LED deck kit at BP last year for around $100. Comes with 6 strips of lights and on/off switch. The are easy to install and very bright, so bright in fact, I am ordering a dimmer switch for them.

[slonezp]

[12poundbass]

8 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Nice set up!

[slonezp]

3 hours ago, collinfiske_RFC said:

Does anyone have experience putting LED's on to their decks, compartments, live wells ect. Looking to do this in the most effective way possible without taking a loan out. Thank y'all. 

I bought mine separately rather than from a kit. You want to get IP65 or higher (weatherproof/waterproof) rating. The lights are polarity sensitive so the red lead MUST go to the + side of the battery and the black lead to the - side. My locker lights are switched off the NAV lights switch and the deck lights off the ACC switch. You can install separate switches as well.   

[Ski213]

@slonezp that is slick. I really like the bow nav light colors  worked into the rub rail. I don't think I've ever seen that on the water around here. No doubt what your boat's position is with them. Not trying to get off topic but does that allow you to do away with the typical bow light?

[slonezp]

20 minutes ago, Ski213 said:

@slonezp that is slick. I really like the bow nav light colors  worked into the rub rail. I don't think I've ever seen that on the water around here. No doubt what your boat's position is with them. Not trying to get off topic but does that allow you to do away with the typical bow light?

Yes and no? How I read the regs, these are ok BUT I think it's going to depend on the CPO. https://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg545/alerts/1015.pdf    No CPO has ever questioned me in regards to the lights, but I am always legal with PFD's fire extinguisher, etc so I give them no reason to nit-pick. Only time I've ever been checked by the USCG has been during the day so it's never even been brought up

[gim]

Crestliner actually offers this as an option on their boats from the factory.  I think its LED Lighting Option.

[WIGuide]

I put them on my last boat, everything was pretty simple. Like @slonezp said you want to make sure the lights have at least an IP65 rating, IP68 would be better yet. If you want to do it on the cheap, ebay is your friend. 3' strip lights work pretty well and I used a 15' strip on each side of the trailer. I'm going to be putting some on my newer boat this spring and it will include deck lights this time around.