Nothing adds to your boating experience like the ambiance and functionality of a perfect LED light setup.

Whether you’re out enjoying an evening cruise, or you’re docked at that favorite spot, simply turn the lights on and there goes the darkness. In its place are a well-lit deck, an easy-to-navigate boat, and pleasant memories to be made.

That said, there are two excellent options when it comes to boat lights—spotlights and floodlights.

We’ve delved into three important considerations to make before choosing either option, including the type of illumination and maintenance involved in both lights.

As you go over them, you’ll get to understand:

• Why LED spotlights for boats have an IP68 rating
• Why marine LED floodlights have an IP65 rating
• Why you need to consider the voltage type when choosing boat lights
• The best place to find amazing deals on LED floodlights and spotlights

But first, why are LED spotlights and floodlights so popular?

Advantages of LED Floodlights for Boats

Marine LED floodlights are incredibly durable and resistant to corrosion. They feature a tough aluminum casing with a powder coating that protects your LED floodlights from the corrosive effects of saltwater.

The casing also shields your LED floodlights from dust, vibration, and focused water pressure, such as splashes from an impeller.

This durability is why top LED floodlights have IP65 ratings. An IP rating is the ingress protection code given to electrical enclosures. This code follows an assessment of an electrical casing’s resilience against dust and water intrusion.

LED floodlights require minimal maintenance and are recyclable. Once in place, typical LED lights will last 25,000 hours without replacement. The only possible maintenance point will be the lights’ power cables, but with the right installation this will be minimal.

Wires should be well-insulated, concealed, and supported every 18 inches to avoid straining the cable and its connection at the bulb casing.

LED floodlights contain aluminum and copper, which are both recyclable, and no mercury. As such, they don’t require special packaging for recycling. The bulbs can be safely disposed of as regular recyclable waste.

Advantages of LED Spotlights for Boats

Marine LED spotlights are very efficient.

A typical bulb like the Fully Waterproof LED Spotlight from Apex Lighting produces a dazzling 5,200 lumens (the equivalent of 413 candles) from 50 watts of energy. That’s about the same energy requirement of your laptop computer.

Halogen spotlights require 500 watts to produce the same amount of light because, unlike LED spotlights, they generate heat.

LED spotlights are also very durable with some achieving high ingress protection ratings of IP68, like the Fully Waterproof LED Spotlight from Apex Lighting.

This classification means that the spotlights are fully waterproof, thanks to the watertight and dust-tight seals around every opening. As such, IP68 spotlights are submersible to depths of up to 9 feet for underwater lighting, making them perfect for nighttime fishing.

Light is an excellent nighttime fishing tool that serves as bait, bringing fish within easy catching distance.

With these ideas in mind, how do you choose between floodlights and spotlights?

Step 1 - Consider the Illumination You Need and Pick the Most Appropriate Option

The key consideration for choosing between floodlights and spotlights is their illumination pattern.

Floodlights cover a wider area of 120 degrees from their source with a short beam. Conversely, spotlights cover a narrower area of fewer than 45 degrees from the source with a longer beam.

Implications?

Choosing LED Floodlights

The wider beam of floodlights makes them perfect for lighting up spaces like your deck, which are short-ranged (relative to your floodlight mounts) and expansive.

Two well-positioned floodlights, for instance, are enough to sufficiently illuminate the entire deck of a class A boat measuring 16 feet or less.

Check out the demonstration below. The level of illumination makes for safe and easy movement aboard this boat.

The wider beam of floodlights is also an excellent security tool. It lights up swathes of dark areas around your boat using minimal bulbs.

Achieving the same coverage with spotlights would require more bulbs to make up for their narrower scope of less than 45 degrees. This requirement would translate into a greater load on your batteries.

Choosing LED Spotlights

Spotlights shine farther than floodlights to distances of up to two miles for class A boats, as required by federal regulations. This feature makes them perfect navigational tools and the most preferred light for your bow or masthead.

From these positions, spotlight beams will pick up obstacles in your path, identify other boats, and help you avoid major collisions during bad weather or low visibility conditions.

The spotlights will also double as signaling tools (thanks to their reach) for emergencies or boating activities, such as fishing.

Federal regulations require fishing vessels, for instance, to use two long-ranged white lights in a vertical line to signal when they’re casting their nets. It’s an ideal setup for LED spotlights.

Step 2 - Consider the Voltage Type and Pick the Easiest One to Maintain

LED floodlights and spotlights are available in alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) variations.

DC devices are simpler to set up and maintain while AC devices require more configuration and maintenance thereafter.

An AC floodlight, for instance, will need an inverter to convert DC power from your boat batteries into AC before supply. Alternatively, a DC device, like the Lumitec Maxillume H120, draws DC power directly from your batteries without the extra step.

The extra step of AC devices (inverters) adds to your list of devices that will require maintenance and replacement. So, if the type of illumination isn’t enough to help you decide between floodlights and spotlights, pick the easier-to-maintain DC option.

Step 3 - Compare the Costs and Choose the Better Deal

Compare the cost of purchasing a floodlight and spotlight and choose the best deal.

Floodlights range from $165.95–$757.99 at Apex Lighting, depending on their brightness (measured in lumens) and power ratings.

A higher-priced floodlight gives you more illumination and visibility but will lead to a greater drain on your batteries. A lower-priced floodlight minimizes the load on your batteries but limits illumination and visibility.

The following table illustrates this variation in pricing and its relation to the quantity of light emitted and power consumed. You’ll notice that high-end floodlights are brighter but use more energy.

Spotlights like the Fully Waterproof LED Spotlight retail at $175.95 at Apex Lighting but feature the recurrent replacement cost of their MR16 LED bulbs that retail at $18.

If you’re comfortable with a one-time purchase price that varies in terms of the quantity of illumination, choose floodlights.

If you prefer standard illumination and don’t mind the recurrent cost of replacing bulbs, choose spotlights.

Get Your LED Boat Lights From Apex Lighting

So there we have it, three steps to choosing between floodlights and spotlights for boats. Why not take it one step further and check out Apex Lighting’s impressive collection of marine LED lights?

Apex Lighting focuses on building lasting relationships with their customers by ensuring fast delivery of high-quality products at the best price.

“Was looking for Lumitec lighting for my boat. Apex shipped and delivered fast and was the cheapest. Definitely will be doing all my ordering through Apex.” - Tim Blair

Contact Apex Lighting today at (954) 421-3267 to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are marine LED spotlights and floodlights different?

The key differences between floodlights and spotlights lie in their illumination, durability rating, and maintenance requirements.

The following table compares these aspects of LED spotlights and floodlights.

How long do LED spotlights last?

LED spotlights feature MR16 bulbs, which last 25,000 hours (or 34 months) before replacement.

Where are LED floodlights mounted?

Floodlights are typically mounted on a console near navigation to provide sufficient lighting to the deck and areas around your boat.