Spreader Lights
noun
Definition of Spreader Lights
Spreader lights are high-powered lights typically mounted on the spreader of a sailboat or the hardtop of a motorboat. They are designed to illuminate a wide area on the boat deck, providing task lighting for activities such as docking, anchoring, or fishing.
Before purchasing and installing spreader lights, it’s important to consider:
- Waterproofing: An IP67 rating is ideal on spreader lights, as it ensures extended protection from dust and waterproofing if submerged in water up to 1 m deep.
- Beam angle: A 120-degree beam spread works well to evenly light up the cockpit, deck, and surrounding waterline for fishing. It also prevents dark shadows or hot spots that impede night vision.
- Durability: Marine grade lighting is the way to go for spreader lights, as sea salt spray and humid marine conditions can be quite corrosive to most materials.
- Energy efficiency: Spreader lights need to be on for hours, sometimes overnight, therefore, they need to draw less power.
- Versatility: Dimmability and the ability to rotate the position make a spreader light more effective at delivering the right amount of light where it’s needed.
If you’re often out on the water for recreational purposes, a spreader light can level up the ambience, thanks to color-changing features. Some lights, like the Caprera 3 LED Flood Light have a Bluetooth controller to help fine tune the light color, temperature, and intensity.
Example of Spreader Lights in a Sentence
"The spreader lights on the boat's hardtop lit the entire deck, making it easy for the fishermen to see while rigging their lines at night."
Synonyms: floodlights, deck lights
Related Terms for Spreader Lights