Marine LED Lighting Installation
Changing to marine LED lighting cuts the lighting load on your batteries dramatically and gives better light in the cabin and on deck. We fit boat LED lights throughout, from cabin downlights and reading lamps to deck floods, navigation lights and underwater lights, and fix the wiring behind them.
A straight bulb swap is not always the whole job. Older wiring, corroded holders and dimmers designed for filament bulbs can cause flicker, radio interference or early failure with LEDs.
We work from Shoreham Airport and fit lighting aboard along the South Coast between Brighton and Southampton.
LED lighting for yachts and motor boats
Cabin lights can be warm or neutral white, with red night lighting at the chart table to protect night vision. Courtesy lights on steps and in the cockpit make moving around after dark safer. Deck floods help when working on the foredeck or picking up a mooring.
- Cabin, galley and reading lights
- Red night lighting and courtesy lights
- Deck floods and spreader lights
- LED navigation and anchor lights
- Underwater boat lights
Navigation lights
LED navigation lights should be marine-rated units meeting the relevant collision regulations for your boat's length, not a domestic LED in an old lens. Masthead lights also mean checking the mast cable and connections, which are often the real cause of a light that works intermittently.
Underwater lights
Underwater lights are either through-hull or surface-mounted. Through-hull fittings involve a hole below the waterline and are best planned for a lift-out. Either way they draw more than cabin lighting, so the supply, switching and protection are sized accordingly.
Wiring, dimming and interference
Poor connections that a filament bulb tolerated can make an LED flicker. We replace tired holders and crimps, use LED-compatible dimmers and choose fittings that avoid VHF and AIS interference. Upgrading lighting during a wider refit lets circuits be rationalised at the same time.
Yacht refit electrics · Boat distribution panel upgrade
Quote first
Tell us which lights you want changed or added. We look at the wiring and give you a written quote before any work begins.
Planning a lighting upgrade
Different colour temperatures suit different spaces, and mixing them in one cabin can look odd. Choosing a consistent warm or neutral white across the saloon and berths gives a calmer feel, while brighter task lighting can be kept for the galley and engine space where you need to see detail clearly.
It helps to walk through the boat and decide how each space is used after dark. A galley needs bright task light, a saloon benefits from softer dimmable light, and a heads needs something simple and reliable. Switching can be grouped so one switch lights a route from the companionway to the berths.
We can upgrade a few fittings at a time or the whole boat in one visit. Either way, we label any new circuits at the panel and leave you with a note of what was fitted, so replacing a fitting later is straightforward.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just swap my boat bulbs for LEDs?
Sometimes. If the holders, wiring and dimmers are sound, a direct swap can work. Flicker or interference usually means the wiring needs attention.
Do LED lights interfere with VHF?
Some cheap LEDs do. We use fittings that avoid radio interference and check the VHF afterwards.
Can you fit underwater lights?
Yes. Through-hull lights are best planned for when the boat is out of the water.
Will LED lighting help my batteries?
Yes. LEDs draw a fraction of the current of filament bulbs for similar light.
Brighter boat, lighter load
Send the boat details, where it is kept and what you have in mind, and we will come back with the next step and a written quote.