Underwater LED lights

[Maynard Rupp]

We installed our LED underwater lights while we had Unity out for bottom painting. They are very well made, require only one 3/16" hole in the hull, and work great. We bought Abysslite lights #600. The cost was $507.00 for three including Florida sales tax. http://www.abysslite.com

 

[34Hatt]

You say they work Good, can you compare them too others and how about a picture???

 

[johngalt]

Maynard, did you install them on the transom or on the bottom of the boat? Have you tried them yet? Do you like them? I would like to install transom lights on my boat too. How long did it take to get them ? Bruce

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I like the idea of only a 3/16" hole to run the wire. Plus, with an LED you should never have to change a bulb and the amp draw is really low too. Do you know what the maximum input voltage would be on those? I'd get a few if they would run on 32v.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

You say they work Good, can you compare them too others and how about a picture???

I don't have a way to download my camera until I get back to Detroit next week. I will take some pictures with the lights on. I can't make a comparison, but they light the water up for thirty feet behind the boat and down enough to see fish that are 3 feet or so down.They really are quite bright. They do make a brighter one though.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Maynard, did you install them on the transom or on the bottom of the boat? Have you tried them yet? Do you like them? I would like to install transom lights on my boat too. How long did it take to get them ? Bruce

On the transom about 2" above the water. We turned them on last night in the murky harbor water. We like them alot. I drove up to Ft. Lauderdale and picked them up direct from the mfr. I am sure the ship them quickly. He said they are selling like crazy. They are very high quality and quite heavy.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

I like the idea of only a 3/16" hole to run the wire. Plus, with an LED you should never have to change a bulb and the amp draw is really low too. Do you know what the maximum input voltage would be on those? I'd get a few if they would run on 32v.

I don't know about the voltage Sky. One of the three had a tan positive and a blue negative with a sticker on the glass telling of this. The other 2 had conventional red + and black-.The wires are only about 20 gage so they can't draw much current. That tan and blue wire stuff is British. All our Brooks & Gatehouse instruments on the sailboat use that color coding. I guess you should pick their brains at Abysslite.

 

[Beckytek]

Sky, The article in Passagemaker said their are models that work from 9 to 40 volts. Imtra has some that work at 9 to 36 volts. look here, Imtra.com

 

[Capten]

Check out the Ocean LEDs - they are bright and the have a strobing model available. www.oceanled.com They also have a trim tab version light.

I am researching the Super Blues for NIMROD and a buddy's 53. Feel free to PM or email me for more details.

 

[rswirtz]

This may be a dumb question, but why would you want to light up the water? I'm sure it looks cool, but is there a purpose? Does it attract fish? Show the girls skinny dipping? Rick

 

[34Hatt]

they are bright and the have a strobing model available. www.oceanled.com

So strobing does that really help raise fish ????

This may be a dumb question, but why would you want to light up the water? I'm sure it looks cool, but is there a purpose? Does it attract fish? Show the girls skinny dipping? Rick

IT is a YES for all 3 the last being most Important out of them all.

 

[Starman]

IT is a YES for all 3 the last being most Important out of them all.

The last being most Important out of them all !

 

[Mike36c]

Check out the Ocean LEDs - they are bright and the have a strobing model available. www.oceanled.com They also have a trim tab version light.

I am researching the Super Blues for NIMROD and a buddy's 53. Feel free to PM or email me for more details.

Paul, I recently installed a pair of 3010's in my 36. You may want head down to the marina and check out a boat with the super blues in action, they are VERY blue. I almost bought the blue until I saw a pair in action.

 

[sdonx]

Wow, I like that strobe Idea!!

 

[Capten]

Underwater lights cetainly help when fishing offshore at night. They attract baitfish which in turn attracts the larger pelagics. I hear that the blue and green LEDs are much easier on the larger fish's eyes and is much more calming. We'll see.

As for the strobes - I installed a set of Intensity Lights metal halide brights with built in strobes on a 48 convertable. The theory on the strobes for fishing is that it simulates the flashing of a school of baitfish. We caught fish while using them on the troll but I can not say that they were the reason for it.

I can tell you that underwater lights and especially strobes do attract the dock lizards and look cool. That's the main reason most of my clients install them.

Mike36C - I'm real impressed with the Ocean LEDs. Are you suggesting that the Super Blues are TOO blue?

 

[Mike36c]

Paul, I would assume that the super blue attracts more fish but I saw a pair on a Rybovich at the dock and the darn light turned EVERYTHING blue including the fish, transom, bottom, dock, pilings, etc. I like to see the fish (bikinis too) in their natural state. I thought of going with two super whites and one super blue but the $$$ got out of hand so I stayed two whites.

 

[thoward]

We use a Hydroglow green light for swords they make blue as well. They say it does not scare the fish. The guys in the know told us to keep the spreader lights off too. We are going to install underwater lights as I have had 4 portable lights break in the past 6 months and at $200 I will come out better to install underwater lights....

 

[ThirdHatt]

The large hole and high cost were the prohibitive factors in my mind for underwaterlights until this thread. The Abyss lights need only a 3/16" hole in the hull and at around $200 each are the only ones I would consider. Why do the other brand LED lights need to be so thick? If Abyss can do it, why not others? I'm going to call Abyss today!

 

[thoward]

3rdhatt, the other lights are brighter. In theroy you would use fewer lights. The others are also flush mount which works better if you are going to put them on the sides of the boat. I think we are going with Abyss as well. 5-7 lights should do it .

 

[Capten]

The portable lights are very nice for fishing as you can send them down deeper or set them further behind the boat. But I can see where breakage could be an issue.

I have not seen the Abyss Lights in person but assume that the low cost and size have a direct correlation to brightness. If you don’t require ultra bright light then they sound like a great option.

Ocean LED also has a ‘Thru-Hull’ model that only requires a 1” hole in the hull.