Cheap Underwater Lights Worth It On a Boat?

We install easy and inexpensive underwater lights on our express cruiser boat. We choose a light, install it, and then head out on the water to test in real-world conditions. Cruise with us on our Regal boat to Chesapeake City and find out for yourself if a simple bilge drain light is worth the time and money.
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Links to Products (Not Sponsored)
Underwater Lights from Fire Water Marine: firewatermarine.com/products/...
Switches from New Wire Marine: newwiremarine.com/marine-grad...
Regal Boats: www.regalboats.com/
Load Rite Trailers: www.loadrite.com/
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Our mission is to cruise amazing places and cities on our boat without taking days, weeks, or months to get to our destination. Work and family life take up a ton of time. But, that doesn't mean you can't still cruise without having a liveaboard. So, we bought the biggest express cruiser we would want to tow on a regular basis and started "land cruising" our trailered boat to all of the wonderful boating locations on the East Coast of the United States and beyond.

[@Alexander12547]

Looks exactly what I'd want. Not too bright and In your face. Perfect ambience

[@boatingcavu6127]

Awesome! So glad you like it. Definitely pleased given how easy and cheap.

[@lucashunt2674]

Thank you for this! I had all the same concerns as you, and seeing how yours came out, i am going to have to get this for my Regal!

[@boatingcavu6127]

So glad it was helpful! The blue is “subtle”. The white light is a good bit brighter, but maybe less cool depending on what you’re looking for.

[@satoshione8145]

Love it and it looks perfect 👍🏼

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! We found they are even brighter in clearer water.

[@travisbarkel3666]

Love the light, for the investment totally worth it. Love even more that you're back with videos. Keep them coming!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Will do. And glad you like the light!

[@MrLeecromwell]

You did a fantastic install, great work! I think it looks great! I have a pair from different company that has an adapter that allows 2 lites and still has a center opened to allow for drain plug. This puts the lites a little on an angle sideways, works great if you thought of adding a second lite..over all I love your setup!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Wow! Thanks so much! That sounds like a really interesting setup. I would always love to add more light and get it shine out a little more from directly behind the prop. I’ll definitely look into it! One thing I’ve learned from the installation , we have to make sure they stay completely within the transom with *nothing* hanging down into the stream of water. Unlike a transducer, I suppose they are not made to touch the water rushing by. But I’m sure there would be a way to make it work. Thanks again.

[@bodybuilderschickensnortht6121]

Really good advice. i just found our channel. The info about the drain plugs and the lights got me thinking. Because i am not certain if i want to drill holes into the hull for the front lights.

[@boatingcavu6127]

So glad you enjoyed it! I'm the same. Hate drilling holes if I don't have to.

[@RoysRestorations]

I'm happy with it! I agree with not wanting holes in the hull. It is subtle but I think it's nice! I'll be doing this soon. Tha ks for the vid!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks!!! Good luck!

[@rolfpettersen877]

Looks perfect! 👍👍

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks a bunch!

[@gilbertcordina]

You are wrong on both disadvantages as there are Y adapters to attach 2 and even 3 lights to the same drain plug

[@boatingcavu6127]

I actually looked at those. My worry was that with how low the drain plug is, the Y would hang the back of the light into the water stream below the hull. That seemed like it could put a lot of strain on the light and the bilge drain fitting. Didn’t want to risk it. But, that setup may work great on another hull design.

[@cameronyeager8129]

Awesome, may have to pick one up

[@boatingcavu6127]

So glad it was helpful for you!

[@philk9357]

Looks great! It seems bright enough and the prop makes it look like two lights anyway. Good work on the video also, nicely made & edited all round.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks so much Phil! Really appreciate it!

[@mikebeschen7748]

Looks great !

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks!!! Really appreciate it!

[@kencummins3048]

Thanks for the video! As far as ROI, I'd consider it a win. I had the same concerns about shadow from the outdrive, but my transom does not have a channel like yours. Also don't have an extended swim platform (yet). Seeing the amount of light it put out, I'm reconsidering the drain plug light angle.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Couldn't agree more! I think our boat is the worst-case scenario for a drain plug light and it's still pretty impressive. We've tried the white light too. It's a good bit brighter than the blue, but doesn't have quite the "cool" factor. There's a pic on our instagram of the white light, but it looks green because of the water color. instagram.com/boatingcavu/

[@josephwhatley9027]

Looks good! A cool glow.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks Joseph! Check out our instagram (instagram.com/boatingcavu) to see what the white light looks like underwater. We traded out the blue for the white for a few trips. Took 10 minutes to do. It attracted a ton of fish. Everybody on the dock was stopping to watch.

[@josephmeierhoff6652]

I’m impressed with the amount of light. Looks good.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! We're really happy with it!

[@gameon2081]

Even the light is so far back still put on a decent amount of light and not only that since the lower unit is on the middle, i think it helps to split the lights to both sides i believe but i might be wrong, now the main thing is no new holes and that's important 👍 Good job with the wiring too. Good vid!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! Couldn’t agree more. The unit definitely splits the light in two. It gets a little brighter if I trim the unit in the slip.

[@stephenshea7277]

Looks really good

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thank you!!!

[@artist4truth]

I like it. Totally worth it.

[@BryanDunn06]

I say you have definitely added some cool factor to the boat as it sit in the marina. Small investment of money (that install would have taken me all weekend) for a nice return.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! And the install wasn't difficult at all. I'm sure you'd be able to do it quickly!

[@PastorTom2009]

Looks awesome. I’m going to do it. 21’ Maxum.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Hi Tom. If you’re still curious about the lights, we posted some pics on our Instagram of the white light underwater (instagram.com/boatingcavu). It took about 10 minutes to swap them out. Figured we’d give it a try as well. Hope you enjoy!

[@hoouwit1]

Looks good!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

[@robertcelebre7247]

It looks great

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks Robert!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Cool lights. I’d like to put some on our boat at some point. The important thing with anything is that you like it. I have LED lights under our 30 year old golf cart!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Love it! It’s super easy to add them to your boat using the drain plug light if you decide to go that way.

[@7810jam]

Looks cool.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thank you! For around $100, I can't complain. I get to be a part of the "cool crowd" at the docks. 😉

[@lesfaust9634]

Under water lights look awesome when you moving..cool glowy glowy rooster tail!!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Glowy glow is a good thing! Oddly, we don't run much at night. Usually on the hook or at a dock once it gets dark. Did a lot more moving at night in our previous boat. Mostly day trips then.

[@rcrawford9588]

Was the light brighter in person, compared to the YT video? Keep making videos please! I know you trailer but, How about docking, spring line on/off dock, catching a cleat?

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thank you! Great suggestions! For the brightness, it depends. I later bought a white light from them which definitely looks brighter than the blue. The slip in the video was pretty shallow with a silty bottom. We’ve had the light look brighter in clearer water and deeper slips. Also found the white light tends to attract more fish than the blue. Thanks for watching!

[@jandyallday]

My boat sits in the water at my marina year round. So as much as I like it, it's not worth the worry for me that it could ever leak. Sometimes im gone for 10 days and can't imagine it failing while I was gone

[@juanjesus8817]

Well I expected a little more light but still totally worth it

[@boatingcavu6127]

💯 I had to remind myself it’s not going to be as much light as a multi light setup. But those often take a lot of work and 💰.

[@mikefinney7608]

It’s a pretty good light. I seen a guy put a tri fitting on for two lights and one drain. But i think i will drill mine

[@boatingcavu6127]

Totally get it! Definitely not as bright as a few lights. I saw kits to put lights on the end of the trim tabs. 🤔

[@Jaro_Liska]

What wrench do you use to tighten the light? Isn't there a danger of water getting into the boat through the light?

[@boatingcavu6127]

I use a “strap wrench” to tighten and remove it. You can grab one from most any hardware store. The light itself is filled with epoxy so it appears to be pretty leak proof (if there is such a thing). I haven’t had any leaks with the light in the couple years I’ve been using it.

[@chargebloom7755]

It looks nice

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks!

[@maccheese9072]

Looks great bro well done 👍 not over the top 👍

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! Really appreciate it!

[@boatingcavu6127]

@@maccheese9072 Wow! I love it there! It's super easy installing these lights. And lots of underwater life for you to see. FYI: We've found the white light attracts more fish but the blue look really cool.

[@maccheese9072]

@@boatingcavu6127 yeah I think I'll go with blue . Green light is great for night fishing for tuna

[@marcusbutzin8368]

Paint the underside of the swim platform silver use the chrome spray paint and the reflectiveness will help the bounce of the light instead of soaking it up.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Fascinating! The underside is already white, but reflective could be interesting.

[@dannyv2335]

I think it looks great

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks Danny V! I'm really happy, especially for the money and ease of installation. Of course, I also wouldn't mind if it was a bit brighter. But can't ask for everything!

[@inquisitor1519]

I think it looks really nice … I want do it to

[@boatingcavu6127]

There’s nothing to it! Super easy for what you get. Give it a go!

[@chrisinsd4590]

I think it looks great but wouldn’t exactly say it was so easy…maybe for you. Im not someone used to ripping out my dash switches and rewiring them. Don’t own a heat gun (and have no idea what I would do with it other than this). And how would I get that wiring up there?? My Regal bowrider bilge is wayyy more cramped than this cruiser. This would probably take me 8 hours plus and potentially end in success but good chance of that not being the case. So I think it looks great but but not as easy for everyone perhaps-definitely would call this an intermediate skill level project, not “easy.” Enjoy your cool lights!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks. And, I agree. It’s not for everyone. But, given how it worked out, I think it can be done by many more people than would do traditional lights and drill holes in their boat. Start small and you may surprise yourself at how much you can do!

[@zureal01]

Though the light does not go far, for the few hundred that you spent, it looks good. Though you do not really see much from the boat itself, from the outside or walking twords the boat it looks cool.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! I agree completely. I'd like to try the white light to see if it is brighter from the boat than the blue. Should be a quick swap.

[@CiLyXx]

Would you think that you could mount lights under the swimboard?

[@boatingcavu6127]

Maybe. Wouldn’t get the “glow” from underwater lights, but might have a cool shimmering effect. 🤔

[@petermorton2869]

They are a tremendous amount of blue light coming only from one light it is impressive amount of blue light Kind Regards Peter

[@boatingcavu6127]

So true! Glad we went with the brighter light. Thanks for your comment.

[@johnharts2463]

I think it looks nice

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! It worked better than I thought it would.

[@alexyahner5658]

How has this held up over the last, almost 2 years? Would you still recommend this light?

[@boatingcavu6127]

Hey Alex, I absolutely would. We had one issue with the power supply dying on the blue light, but the manufacturer replaced it at no charge. We also bought a white one that is still going strong. I switch them back and forth between trips as the mood strikes me. Thanks for checking in!

[@jcowboy123]

How about those of us who typically remove our Blige plugs ?

[@jcowboy123]

@@foveaaero1978 thank you

[@boatingcavu6127]

I use a strap wrench to take it out and tighten it. It's a little more work than a standard plug, but very doable each time. Maybe 45 seconds instead of 30. Once it's out, l'Il let it hang on the wire which I fastened in the bilge. It would be a bit of a pain to disconnect the wire each time.

[@aarondunne3519]

so did you go from Samsung to Apple Watch in a week?

[@boatingcavu6127]

Wow! Good eye! A gift from the wife.

[@vietnam2513]

It’s not too bad really 👍

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks! In an upcoming episode, we get to see the lights in clearer water. It really makes a difference.

[@FlatsFisher73]

I think it turned out great. If you have two drain plugs one on each side add a second light the world brother.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Good idea, but we only have the one. I am thinking about trying out their white light to see the difference.

[@thecommonboater2246]

Looks good, but no where close to 8000 lumens.

[@SuperFlyfisher101]

I like it, the cost was a bargain!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Thanks, SuperFlyfisher101! I agree! Super worth it.

[@officialWWM]

My boat has 2 bilge drain plugs 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@PepeDeezNutz]

Skip to 9:45

[@kimbelesky1971]

Maybe i'm nissing something. But i don't see the purpose. Someone enlighten me.

[@wilwa6546]

This thing have never 8000 Lumens!

[@boatingcavu6127]

Can’t say for sure, but I found the white one looks brighter than the blue. The brightness is also really dependent on what’s suspended in the water. We’ve seen it go from pretty average looking to really bright over two different nights in the same slip but with different currents.

[@pyroford]

Your boat looks really dirty under there. Maybe leave it in the dark.

[@boatingcavu6127]

Hahaha. Could use some fresh bottom paint. Or I can just turn off the light and pretend I’ve painted it!

[@maintenancehvac7288]

Duchy vid