Boat Navigation Lights

Boat Navigation Lights: Safety with the flick of a switch

When visibility on the water is low, ensure that you have the right marine navigation lights installed from Wholesale Marine. From yachts, to cruisers, small boats, PWC's or even kayaks we offer a variety of portable navigation lights.

Boat stern lights offer a bright white light for visibility on the water. Stern lights come in a variety of mounting options, the two most common are a mounted fixed light or a drop in light on a pole. Boat side lights come in a starboard side (green) and port side (red) light. You can mount a separate light on either side, or use a bi-color light that contains both. If your vessel meets the requirements, you can always use a tri-color light that combines both stern and side lights.

The size of your vessel determines the United States Coast Guard navigation light requirements you must meet. The requirements are for either a main masthead or sternlight head with a pair of side lights. The lights are required to meet a certain nautical distance shine from dead ahead.

Boats that are less than 39.4’ (12 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 1 nautical miles and a white stern light up to 2 nautical miles.

Boats that are less than 65.7’ (20 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 2 nautical miles and a masthead light up to 3 nautical miles.

Boats over 65.7' and less than 164' (20 meters - 50 meters) require sidelights with visibility up to 2 nautical miles and a masthead light up to 5 nautical miles.

Whether you’re searching for bow lights or side lights, Wholesale Marine stocks trusted marine brands including Attwood, Perko Marine, and Innovative Lighting. Find reliable boat navigation lights for every type of water vessel.

Marine Navigation Lights That Meet Requirements

Whether you’re piloting a small fishing boat or large power boat, trust that Wholesale Marine has the right boat navigation lights for you. As you are equipping your boat, it is important to be mindful of navigation light requirements for your style of boat. Power driven vessels are required to have a stern light, and either a pair of side lights or a bow light.

Perko Marine side lights such as the Perko Vertical Mount Side Light are equipped with red and green marine navigation lights. Gold-plated contacts provide excellent conductivity while holding up against normal wear.

Depending on your application, you may opt-out of boat side lights in favor of a bi-color deck light. Bi-color deck lights, like the Attwood Bi-Color Boat Navigation Light, function the same as a side light, but feature red and green lights contained in a single unit. This bi-color dual side light offers a universal fit, sitting on a 14” straight 2-pin locking collar pole.

Increase your visibility on the water with the Attwood LED All-Round Boat Stern Light. This boat stern light offers bright white light and is designed for 360° visibility on boats up to 39.4' in length. This marine navigation light is one of many that we stock that is US Coast Guard Approved for 2 nautical miles.

When your boat is anchored, you are required to use a 360° anchor light that is visible up to 2 nautical miles. A perfect choice is the Attwood LED Anchor light. Constructed from enhanced 316 stainless steel and corrosion resistant alloys, this navigation light is designed to hold up. The powerful LED’s are rated for over 50,000 hours of use and produce a light bright enough to be seen up to 3 nautical miles away.

For ease of operation, we recommend Innovative Lighting’s Portable LED Stern Navigation Light. It features a suction cup mount that attaches virtually anywhere, and its rugged construction is able to withstand even tough marine environments. Many of our portable navigation lights for boats use LED bulbs, which consume less power and have a longer service life than regular incandescent or halogen bulbs.

Choosing the Right Boat Navigation Lights

Trying to decide between different marine navigation lights? Our customer service team is composed of boat enthusiasts that are eager to offer real-world advice on the boat navigation lights. We would be more than happy to help you get the light best suited for your boat and boating activities. We’re here for you Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM.  Sign up for our Captain’s Club Rewards Program to accrue points for extra savings the next time you shop at Wholesale Marine!