The right dock accessories can dress up your boat dock and enhance the fun. Boat dock lighting provides more than fun, though. It also makes your dock safe for the entire family. You have lots of options when it comes to boat dock lighting, so you might not know how or where to begin. Explore the top boat dock lighting ideas, so you’ll be ready to add some lights to your dock.
Reduce the Work with Solar Lights
Living the boating lifestyle can take a lot of work. While you can’t reduce your workload when it comes to maintaining your boat, you can make things easier for yourself by choosing solar dock lights. Because solar lights are wireless, you can install them with ease, without worrying about a transformer. You won’t even need to bring a friend along when you install the lights. You can do it by yourself and then invite everyone to the dock to see your handiwork.
Keep It Simple with Automated Lights
Sticking with the trend of making your dock lighting as easy to use as possible, consider lights that automatically turn on. You can find solar dock lights that charge up during the day and then turn on when the sun starts to go down. You’ll appreciate this if you visit your dock late at night. You won’t have to struggle to turn on the lights, so you can just relax on your dock without any stress.
Keep Everyone Safe by Lighting the Edges
When you’re on your boat dock at night, you might notice other docks have lights along the edges. These lights keep everyone safe. When you have lights on the edges, you reduce the risk of making a misstep and falling into the water. Many people choose low-profile lights to go along the edge of the dock. That way, they can get the light they need without having to share dock space with clunky lights.
Make Your Dock Bright — But Not Too Bright
The brightness of the light is also a consideration. You need to keep three things in mind when choosing the brightness — safety, aesthetics, and other boaters. Boat dock lights that are too bright can be blinding and annoying to other boaters. You also might violate the rules at your marina. As a rule, choose lights that have a visual distance of around 800 meters. That’s bright enough to keep you safe while soft enough to enhance the ambiance of the dock. It will also keep you in the good graces of other boaters.
Stay Comfortable with White, Non-Flashing Light
Some boaters dress their docks up with colorful flashing lights. That might be fun at first, but you can end up with a headache after a while. It can also be a safety concern. Imagine trying to navigate a path with a colorful flashing light. You could end up losing sight of the dock and falling in the water. Choosing white, constant lights will keep you safe and help your guests enjoy their time on your boat dock.
Make Sure the Dock Lights Can Handle the Weather
The weather should also be on your mind when shopping for dock accessories. You need to choose dock lights that can withstand rain, sunlight, wind, and other conditions. If your dock lights aren’t weatherproof, they probably won’t work when you need them. They could also turn into a safety hazard, so only use weatherproof lights.
Select Heavy-Duty Lights
Bad weather can bring more than wind and rain. Your boat might collide with the dock, or debris could fly through the air and hit your lights. Because of that, it’s a good idea to choose durable lights with a high crush capacity rating. Solid aluminum solar lights can withstand quite a beating, so you won’t have to worry if bad weather comes your way.
Shop for the Top Boat Dock Lights Today
These boat dock lighting ideas will keep you safe and make your dock a fun place to hang out with friends and family. Now that you know what you need, you just have to take the next step and purchase your lights. Tommy Docks has heavy-duty solar lights that have all the features you want and need. Just like our docks, you can install the lights yourself, without any outside help. Perfect for the do-it-yourselfer and low-maintenance boater, you can transform your boat dock with these lights. Browse the site and find your ideal lights today.
Tommy Docks is your source for boat dock hardware, accessories, and more. If you’re ready to take your dock to the next level for next season, contact us today.