Marine Lighting Glossary
Quick reference for DRSA customers, boat owners, and marine installers. Learn navigation lights, underwater lights, fittings, LED terms, and how they apply on real boats and docks.
Boat Basics
- Abaft
- Toward the stern of the boat, farther aft than another point.
- Aft
- At or toward the stern of the vessel.
- Bearing
- The compass direction of an object from the boat or the course of the boat itself.
- Binnacle
- Housing that holds the main steering compass, usually at the helm.
- Bollard
- Heavy post on a dock or boat used to secure mooring lines.
- Distress Signal
- Internationally recognized signal, like flares or EPIRB, that shows urgent danger.
- Draft
- Distance from waterline to lowest part of the hull. Tells you minimum depth to float.
- Fender
- Cushion hung over the side to protect the boat when docking.
- Nautical Mile
- Marine distance unit equal to one minute of latitude. About 1.15 land miles.
- Port
- Left side of the boat when facing forward. Shown in red for navigation lights.
- Starboard
- Right side of the boat when facing forward. Shown in green for navigation lights.
Types of Lighting
- Accent Lighting
- Focused light that highlights a feature, logo, boat name, or step.
- Ambient Lighting
- General light level that makes cabins, cockpits, or marina walkways comfortable to use at night.
- Task Lighting
- Targeted light for work areas, chart tables, engine rooms, or galley.
- Marine Grade Lighting
- Built to resist salt, water, and UV for docks, yachts, and waterfront homes.
- Indirect Lighting
- Light bounced off a surface to create a softer, more premium look.
Common Boat and Dock Lights
- Navigation Lights
- Required lights that show vessel size, heading, and status at night.
- Deck Lights
- Lights that make decks safer to work on at night.
- Masthead Light
- White light that shows over 225 degrees. Required on power-driven vessels underway.
- Underwater Lights
- Lights mounted below the waterline for looks, fish attraction, or gear checks.
- Solar Dock Lights
- Self contained lights for pilings and dock edges that turn on automatically.
- Step or Courtesy Lights
- Small fixtures that light steps, gunwales, or walkways.
LED 101
- LED
- Light Emitting Diode. Efficient, durable, and now the standard for marine lighting.
- Lumens
- How bright the light is. Use this instead of watts when comparing LEDs.
- Color Temperature
- Kelvin value that shows if the light is warm, neutral, or cool.
- IP Rating
- Ingress Protection rating. Tells you how well the fixture is sealed.
- Dimmable
- Fixture can be run brighter or softer when paired with the right dimmer.