Not only do pontoon boat lights come in many shapes and sizes, they also come in a large variety of colors, designs, and much more. That can sometimes mean it’s a challenge to take it all in, but when you have a guide like the one below, you can get the lights you need and find the key to more time relaxing, better fishing, and even some epic evening rides for various watersports.
10 Must-Know Options for Pontoon Boat Lights
More Light = More Boating Hours
With the right pontoon boat lights and combinations, you can have more hours of fun and also more fun in your hours on the water. Check the guide below for recommendations that can help you do that and more with the added benefit of sight, safety, and style.
1. Navigation Lights
Primary Uses: Safely and legally marking your boat for other vehicles to see.
Navigation lights indicate your status as a vessel occupying space on the water, helping other vehicles see where you are and giving an idea of where your paths may cross. They may not be the exciting lights on this list, but they help you put safety first during low visibility hours.
For pontoons, you need port and starboard nav lights like these and anchoring lights like this one or this one.
2. Spreader Lights, Awning / Bimini Top Lights
Primary Uses: Broad illumination for spaces inside the boat and nearby the boat.
From dusk lighting for evening swims and wakeboarding to putting a bright glow on fishing waters and parking spots, spreader lights help with illuminating large areas in and around the boat. They come in several sizes and styles, too:
- Pontoon Bimini / Awning Lights
- Super Spreader Lights
- Profile Cybermite Lights
- Spot Lights and Flood Lights like these 400S lights and these compact CyberLites
3. Way Lights / Courtesy Lights
Primary Uses: Marking pathways and targeted stretches of a boat, normally for foot traffic.
Small, concentrated lighting helps boat owners and passengers see edges, small spaces, and commonly used items where they rest in the boat. By having a handful of these around the boat, you can help reduce tripping, slipping, toe stubbing, and other accidents.
Way lights and courtesy lights come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, including flush mount lights, oval lights, oblong lights, ultra compact LED modules, round lights, and more. They can also come in a variety of light colors.
4. Grab Handle Lights
Primary Uses: Dual purpose grips and lights, illuminating the grips so they can be easily seen along with a small area around them.
Grab handle lights are an advancement in the world of courtesy lights and safety grips. They’re a great addition anywhere someone might want to hold on, especially if you’ll be traveling at higher speeds.
5. Underwater Lights
Primary Uses: Attracting fish, illuminating submerged objects and surfaces
Underwater lights may be portable lights that are dropped in (usually for fishing), they may be adhered to a boat, or they may be fastened in place. However, for pontoons, we highly recommend portable underwater lights or those that can be adhered safely to just the right the surfaces of your boat.
They’re really the perfect complement for anyone who wants to do some night fishing on their pontoon and they’re a favorite for any kid who wants to see nighttime activity underwater.
6. Utility Lights
Primary Uses: Illuminating specific areas of the boat, especially compartments and areas where gear is stored.
Utility lights, much like courtesy lights, illuminate small spaces and gear, but they tend to be more specialized in the positioning of their light and the feature that help them activate. Some even turn on automatically when you open a compartment lid.
For your options here, be sure to check out the following lights:
- Automatic Lid Lights
- Storage Lid Lights with Angled LEDs
- Push-in LED Utility Lights
- Slim Line Lights and Boating Essentials Utility Lights where you can choose from White, Green, Blue, Red, and even RGBW
7. Docking Lights
Primary Uses: Illuminating areas around a pontoon, especially the sides where it lines up with a dock, lift, or slip.
It can be a challenge to park a larger boat, especially at night and especially when navigating obstacles, dealing with wind, and riding in choppy water. Docking lights are the pontoon boat lights that really shine in these circumstances though, helping you see to park and to safely deboard the boat.
8. Cup Holder Lights
Primary Uses: Marking cup holder spots and providing fun accents around the boat.
Next to messes like snack crumbs and lake gunk, spilled drinks pose the biggest threat to keep the inside of your pontoon clean. Luckily though, cup holder lights can help you prevent such mishaps and they look really cool, too.
9. Color Changing LED Lights
Primary Uses: Festive Displays, visibility to other boats and people.
Flashy features. Customizable colors. Subtle installations. If you’re looking for amazing options built into one kit, check out RGB pontoon boat lights. With just the touch of a button, you can select how bright you want your lights, what color you want them to be, and select from programmed lighting patterns.
10. Accent Lights
Primary Uses: Highlighting specific spaces or features on the boat.
Accent lights can work much the way of both courtesy lights and utility lights, and there can be quite a bit of overlap between many of these lights, but accent lights are also worth mentioning separately because of their aesthetic appeal. At the end of the day, (early in the morning, or in the middle of the night) they provide useful illumination that looks nice on your boat.
Notable options include:
- Interior Lighting Kits (available as a floor lighting kit, a standard kit, and a deluxe kit)
- Exterior Lighting Kits (available as a standard kit and as a deluxe kit)
- Speaker Accent Rings
- Mini Accent LED Lights
Shop a Variety of Quality-Made Pontoon Boat Lights
It can be a blast to plan out the lighting on your pontoon boat and dream about how that lighting will help you do more of what you love to do. It’s easy to get started, too — just check out the options below!
