Red/Green Bow Navigation Light with Chromed Cover, 100×78 mm – for Boats up to 12m

This bi-color bow lamp combines red and green navigation lights into one compact unit, simplifying the running lights arrangement on your vessel. Instead of installing separate port (red) and starboard (green) lamps, you can mount a single bi-color light at the bow – a popular solution for smaller yachts and boats that have limited space or lack side mounting surfaces for individual lights.

Design & Materials: The light is housed in a robust ABS plastic body. The top portion is a chrome-plated cover that gives the appearance of polished metal and reflects some of the light downward to prevent glare on the boat’s bow. The chrome finish also provides an extra layer of UV and saltwater protection for the plastic underneath. The bottom portion (base) is black, which keeps it low-profile on the deck and absorbs internal reflections, improving the clarity of the outward red/green beams. The red and green lenses are made of colored transparent polymer (plexiglass or similar), which is impact-resistant and won’t fade. These lenses are precisely angled to cast light in the required sectors (112.5° to each side).

With dimensions of 100 mm length by 78 mm width, this light is small enough to fit on tight bow areas. Its low height means it’s less likely to be snagged by furling sails, dock lines, or interfere with deck hardware. This is especially important for sailboats, where the bow area is often crowded with anchor rollers, pulpits, and jib sails.

Installation: The unit is designed for easy installation – the cap conceals the mounting screws. By gently prying off the chromed cover, you expose two holes for screws. Once you screw the light down to the deck or bracket, you snap the cover back on, hiding the fasteners and giving a clean finish. There is a rubber gasket on the bottom that sits between the light and the mounting surface, ensuring no water seeps through the screw holes and also damping vibration.

Electrical Wiring: A twin-core wire (~15–20 cm leads) protrudes from the light – typically one positive (often red) and one negative (black). You simply tie these into your existing navigation light circuit (usually the wires leading to your nav light switch). When you turn on the running lights, both the red and green sections illuminate simultaneously. Power draw is low (for example, ~0.4–0.8 A depending on the bulb wattage, commonly 5W or 10W per bulb). The unit comes with a standard 12V bulb of the appropriate type (festoon or BAY15d dual-contact, depending on model) – this provides the necessary brightness for small craft. If that bulb burns out or if you operate a 24V system, it can be easily replaced with an equivalent bulb of the proper voltage and base type.

Practical application: Bi-color bow lights are widely used on boats up to 12 m, as they simplify the lighting system. For example, many sailboats in the 6–10 m range use one bi-color light at the bow and one white stern light (or all-round white) at the stern – thus when under engine or sail, the yacht is correctly lit (red/green/white). For small motorboats and fishing vessels that don’t have high superstructures, mounting a combined light on the bow is often more convenient than two separate side lights. This product is an excellent choice in such cases, since it saves time and effort in installation and also reduces potential leak points (only two holes instead of four).

The chromed cover not only adds to the aesthetics but also improves functionality: it acts as a reflector, directing light horizontally and shielding the crew’s eyes from glare. The result is that other vessels see clearly separated red and green sectors, while those on board are not blinded by their own light. This particular model has an LED equivalent (higher-end), but the current incandescent version is cost-effective and fully adequate for the needs of most boats.

Certification & Standard: The light meets the requirements of the International Regulations (COLREG 72) for side navigation lights on vessels under 12 m: it emits red and green light, each visible for at least 1 NM. The internal design focuses ~90% of the light into the mandated sectors, ensuring the colors don’t overlap beyond allowed limits. If your boat is up to 12 m, using this combined bow light (along with a proper stern or all-round white light) will give you a complete compliant setup for nighttime operation.