Best Tower Lights....

What are your experiences with tower lights and what would you reccomend. I am aware that the skylon lights crack especially in salt water, the boat may be used in salt so what are durable also. Thank you, Colin

I have had two sets of Skylons and been very happy with them

I have a freinds whos cracked and rusted in the salt really fast. All the chrome came off completly.

Wake Air all the way, quality and finish is unmatched.

I've been in many boats with tower lights, own a pair myself, and I still sustain that they are completely useless except for wakesurfing & docking in the twilight. They actually make it more difficult to drive at night... they reflect off every inch of fiberglass, making it impossible
to see past the bow.

All the companies that make light bars use essentially the same lights - driving foglights, which are pointless for our application. I've found the best solution for night-riding are these:


Below the rubrail, so there's no glare. Mastercraft made a nice adaptation this year - they are producing their tower lights with a "shroud" to prevent light from dispersing at such a wide angle.

My recommendation: save the money and invest on something else. If you do, you'll likely ask yourself "why did I spend $650 on these things???"

(Message edited by anodyne on December 14, 2006)

I don't remember what the cost was, but I know it was way less than $600 (under $100). I found a piece of alum tube stock from a local recycler, 2 set of driving lights from Kragen, wiring and some misc mounting brackets, and whipped up a DIY light bar. It won't win any beauty contest but it works. Our bimini keeps the light reflection down and it casts decent light out in front of the boat. One light faces rearward. Whenever we houseboat or boat camp we usually end up having to make an evening run to the docks for something or someone and the lights are nice to have. I wouldn't say they are $600 nice.

By the way, the need for the lights was hatched after a bad night experience trying to get back to the docks after a long day (Narrows to main ramp at Naci).

i have the pro flight illuminator 6 lamp bar. i love it. i use it all the time coming into disco after a late session. works great in the summer out on the lake for night surfing. the bar comes standard in polished or they while powder coat it. the 6 lamps are polished, 4 forward and 2 back and it has the 2 outside front facing lights angled about 15 degrees out. if you decide to rig up a light bar make sure you know how, use correct size wire and relays etc... so you dont get drain. also remember, they are illegal to use for navigation purposes, you will get a ticket

I built my own bar and used 4 forward (2 rear) lights that I got here from work. Not so great for running at night, but works great when navigating the cove I frequent at nite and also pulling up to the ramp. But my main concern for them, was to keep idiots from running over me while cruising at night. B/c trust me, they'll see all 4 or 6 (if i have them all facing forward) 75 watts ea.

Here is mine it's an 07 Roswell and it has a led on the bottom that shines down into the boat. As far as the glare goes if you have your Bimini out it reduces the glare. It's also nice if your camping by boat if you need light on camp. All six lights can be faced front or back. Also agree it's nice to have when docking or pulling the boat onto the trailer.\

Rear facing lights are great for wakeboarding and wakesurfing.

If you have forward facing tower lights--make sure they are on a seperate switch from the rear lights. As a general rule of thumb it is never a good idea to have bright lights pointing forward while boating. Not only do forward lights do jack squat but the light will obscure your red/green nav light from other boats. Forward facing lights when docking works great though.

At night--speed kills. If you want to exceed 25mph across the water at night--don't spend the $600 on lights. Spend the $600 on a pair of night vision goggles. NV goggles rock on the water.

Put lights on your dock, solar powered. Docking lights on the boat are handy at slow speeds. At night you are better running with just the navigation lights so nothing distracts your eyesight.
I've run at 100+MPH at night on roads with 800 watts of Cibie lights lots, but water and wet objects are not at all the same. Don't expect anything to work like a cars headlamps.

Titan has the best light output, they put a filter in to squash the beam out wider

I think im gonna go with the fusion 6 lights bar it looks the most durable to me. I will have a bimini so beams won't be an issue. thanks everyone.
http://www.wakeside.com/page/w/PROD/wakeboard_tower_lights/fusion_6_light_bar_06

dbot5 lights work great, get 2 light bars in a package (6 lights), individual lights turn for perfect look

look like they'll peel..