LIGHTING YOUR BOAT WITH SHADOW-CASTER® PRODUCTS
Gunwale and accent areas
Shadow-Caster has a variety of accent lighting and LED NEON lighting strips available. Consider SCM-AL-LED for areas where the mounting of the LED strip will not be directly visible. The SCM-AL-NEON and SCM-AL-MINI-NEON are better for areas where the mounting location will be in the line of sight, as they provide a pleasant looking continuous glow. The choice between the two is generally determined by size requirements and bend direction required for mounting.
Baitwells, hatches, and step areas
Consider the SHADOW-CASTER® courtesy lights SCM-CL series available in single and multi-color versions. They provide a pleasant down firing light, available in black, white or stainless finish.
Overhead areas
Shadow-Caster offers three types of down lights. There are 2” (SCM-DL series) and 3” (SCM-DLX series) diameter versions available in multiple finishes and color outputs from single white to full color, plus a simple, 3″ lower-cost option (SCM-DLXS) available in white.
For lighting large areas such as decks and towers
Use the SHADOW-CASTER® Spreader Beam Flood Light, SCM-SLB (with bracket) or SCM-SLF (flush-mounted) also available in multiple finishes and color outputs.
Yes, through your marine display and the Light Commander SCM-LC-N2K Series Light Controller you can configure and control your entire boat lighting system. The SHADOW-CASTER® system can be custom configured for up to six zones of lighting control. Note that one advantage of the SHADOW-CASTER® multi-zone controls is that the system will not require any power switches, as the system sends digital messages to all devices to tell them to turn on and off, along with color and brightness information.
Shadow-Caster offer a range of LED Lighting Controls to cover multiple areas of lighting, or zones.
For global control for all lighting via MFD or smartphone the Light Commander SCM-LC-N2K Series Light Controller allows you to configure and control your entire boat lighting system. Connected through NMEA 2000 backbone or MFD network port, the SHADOW-CASTER® Light Commander can be custom configured for up to six zones of lighting control (expandable to 18 zones).
The SHADOW-CASTER® Multi-Zone Lighting Controller SCM-ZC-KIT, is a 4-zone push button controller, coupled to the SHADOW-CASTER® Multi-Zone Lighting Controller. This kit provides the ability to control 4 zones of RGB lighting or SHADOW-CASTER® products such as underwater lights for your boat. With up to 15 amps over 4 zones, it provides enough capacity to light an entire boat. The multi-zone control also provides several options for color rotation and synchronizing lights to music.
Yes, Shadow-Caster has the SCM-SNLC Single Zone Lighting Controller that will output digital commands to underwater lights, and control up to 20 amps (250 watts) of RGB lighting.
All SHADOW-CASTER® LED boat lighting products, both single and multi-color, will work from a standard switch. In multiple light installations, current demand can add up quickly and exceed the capability of a standard switch, e.g. 2x SCR-24’s on a 12 V system = 16 amps. In these cases consider a SHADOW-CASTER® power distribution module SCM-PD4CH to switch the current for up to 4 lights. This provides not only a convenient way to connect and fuse multiple light installations, but a way to handle the high currents using a normal switch. In either case, simply toggling the power on or off will step the light to the next color.
By far the most popular choice is a full color light that will do any color and can accommodate any water condition. Bimini blue is the most popular single-color light. It creates a pleasant island glow around your boat regardless of water conditions. Generally, white is only recommended where pristine clear waters are abundant. Consider our blue and white for this condition as well. Green is a popular choice for in-shore fisherman as a way to attract bait fish. Red and ultra-blue are great when doing a red or violet themed lighting design for the entire boat
Certainly, more lights spaced close together will provide a more even and continuous glow. The SCM series come in a range of sizes of 4,6, and 10 LEDs. Smaller boats from skiffs up to 21ft (6 m), can be covered with one light on either side of the transom. The size of fixtures chosen typically depends on budget and desired brightness. Smaller skiffs are often adequate with one light in the middle. For larger boats using the SCR series, typical installation starts with two lights and one for every additional 5ft (1.5) of beam width over 3 meters.
Generally, for lift and trailer boats we recommend our stainless steel SCM series lights. Their low profile and compact design make them easy to mount in a variety of compact locations, and their polished stainless finish provide a nice aesthetic. Boats that live in the water continuously typically use our SCR round series under water lights. The glass lens and smooth exterior finish make them a better option for combating marine growth.
The table below indicates whether a gasket is required when mounting Shadow-Caster™ underwater lights to different hull types.
| Hull Type | SCR Series | SCM Series | SC3 Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRP/Composite | Direct mounting | Direct mounting | Direct mounting |
| Aluminium | Use gasket/barrier | Use gasket/barrier | Use gasket/barrier |
| Steel | Use gasket/barrier | Use gasket/barrier | Use gasket/barrier |
| Wood | Direct mounting | Direct mounting | Direct mounting |