Attwood LightArmor 36" LED Masthead/Anchor Light - PowerBase

The Attwood LightArmor 36-inch masthead anchor light is a fixed-height LED anchor light pole for power-driven boats - the standard size for center consoles, runabouts, walkaround cuddies, and mid-size powerboats under 65 feet. For boats that need a proper white anchor light visible at the required height above the deck (per USCG and COLREGS regulations), the LightArmor 36-inch is the right-sized pole when mounted on the included-separately Attwood PowerBase mounting system.

USCG / COLREGS anchor light requirements - why this matters. The U.S. Coast Guard and international COLREGS (Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) require that vessels at anchor between sunset and sunrise display a white all-around light visible at 360 degrees, mounted above the deck where it's not obstructed by deck structure. For power-driven vessels under 65.4 feet (20 m), the minimum visibility distance is 2 nautical miles. The Attwood LightArmor 36-inch exceeds this requirement with 3 nautical mile visibility - meaning your boat is detectable by other vessels approaching from a safe distance. Compliance matters not just for legal reasons (USCG can ticket vessels without proper anchor lights) but for collision avoidance during overnight anchoring in busy waters.

36-inch pole height - what it's for. The 36-inch (3-foot) pole length raises the LED head above typical deck structures on mid-size powerboats - hardtops, T-tops, radar arches, antenna mounts - so the light is visible from all angles without being blocked. For most powerboats in the 20-30 foot range with typical hardtop or T-top heights, 36 inches is the right size. For taller hardtops or radar arches (over 8 feet above the gunnel), step up to the 42-inch or 48-inch variant for better clearance above the structure. For shorter cabin-top installations on smaller boats, the 24-inch variant is the correct fit.

For sailboats with masts higher than the LightArmor's installation height, this is NOT a masthead light - sailboat masthead anchor lights need to be mounted at the actual masthead (top of the mast) for proper visibility, and require dedicated wiring inside the mast. Sailboat owners should look at masthead-mount anchor lights designed for mast-top installation, not deck-mount pole lights like the LightArmor.

LED light source - service life. The LED is rated for 50,000 hours of continuous service - that's over 5,700 days of 8-hour overnight anchor operation, or effectively the life of the boat for typical use patterns. Compare to incandescent anchor lights with 500-1500 hour bulb life - you'd replace incandescent bulbs every 1-3 seasons of regular use. The LED replacement is a non-issue for most boat owners - install once and forget about it.

12V DC at 1 amp draw - battery friendly. The light draws just 1 amp at 12V (about 12 watts total). For a typical 12-hour overnight anchor (sunset to sunrise in summer), that's 12 amp-hours of battery drain - well under 10 percent of a typical 100-200 amp-hour deep cycle house battery bank. You can leave the anchor light on all night without significantly draining your batteries, vs older incandescent anchor lights that drew 2-3 amps and could meaningfully impact morning battery state. Critical for boats with smaller house battery banks or for owners who anchor for multiple nights without recharging.

IP67 waterproof rating. The light is rated to IP67 - meaning fully dust-proof and submersible in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes without water intrusion. The light obviously isn't designed to be operated underwater, but the IP67 rating means it survives: heavy rain, wave spray over the bow, occasional bow-burying in chop, and washdown when cleaning the boat. The internal electronics are sealed against moisture, condensation, and salt mist - the failure modes that kill cheaper anchor lights within a season or two of marine service.

Shock-proof and corrosion-proof electronics. Beyond the IP67 water rating, the internal electronics are designed for marine shock and vibration resistance - planing-hull boats put significant shock loads on mast-mounted equipment as the hull pounds in chop. Cheap anchor lights with conventional circuit board mounting fail from solder joint fatigue and component vibration. The LightArmor design uses shock-resistant electronics mounting that survives the long-term vibration of regular marine use. Corrosion-proof construction (sealed housing, marine-grade materials throughout) handles the constant salt mist exposure of coastal boating.

White light color. White is the COLREGS-mandated color for all-around anchor lights on power-driven and sailing vessels - red and green are reserved for port and starboard navigation lights, white for stern, all-around, and masthead lights. Don't substitute colored lights for the white anchor light - it's not legal under COLREGS and creates confusion for other vessels trying to identify your vessel orientation in low-light conditions.

Attwood PowerBase compatibility - critical. This light is compatible ONLY with the Attwood PowerBase (model 6100-LT-7, sold separately). The PowerBase is Attwood's snap-in / snap-out mounting receptacle - it mounts permanently to the deck with the wiring connected inside, and the anchor light pole snaps into the PowerBase from above with a positive-locking spring mechanism. This design lets you install or remove the anchor light pole without tools - useful for trailerable boats (remove the pole for trailering to prevent damage to overhead obstacles), for storage (remove the pole for off-season storage to protect against UV degradation), or for service (remove the pole for inspection or replacement without disconnecting wiring from below deck). The PowerBase uses a specific pin configuration that the LightArmor pole matches - generic 3-pin bases and competing manufacturer bases will NOT work because the pin spacing and electrical contacts are different. Order the PowerBase 6100-LT-7 separately if you don't already have one installed.

LightArmor series positioning. Attwood's LightArmor line is the premium navigation lighting series - higher build quality, longer service life, IP67 rating, and more refined fit-and-finish than budget anchor lights from Attwood's lower-tier lines or competing manufacturers. For owners who want the light to last the life of the boat without replacement and without service issues, LightArmor is the right call. For owners on a tight budget who don't mind replacing the anchor light every 2-3 seasons, the budget-tier lines are an option - but the cost premium for LightArmor pays back through longer service life and fewer replacement / install hassles.

Install overview. Plan for a 1-2 hour DIY install if the PowerBase is already mounted - just snap the pole into the PowerBase, no tools needed. For a fresh PowerBase install (the more common scenario for upgrading from an older anchor light), plan 2-4 hours: mount the PowerBase 6100-LT-7 to the deck or hardtop in a location where the pole won't be obstructed (typically the center of the cabin roof or hardtop, well clear of other obstructions), wire the PowerBase to your boat's 12V system through an appropriate switch (typically the anchor-light position on the nav-light switch panel) and a small fuse (3-5 amp), apply dielectric grease to the PowerBase contacts to prevent saltwater corrosion of the electrical connections, then snap the LightArmor pole into the PowerBase. Test operation with the nav-light switch on the anchor-light setting. Done.

For sailboats and other special applications. As noted earlier, this is NOT a masthead light for sailboats - sailboat masthead anchor lights need to be mounted at the top of the mast for proper visibility, not on a deck-mount pole. This light is correctly used on power-driven vessels with deck or hardtop mounting locations. For sailboats, look at Attwood's dedicated masthead-mount anchor lights (different product line, designed for mast-top installation with wiring inside the mast).