Hella Apelo A1 Black RGB Underwater Light, Charcoal Lens

The Hella Marine Apelo A1 is an 1,800-lumen RGB underwater light in a black housing with a charcoal lens.

Eighteen hundred lumens is the smaller Apelo, against 3,000 in the A2, and output should follow hull size rather than ambition. On a smaller boat the A2 puts more light into the water than the transom width can usefully spread, and a pair of A1s often gives a better effect than a single larger fixture.

The charcoal lens suits a dark hull, keeping the fixture inconspicuous above the waterline when the light is off. The white-lens version of the same A1 is the choice on a light hull, and the difference is entirely about daylight appearance.

Optical intelligence spreads light wide horizontally while staying narrow vertically, creating the underwater effect. RGB gives white, blue or full color from one fixture, with a corrosion-resistant thermal polymer housing and a high-strength Grilamid nylon lens. Explore more underwater lights.

• 1,800 lumens, against 3,000 in the A2
• Two A1s often beat one larger fixture
• Charcoal lens for a dark hull
• The white-lens version suits a light hull