Perko 1310DP0CHR Chrome-Plated Bi-Color Bow Light with Black Polymer Base - 4" Length x 3-1/8" Width x 1-7/8" Height

Why it's worth it

Perko's chrome bow light has been the factory choice on production runabouts for a very long time, and it often drops onto an older boat with the same footprint. It ships with 12-volt bulbs rather than LEDs, so you trade efficiency for a familiar look and an easy repair.

Perko has been making this bow light in more or less this shape for decades, and that's exactly why people keep buying it. If your boat came from the factory with a Perko, there's a good chance the replacement lands on the same footprint. Owners of older runabouts consistently report a clean swap with no new holes. Some report having to drill anyway, so pull the old light and check the pattern before you commit.

The chrome-plated top over a polymer base is a smarter split than it looks. The zinc alloy top takes the chrome and the sunlight. The polymer base doesn't corrode where it meets a wet deck. Perko points to the plated die-cast base as the reason these hold up in coastal and offshore use. And it simply looks right on a boat with chrome rails and stainless hardware, which counts for something on a hull you care about.

From our review of 7 boat navigation lights

What we like

• +Perko has been making this bow light in more or less this shape for decades, and that's exactly why people keep buying it
• +The chrome-plated top over a polymer base is a smarter split than it looks
• +It's certified for power-driven vessels under 39.4 feet, which is the 12-meter line in the COLREGS
• +One detail worth knowing: the lens can be opened and reversed

What to know

• –It comes with 12-volt bulbs, not LEDs
• –Owner reports also point to the seal as the weak spot over years of service