BAD FITTY!

Q: My boat’s red and green bow light [Editor’s note: the red and green light or lights are officially termed “sidelights”] has a plastic lens that is in two parts. One side is green and the other red. When replacing a bulb, the chrome-plated housing screws down over these two plastic pieces. The problem is that there is a small seam between the red and green plastic. It’s not enough to see, but while running, this seam allows spray to seep in and hit the hot bulb. This breaks the bulb. The same thing happens back at the dock after a night run: If I rinse off the boat, I have to avoid spraying the bow light or else the bulb breaks. Do you have any suggestions?

Don Fitterman Secaucus, New Jersey

A: Don, while I could suggest any number of Rube Goldberg fixes, I would only deem these appropriate if done while out on a cruise where no other options were available. Instead, I’ll recommend you replace the fixture and check the new one out for watertight construction. Proper lighting is an essential safety component. It’s a shame that a maker produced a light made from such a costly, quality material like chrome-plated stainless and then fell short in another part of the design.