It all makes me think there is a plot to keep non-millionaires off of
the water, by any means, including terror tales, establishment
regulations inspected and enforced or not, and who knows what I do not
know.

Oh please, that's just ridiculous. While the pricing of some 'marinized'
stuff is indeed outrageous but that's independent of following good
practices.

It's not that improper wiring or non-marinized stuff won't work. It's more
than it you're less likely to have unpredictable failures or ones that
require excessive maintenance.

I did rewire the bilge pump, which has never seen "active service," as
if waiting for the bombers in the tx hut isn't active enough. I can see
if the nav lights are on or off, so will know immediately if another
bulb gives out, or even if a wire disintegrates. I may install led
lamps, and keep waiting to the inevitable wire nut disaster popularily
forecasted.

And if you're always at the dock then you've got the luxury of being able to
stop and fix it. But it's another matter entirely if it dies while underway
and you don't have all the replacement parts (wire, bulbs, socket, gaskets,
etc) or the ability/desire to fix it.