Any tips for sailing (motoring) at night?

[tjinca1]

On the 4th of July I want to sail in the San Diego Bay, anchor, and watch fireworks. The Admiral is scared we'll hit something - we've never sailed or motored at night. I will just motor about 2 miles, and have my lights on - is there anything else I need? (I'm new to sailing, if you haven't figured that out!)

Thanks.

[rowdy]

Keep all lighting to a minimum. Don't use a spotlight unless absolutely necessary. You can see much better when your eyes adjust to the dark rather than when using a spotlight.

[aya16]

dont worry just relax try not to run any lights that shine into your eyes. there will be lots of other boats out there. Just pick one going in your direction and follow his wake. (not to close) let him hit something first.

there no need for someone to ride on your bow to be look out. if you still feel uncomfortable launch a few days before at night and putt around to get used to it when its not so crowded. At night it can be very calming and you will soon feel very good. But you picked a time (4th) that there will be many boats and lots of short tempers. So be confident avoid getting to close to others, and bring a camera. your boat experience will be advanced at least a year by doing that one night on the 4th.

all the boats will be well lit and most of the drivers will be well lit too if you know what I mean. just be careful. Its a lot of fun running at night. The ramp will be the biggest problem, launch very early and take out very late. I wouldnt anchor just putt around. and you should be in the water before it gets dark anyway.

you can always join us in MDR instead. be with a group of tried and true sailors that never make mistakes or get into trouble. (not really) but free food and lots of great company.

ohhh by the way carry a fire extinguisher handy in the cockpit. people like to shoot off their flair guns (illegal) and I have seen flares land in other boats before.

Good luck

[James V]

I agree on the spot light, however, do keep it handy and a very narrow beam, bright light. My spot shines on the deck so much that it hurts my eyes. I have a narrow beam dive 4 C-cell light that works well to see the markers and the odd thing in the water. Try a dive shop, do not get the flood.

Be careful with somebody on the bow at night. Do not want them in the water.

[kziadie]

You do want the minimum of light to protect your night vision. If it is at all possible, navigate the route beforehand in the daytime and record you track on a GPS as well as waypoints for any nav aids and hazards. Keep a flashlight with a red lens handy to find anything you lose in the cockpit.

Kelly

[Catigale]

BEst advice I have for any 4th celebration is LEAVE LATE...by that I mean when the shows over everyone guns up in a mad dash to get back to wherever they want to be. We stay put for another 1/2 hour and relax until all the 45 mph yahoos on the Hudson are long gone.

GPS trackback is great (a number of unlit ATONs on the Hudson that are unforgiving to hit.

Nice and easy does it.

Mikes suggestion about a pre-trip scope out is priceless - coming into a new place at night is very challenging...you can also pre-track your GPS route this way of course.

[ssichler]

Study the chart for the area. Make sure to note any lights/visual aids to navigation. Visualize the chart when you are sailing and use the GPS to help confirm your position. If you are going very slow the refresh on the GPS can be inaccurate so also keep an eye on the compass to insure your heading is correct.

[Scott]

You can go faster after dark if you get really drunk!!

Just ask some of the stinkpotters on our lake. I agree with Cat in waiting a bit. Its a mad dash to the ramp at our lake (another benefit of slipping)

Sidebar note, illustrating a point with humor here. Stay sober, let the crew drink!!

[tjinca1]

Thanks for all the advice. I am much more confident now. I was hoping I didn't hear a lot of "Don't do it, novice!"

I will definitley make a trial run, and stay late after the fireworks. Hope you all have a great 4th!

[tangentair]

I was going to suggest you visit a web site that tests your skill at recognizing lights at night. But I can not find it, found lots that show you what they are supposed to be ie:http://www.cruising.sailingcourse.com/n ... /frame.htm
but not the one I wanted to recommend. Perhaps someone else knows of it. It had images of lights on boats at night the way you would see them.
For example on a black background you see a red light and a green light near to the right, what are you looking at? or the same but a white light waving over them? (you are looking at a sailboat about to run you over or a power boat - with a white light - headed at you )
I guess the bottom line is stay in deep water and avoid colored lights, if you see a white light only headed in the direction you want to go, follow at a safe distance and listen to see if he hits anything first. And by all means look up, Jupiter is in the east, Polaris is just above the horizon due north, summer constellations are everywhere.

[Tony D-26X_SusieQ]

The biggest problem you encounter at night is the loss of depth of field. It is very difficult to tell if two objects are beside each other or in front of one another. To navigate field glasses are a big help. Each lighted ATON has its own unique flash pattern. The flash pattern is noted on your chart. (Use a low power red flashlight to read the chart) With a little practice you will find it a lot easier to navigate at night than in the day. Have crew keep a lookout. Note obsticles on the chart (Fish traps, sunken hazzards etc.) and give them a wide berth. Because of the loss of depth of field it becomes extreemly difficult to judge the speed of aproaching shipping. Keep a keen lookout. You may not be seen on a ships radar but if you carry an automotive radar detector you will get a warning when someone is out there so you can look out for them. Keep a comfortable speed and have fun.

[Rolf]

Think twice about a nightside 4th of july trip unless you are VERY comfortable about all the nuances these boats have. I was new to my x and boating when I decided to take another couple and their kid over to the Queen Mary firework show in Long Beach(Calif).

During the course of the evening, some of mistakes I made were uncomfortably running fast without ballast, forgetting to put up centerboard, almost running into a Catalina 36 which didn't see me and cut right in front(it is crazy crowded with rookie boat yahoos on 4th, one of which was me).

Luckily we had a dock so no need to anchor but docking at night after the 4 mile trip back to San Pedro was scary.

Go next year after you're more comfortable. hull, I know somewhat what I'm doing now but I still rather watch the Cabrillo beach fireworks from the comfort of a close by Cabrillo beach marina slip(bout 400 yards away).
Rolf

[ronacarme]

To the foregoing cautions I would add....
1. Its dark. Lights (not yours) and their reflections on the water make your vision even less reliable. So motor at less than hull speed and slow enuf to see unlighted objects (eg log, dog, kid) in the water before you run them over.
2. To help others see your boat and better sense its orientation and distance from them, fly a sail. If moonlight/ starlight does not make the sail visible, shine a light on it, taking care not to reduce the crew's night vision (eg a red light or a not real bright white light, located above crew's heads, shining on upper part of the sail). Warn crew not to look at the illuminated sail. Sail area less than if you were sailing rather than motoring.
3. Again, to preserve night vision, limit other on board lighting (aside from running lights) to red or red orange light sources, the dimmer and more tightly focused the better....small colored LED pocket torches are good.

[NiceAft]

I have been reading this thread with interest.

I understand the idea of night vision, but how do you overcome ruining night vision when you have a large GPS monitor in front of your face allowing you to follow the course that was taken to get to your destination?

Ray

[kziadie]

I turn the brightness of my Garmin 498 right down to the point where it is not a bother... the flip side is that you really have to look at it when you are trying to see your location or surrounding features, but I find it works well for me.

At any rate, I try to avoid sailing at night in unfamiliar waters so I only need to glance now and then.

Kelly