Lighting for night transit

[Jazzmanic]

Hey, Foggy, thanks for quoting me. I guess you missed the part about unfamiliar water in the dark? Sure not something I try for.

This also gives me the opportunity to add: in any low visibility situation (foggy, rain, night), I run slow; displacement speed or slower. As a commercial boat driver, I don't always get to pick the weather or time of day. As a recreational boat guy, I can pick the time, but Mother Nature gets to decide the weather. Anyone who has been out for more than an afternoon is aware how fast weather can change. That also means being aware of every anchoring situation, including overnight. You may do a fine job of setting your anchor, but you have to be aware of what is around you, in case the need comes up to move - in the dark.

If one is cruising, you are going to be out in the dark. Best to understand how to deal with it rather than just say, "Don't do it."

As a non-current pilot with 4,000+ hours, commercial/multi-engine/instrument ratings, I am aware that pilots who are not IFR trained or current are cautioned to not get into IFR situations... that said, pilot training for a private license includes training for low visibility and recovery from unusual attitudes. Because things happen. Best to understand how to deal with low visibility and understand lighting (which was the OP's question).

Keeping good night vision is important, that's why "eyeballs" was at the top of my list. Radar for solid things. A hand-held spotlight to see things that might be right at the water's surface. Armed with knowledge and training, you use the available tools. We don't all have a Grandma to tell us when to come inside out of the dark.

For the record, both of my dear ol' Grandmas (long departed) were sweet as could be, but neither could drive a car, much less run a boat or fly an aircraft... if I always took their advice, I would have never left the neighborhood. :wink: Seems to me that people who quote their grandparents all the time are giving unsolicited advice, but make it seem like it is coming from someone else. Not saying the advice is bad, but when weighing advice, I consider the source, the advice, and the circumstances.

As my dear ol' Grandmother on my Mother's side (feisty Irish women) used to say: "It doesn't hurt to listen to advice, but you have to be smart enough to decide for yourself what works." (See the above paragraph) :wink: (See the winkie? It means there's some jokin' going on here.)

Aye.

 

[Foggy]

Hey, Foggy, thanks for quoting me. I guess you missed the part about unfamiliar water in the dark? Sure not something I try for.

This also gives me the opportunity to add: in any low visibility situation (foggy, rain, night), I run slow; displacement speed or slower. As a commercial boat driver, I don't always get to pick the weather or time of day. As a recreational boat guy, I can pick the time, but Mother Nature gets to decide the weather. Anyone who has been out for more than an afternoon is aware how fast weather can change. That also means being aware of every anchoring situation, including overnight. You may do a fine job of setting your anchor, but you have to be aware of what is around you, in case the need comes up to move - in the dark.

If one is cruising, you are going to be out in the dark. Best to understand how to deal with it rather than just say, "Don't do it."

As a non-current pilot with 4,000+ hours, commercial/multi-engine/instrument ratings, I am aware that pilots who are not IFR trained or current are cautioned to not get into IFR situations... that said, pilot training for a private license includes training for low visibility and recovery from unusual attitudes. Because things happen. Best to understand how to deal with low visibility and understand lighting (which was the OP's question).

Keeping good night vision is important, that's why "eyeballs" was at the top of my list. Radar for solid things. A hand-held spotlight to see things that might be right at the water's surface. Armed with knowledge and training, you use the available tools. We don't all have a Grandma to tell us when to come inside out of the dark.

For the record, both of my dear ol' Grandmas (long departed) were sweet as could be, but neither could drive a car, much less run a boat or fly an aircraft... if I always took their advice, I would have never left the neighborhood. :wink: Seems to me that people who quote their grandparents all the time are giving unsolicited advice, but make it seem like it is coming from someone else. Not saying the advice is bad, but when weighing advice, I consider the source, the advice, and the circumstances.

As my dear ol' Grandmother on my Mother's side (feisty Irish women) used to say: "It doesn't hurt to listen to advice, but you have to be smart enough to decide for yourself what works." (See the above paragraph) :wink: (See the winkie? It means there's some jokin' going on here.)

Aye.

Please, do what works best for you and good luck.

If you haven't been able to figure it out, Grandma quotes I use are more
a matter of my online style than literal content. So, if you approve, Bravo!
If not, so be it (it won't change anything).

Aye.

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

On Lake Erie a slow night cruise is often the most enjoyable time. Choppy during the day, it usually starts to calm down late afternoon. But I am familiar with the area and there are lights along the shore to keep you orientated. Also we don't have wayward logs floating around and I will usually only go out on a clear night with a little moon to light up the water.

I f my situation required a lot of night cruising as for the O/P then I think I would invest in a boat with the windshield raked forward. The brow on the Cdory probably reduces some glare though.

Regards, Rob

 

[thataway]

The one modality which has not bee mentioned is FLIR. (Infra Red imaging).There are several options--the small hand held units, for $2000 to $3000. Units which attached to a smart phone, such as "Seek's" or "FLIR one" for i phone, ranging from $150 to $300. and IRIS, which has full thermal imaging exactly the same as the about twice as expensive FLIR units with cameras which are both low light level, and FLIR. These are available with pan and tilt, and display on the monitor in the boat.

IRIS FAQ:
http://www.boat-cameras.com/knowledge-b ... know_cat=1

There are a few items which do not show well, but my experience is that debris in the water does show up, especially when not too long after sundown, and there is more residual heat.
ion.
I have only used the " Ocean Scout" ($2,000). I have been on boats with both the i phone app, and the full camera with display. They have many advantages--especially if there is one person who can dedicate their time to the FLIR (and perhaps Radar--multitasking). The disadvantage of the hand held (including the iPhone) is that they don't work thru normal window glass--and you have to have an open window. The external cameras do not have that limitation.

Another option is a good infrared surveillance system. Basically these cameras have extremely low light (advertised as 0 lux) sensors and then run a group of high powered LED IR lights. I have one camera in my home system, which will show objects out to 200 feet (If you look at the front of the camera, you can see the "dim" red LED's.) I suspect that these could be adapted to the boat. I have never tried this with floating objects (no hurricanes recently--fortunately!), but since they show up dock pilings, and structure, I suspect that they would show surface floating logs, dead heads, as well as a light. The IR light source may have some of the disadvantages of visible spectrum, but it does not interfere with other boaters vision.

 

[Aurelia]

I just got off a week paddling trip east and north of Quadra Island in BC. We situated our base camp next to Hole in the Wall rapids and I was surprised how many local small boats travelled the area at night. I saw boats using roof mounted fixed flood lights to light the water and others with search type moving lights and still others with clearly handheld spot lights or flashlights scanning the water as they came by. The really surprising thing was a few boats that came by in the dark at high speed with only running lights. I hope they were using FLIR or something because there was a lot of debris in the water and you could hear some of them hitting logs and cutting the throttle.

We exclusively used a roaring campfire for our nighttime navigating.

Cindie and I have only really operated the C-dory on one lonely foggy night and I like the windows open, each with a light in hand approach so far in un-familiar waters.

Greg

 

[hardee]

Greg, Like you, I was surprised at how many boats were moving about after dark up there, and really surprised at the speeds of most of them. Especially considering how much floating "Junk" there was in the water.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[westward]

My vote here is to keep to a displacement speed, especially since the commute in question is so short. It might turn the 5 Min. into 15, but will make things much safer. With your AK. tides you still might bump a log, but you'll not likely hole your boat, or take out your prop or lower unit. (You could obtain a heavy-plate aluminum boat for your crossing if it's going to be a lifestyle thing). Even during the daytime, things happen much quicker at planing speed than slowed down, and people run into plenty of trouble during the day. I've learned by hard experience to minimize putting myself in any situation where I "must" make a night or high-wind crossing and thusly don't leave myself the option to wait out the weather, go on a full-moon night, wait for slack tide, top off the fuel tanks, etc. As others allude to, just because I made it doesn't mean it was a wise thing to do. And of course the occasional night crossing is different than choosing to do it on a daily basis, in a small fiberglass boat, in varied conditions. Please stay safe! Mike.

 

[Ron on Meander]

I currently commute to work (logging) on a crew boat. Powell River, Desolation Sound and Rivers Inlet in BC. We start early and work late and in the winter months and even now run in the dark for up to an hour each way. The crew boats are mostly welded aluminium and diesel stern drive boats and usually run at around 30 mph or so. At night radar, gps and lights are used. The lights are especially useful for seeing debris in the water. We don't slow down for the dark. Boat is usually running at peak operating rpms. Only slowing when the operator needs to to avoid debris. It sometimes gets interesting in the dark with wind, rain, waves and logs! And yes, the boats often loose props and sometimes the outdrive legs!