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Comments interspersed:
Parallax wrote: The biggest problem I saw on this little night sailing excercise was the unlighted buoys. Two of them, I only saw when I was abeam of them and two I never did see. Running into these markers is the biggest hazard on a night like that. Always has and probably always will be a problem. Two thoughts: Have a narrow beam flashlight handy (one which doesn't throw a large diffused light) to pick these out. Normally, this type light won't totally destroy your night vision .... normally. When coming up on this type buoy, check your charts for other, more visible landmarks, which you might be able to use for back-up positioning .... course, there's always electronic methods potentially available, but if you are cruising and piloting, the visual back-ups may give you a more secure feeling. The reflective coating must be faded from the sun so they just do not show up until fairly close. Furhtermore, there is some discrepancy between what the charts say and some markers. Again, an ongoing problem ..... always consider the chart info to be where the marker "should" be, not where it "is".... give yourself a built-in amount of safety room, around any marker and whenever possible, "danger bearings" when approaching any you might think suspect, though all would be better. There is also a recent uncharted shrimpboat wreck at the west end of the island that is partway into the channel thazt I was never able to spotlight on the way in. Local Notice to Mariners on the net, is all I can suggest here for possible latest info on these items. Note: I've had numerous queries on a wreck in my area. My surprise at the queries.... the wreck is a small fishing boat in 300' of water that is marked as a "wreck", not a "dangerous wreck" .... point being, some necessary info may not always get out or be understood, in the LNM. The excercise was good in exposing a couple of small problems and bringing back some old skills. For example, I did not have a small flashlight for taking a quick peak at the chart so I was blinded for about 30 secs after every time I looked at it. In the day, I obsessively rely on my handbearing compass to take bearings which enables me to go on a course till a bearing is presented to something which will clear all obstacles. My hand compass is not lighted and it would have blinded me to take such a bearing so I used the GPS. I completely forgot about simply pointing the boat at the object in question and using the dimly lighted boat compass. I had a portable azimuth circle which mounted on the cabin hatch for taking relative bearings ( could easily be mounted over a binnacle) when there were two people available. I would use this, compared to a "mark" heading on the steering compass (which I knew the error to -deviation tables). This type of rig would need to be boat and/or operator specific, but coupled with the ole red flashlight, I found it the least cumbersome .... to each his/her own. otn |
You might consider laying off shore till morning or trying to time your
arrival for daylight prudent advice, to be ignored only by those who believe God will save them from abject stupidity. speaking of which: With good electronic charting and/or radar it's usually not that difficult however. |
otnmbrd wrote:
Comments interspersed: Parallax wrote: The biggest problem I saw on this little night sailing excercise was the unlighted buoys. Two of them, I only saw when I was abeam of them and two I never did see. Running into these markers is the biggest hazard on a night like that. Always has and probably always will be a problem. Two thoughts: Have a narrow beam flashlight handy (one which doesn't throw a large diffused light) to pick these out. Normally, this type light won't totally destroy your night vision .... normally. When coming up on this type buoy, check your charts for other, more visible landmarks, which you might be able to use for back-up positioning .... course, there's always electronic methods potentially available, but if you are cruising and piloting, the visual back-ups may give you a more secure feeling. What we do might not work for you, but usually I'm at the wheel and watching the computer chart and Bob is up with the big spotlight looking for markers. At least that's they way we come in to Miami at night. We do it that way because while Miami is really well lit up at night, one of the first times we came in (from the Bahamas), Bob was out on deck getting stuff ready to pick up a mooring and taking care of the sails etc, and I ran on the wrong side of some floaters south of Dodge Island just where the ICW comes by. Fortunately it was high tide and the depth sounder didn't even go off. Then Bob told me that I should just head for the Rickenbacker Causeway (our mooring was down there just on the port side of it) because there were no more markers, and that was not true (and he denies absolutely that he said any such thing). Suddenly I saw a square green reflection right in front of my port running light - oops. did manage to swerve in time to miss the daymark, but not by much. Since then, he's always been out on deck with the light so I will be sure to see stuff like that.g The reflective coating must be faded from the sun so they just do not show up until fairly close. Furhtermore, there is some discrepancy between what the charts say and some markers. Again, an ongoing problem ..... always consider the chart info to be where the marker "should" be, not where it "is".... give yourself a built-in amount of safety room, around any marker and whenever possible, "danger bearings" when approaching any you might think suspect, though all would be better. There is also a recent uncharted shrimpboat wreck at the west end of the island that is partway into the channel thazt I was never able to spotlight on the way in. Local Notice to Mariners on the net, is all I can suggest here for possible latest info on these items. Note: I've had numerous queries on a wreck in my area. My surprise at the queries.... the wreck is a small fishing boat in 300' of water that is marked as a "wreck", not a "dangerous wreck" .... point being, some necessary info may not always get out or be understood, in the LNM. The excercise was good in exposing a couple of small problems and bringing back some old skills. For example, I did not have a small flashlight for taking a quick peak at the chart so I was blinded for about 30 secs after every time I looked at it. In the day, I We have a light in our compass and the GPS lighted (on low), and the computer chart can be put on "night" which makes everything red. I actually like it better just dimmed down because when everything is red all the colors disappear. We also have the engine panel lighted (not very bright). obsessively rely on my handbearing compass to take bearings which enables me to go on a course till a bearing is presented to something which will clear all obstacles. My hand compass is not lighted and it would have blinded me to take such a bearing so I used the GPS. I completely forgot about simply pointing the boat at the object in question and using the dimly lighted boat compass. I had a portable azimuth circle which mounted on the cabin hatch for taking relative bearings ( could easily be mounted over a binnacle) when there were two people available. I would use this, compared to a "mark" heading on the steering compass (which I knew the error to -deviation tables). This type of rig would need to be boat and/or operator specific, but coupled with the ole red flashlight, I found it the least cumbersome .... to each his/her own. We do go into some inlets after dark and don't go into others. Miami is pretty well lit and well marked. Lucaya is not and has some uncharted and unlit buoys. So even though we have a previous track on the computer, I would not go in at night. grandma Rosalie |
JAXAshby wrote: You might consider laying off shore till morning or trying to time your arrival for daylight prudent advice, to be ignored only by those who believe God will save them from abject stupidity. speaking of which: With good electronic charting and/or radar it's usually not that difficult however. Typically, Doodles, your lack of experience is showing. otn |
lack of experience? I laid off a wide harbor for most of the night on an
island 1500 miles from here last Friday. how about you, over-the-knee? what were you doing? sailing a rubber ducky? From: otnmbrd Date: 11/10/2004 9:17 PM Eastern Standard Time Message-id: .net JAXAshby wrote: You might consider laying off shore till morning or trying to time your arrival for daylight prudent advice, to be ignored only by those who believe God will save them from abject stupidity. speaking of which: With good electronic charting and/or radar it's usually not that difficult however. Typically, Doodles, your lack of experience is showing. otn |
Always good advice. If you are not familiar with a particular landfall,
never be afraid to hold off or at least do a few "round turns" until you can feel comfortable with your position and route of approach .... even with those you are normally familiar with. Even with GPS, radar, your visual/ mental sense of what is around you and where you are, is extremely important to your "comfort factor" when navigating in any restricted or close quarters. otn Rosalie B. wrote: snip We do go into some inlets after dark and don't go into others. Miami is pretty well lit and well marked. Lucaya is not and has some uncharted and unlit buoys. So even though we have a previous track on the computer, I would not go in at night. grandma Rosalie |
over-the-knee, you make a loser flip-flop politician look good by comparison.
so, which it is, o-t-k? making harbor at night is good or bad? keep in the mind the original poster was asking about making an unknown harbor, but expand the definition to include any harbor you wish, including your bathtub. From: otnmbrd Date: 11/10/2004 9:30 PM Eastern Standard Time Message-id: k.net Always good advice. If you are not familiar with a particular landfall, never be afraid to hold off or at least do a few "round turns" until you can feel comfortable with your position and route of approach .... even with those you are normally familiar with. Even with GPS, radar, your visual/ mental sense of what is around you and where you are, is extremely important to your "comfort factor" when navigating in any restricted or close quarters. otn Rosalie B. wrote: snip We do go into some inlets after dark and don't go into others. Miami is pretty well lit and well marked. Lucaya is not and has some uncharted and unlit buoys. So even though we have a previous track on the computer, I would not go in at night. grandma Rosalie |
JAXAshby wrote: lack of experience? I laid off a wide harbor for most of the night on an island 1500 miles from here last Friday. Why? Are you telling us you couldn't find your way safely into Bermuda at night? (you don't mention the weather conditions and I know that YOU were NOT the person making the decision to lay off) how about you, over-the-knee? what were you doing? sailing a rubber ducky? Last Friday....hmmmmm nope, I was sailing a 650' car carrier out a 290' wide channel, from a standing start, in 30k of wind which was on my stbd beam, at night .... ever try that? Doodles, you are at the low end of "seasonal weekend warrior" BR (bedroom utility) .... I stand by my statement. otn |
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