JAXAshby wrote:
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.

Once again, Doodles, your inexperience is showing. Whether it's a known
harbor or an unknown harbor, making the approach can be touchy,
especially at night, and especially if you feel uncomfortable with what
you are seeing.
There's nothing flipflop about my statement, just some good sound
advice, in addition to what Rosalie stated.
The fact that you don't understand either, just adds to our collective
sense of your inexperience.

otn



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

rhys wrote in message . ..
On 10 Nov 2004 11:55:08 -0800, (Parallax)
wrote:
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.

You know, it strikes me that you could very easily wire an AAA battery
to a pair of glasses frames, attached to a single red LED of the
appropriate voltage. This would make a great "night light" for pelorus
bearings and brief looks at charts.

Would look dorky, of course, but I am looking for a functional
five-dollar solution here, not the next $59 special at West Marine:
"NightSailor Vision Goggles!"

R.

Lol, Dorky minds all think alike. Such a thing actually exists and is
sold at Wal Mart for about $9.00. I thought of this and remembered
that when I was looking for suitable low cost lights for caving I had
seen it. Having always been sort of a dorkish geek, the looks won't
bother me.

I knew I remembered some problem with the old red-light advice, and found
this reference: www.aoa.org/clincare/aviation-night.asp The problems wasn't
what I thought it was, but the site contains a large amount of fascinating
information about night vision.

One of the problems it mentions regarding red light is that you might not be
able to see red things on your chart. Are any important things on charts
colored red? Red light is also harder to focus on in dim conditions, esp. as
we grow middle-aged and our "arms shorten."

====

Charles T. Low
www.boatdocking.com

====

"Dave" wrote in message
...
On 10 Nov 2004 11:55:08 -0800, (Parallax) said:

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

The trick there is to use, not necessarily a small light, but a red light.
When I was doing night sailing I used to have a red plastic disk I could
insert above the flashlight lens.

Dave

They have 'head lights' , strap on or hat style. I've seen them with
red lenses. Sporting goods stores have them.


--
Scott Vernon
Plowville Pa _/)__/)_/)_


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
rhys wrote in message
. ..
On 10 Nov 2004 11:55:08 -0800, (Parallax)
wrote:
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.

You know, it strikes me that you could very easily wire an AAA
battery
to a pair of glasses frames, attached to a single red LED of the
appropriate voltage. This would make a great "night light" for
pelorus
bearings and brief looks at charts.

Would look dorky, of course, but I am looking for a functional
five-dollar solution here, not the next $59 special at West
Marine:
"NightSailor Vision Goggles!"

R.

Lol, Dorky minds all think alike. Such a thing actually exists and
is
sold at Wal Mart for about $9.00. I thought of this and remembered
that when I was looking for suitable low cost lights for caving I
had
seen it. Having always been sort of a dorkish geek, the looks won't
bother me.

it wasnt Bermuda, the winds were calm and there are rocks around both Bermuda
and where we were going.

idiots think rocks always are where the charts show them to be.

From: otnmbrd
Date: 11/10/2004 9:57 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:



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

flip-flop loser.

From: otnmbrd
Date: 11/10/2004 10:18 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:



JAXAshby wrote:
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.

Once again, Doodles, your inexperience is showing. Whether it's a known
harbor or an unknown harbor, making the approach can be touchy,
especially at night, and especially if you feel uncomfortable with what
you are seeing.
There's nothing flipflop about my statement, just some good sound
advice, in addition to what Rosalie stated.
The fact that you don't understand either, just adds to our collective
sense of your inexperience.

otn



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

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 06:42:44 -0500, "Charles T. Low"
[withoutUN] wrote:

Red light is also harder to focus on in dim conditions, esp. as
we grow middle-aged and our "arms shorten."

======================================

That is definitely true. I recommend keeping a pair or two of dime
store reading glasses in your nav station along with an illuminated
magnifier.

Electronic charting on a laptop is an even better solution (paper
charts for backup of course).

On 11 Nov 2004 13:22:55 GMT, (JAXAshby) wrote:

idiots think rocks always are where the charts show them to be.

====================================

It's well known that "jumping rocks" are never where their supposed to
be.

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 00:46:49 GMT, otnmbrd
wrote:

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.

An idea I've seen on a couple of race boats with older skippers are
pieces of tape oriented on the coach house or the coaming or the deck
(your situation will vary) that give 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree bearing
on both tacks. 45 deg forward on a shore mark to abeam or 45 deg aft.
is pretty accurate if you have the chart and can keep even rough
time...a good skill to have when W turns off the GPS or whatever.

The tapes would have to be positioned by trial and error and would be
based on the normal helming position. It's an "at a glance" pilotage
aid that supplements the usual pelorus and/or bulkhead-binnacle
compass bearing. I find it particular useful for running fixes when
I'm alone and using the "60 D St." formula I am sure we all
know...right? G

The pieces of tape needn't be huge, and for night use, they could be
red and green reflective tape of the sort kids put on their bike
frames. The smallest beam of light (say, from a penlight on a lanyard
or a headband) will make them show up without blowing your night
vision.

Jeez, Parallax, whatever you've got is catching! The less I sail (I'm
on the hard for the winter now), the more I invent!

R.

Charles T. Low wrote:
I knew I remembered some problem with the old red-light advice, and found
this reference: www.aoa.org/clincare/aviation-night.asp The problems wasn't
what I thought it was, but the site contains a large amount of fascinating
information about night vision.

One of the problems it mentions regarding red light is that you might not be
able to see red things on your chart. Are any important things on charts
colored red? Red light is also harder to focus on in dim conditions, esp. as
we grow middle-aged and our "arms shorten."

====

Charles T. Low
www.boatdocking.com

There are any number of things in "magenta", which are affected by red
lights.