rhys wrote:

Here's how I "get attention" on Lake Ontario if I see I am closing
with a lake freighter at night.

1) Running lights are always on at dusk.

2) Mast top trilight is on, too, although I am only obliged to have
one or the other.

I don't want to be a hard case on this, but the fact is that you are
required to have one _or_ the other, and there is no room for
experimentation.

We have had discussions here in the past about this type of thing. I call
it "improvisational lighting" and I don't see any difference between making
up the lighting rules as one goes along, and making up the crossing or
overtaking rules as one goes along.

This kind of thing is largely why most commercial operators have such low
opinions of recreational sailors.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

Armond Perretta wrote:

We have had discussions here in the past about this type of thing. I
call
it "improvisational lighting" and I don't see any difference between
making
up the lighting rules as one goes along, and making up the crossing
or
overtaking rules as one goes along.

This kind of thing is largely why most commercial operators have such
low
opinions of recreational sailors.

This has always interested me. Clearly the rules state that you should
*only* show the correct lights.

However If I really thought that showing incorrect lights was the
*only* way to be seen I'd do it like a shot. I'd much rather confuse a
ship than scrape his barnacles off with my flesh.

Whether or not there could ever be such a case I don't know.

I don't want to be a hard case on this, but the fact is that you are
required to have one _or_ the other, and there is no room for
experimentation.

Armond is exactly right on this, I'm sure most folks have seen any
number of -wrong- navigation light combinations/setups. The potential
problem (besides a citation from the CG) is that your lights may very
well be misinterpreted or misunderstood and an even more dangerous
situation may result. On a personal side, it shows the whole sailing
community just how unprofessional and lubberly you are.

Just don't do it.

There are many alternatives for greater nightime visibility, including:

1. Use bigger and/or brighter navigation lights. The guidelines in
COLREGS indicate the -minimum- range of visibility, there is no maximum.

2. Mount your lights higher soas to increase the likelyhood of being
seen at further distances.

3. Have a spotlight at the ready, and shine it on your sails when you
see ships in the distance.

4. Have white parachute flares at the ready, (white flares are used to
indicate risk of collision).

5. Do NOT use a "mast head strobe light" at sea, this is an
International distress signal.

6. Use a big masthead "tri-light" if your yacht's size allows it.

7. Use the "red over green" additional lights on your mast (see COLREGS
for restrictions on their use).

And by all means, stand an around the clock, seamanlike watch, including:

1. Have at least one lookout posted at all times.

2. Have binoculars handy to identify contacts and their light
configurations.

3. Learn how to determine CPA (Closest Point of Approach) by visual
bearings alone (see Bowditch and/or Chapmans).

4. Learn and know the Nautical Rules of the Road.

5. Have your VHF radio on and monitoring channels 16 and 13. If your
VHF is DSC capable, make sure it's installed properly and learn how to
use it. (BTW, VHF DSC -may- be your single best way to get a ship's
attention in the event of a potential collision.)

6. If your yacht is fitted with one, have your RADAR on and learn how
to determine CPA, contact course/speed, and course to avoid. If your
yacht doesn't have RADAR, you should seriously consider getting one.

And one last thing: NEVER leave port without a 406 EPIRB, and test it
monthly.

If you and your yacht are not prepared to do these, then you are not
ready or fit to go to sea.

--

=-------------------------------------------------=
Renewontime
A FREE email reminder service for licensed mariners
http://www.renewontime.com
=-------------------------------------------------=

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 07:09:16 -1000, renewontime dot com
wrote:

And one last thing: NEVER leave port without a 406 EPIRB, and test it
monthly.

If you and your yacht are not prepared to do these, then you are not
ready or fit to go to sea.

I agree with everything you said (pretty easy as we're not talking
politics, guns or the mental state of some posters), but in my "inland
waters" case of Lake Ontario, I consider a 406 EPIRB overkill.

A Danbuoy-style MOB pole, a MOB button on an always-on GPS, a handheld
and a nav station VHF monitoring 9, 13 and 16 (as you've indicated),
wearing PFDs at helm and on deck, jacklines, lifelines, flares both
handheld and gun, a "crash box" with spare flares, GPS and handheld
and the fact I frequently tow a RIB while on passage is, I think,
enough.

And let's not forget that 50% of the time I can whip out the cell
phone and dial 911. G

Were I to go offshore or even out of sight of land in ocean water or
in fresh with few shore resources, like Lake Superior, I would sing a
different tune.

R.

I agree with everything you said (pretty easy as we're not talking
politics, guns or the mental state of some posters), but in my "inland
waters" case of Lake Ontario, I consider a 406 EPIRB overkill.

Hi R.,

I was not referring to the Great Lakes (or any other inland lake for
that matter), but rather offshore, bluewater cruising. I must profess
that I haven't sailed the Great Lakes since I was a kid, so I don't have
any recent experience to draw on.

Generally speaking though, a cell phone is better than nothing at all,
but has several shortcomings for emergency communications, in
particular: the CG cannot take RDF bearings of your signal, so no
position can be found from your signal alone. There have been several
cases of sailors and fishermen here (Hawaiian Islands) who have run into
trouble, had only enough power or signal for a brief call on their cell
phone to the USCG, but the CG was unable to assist. Because the CG
wasn't able to take bearings of the signal, no position or even rough
idea of the distress caller's position was known, so CG assets weren't
deployed.

A marine VHF would have probably been better, but is still limited to
line-of-sight distances (which because the CG antennas are on top of
mountains equates to about 24 - 30 miles). In these particular
situations a 406 EPRIB would have been many times more effective in
summoning help.

It may be overkill, but I'd still give it serious consideration on the
Great Lakes.

--

=-------------------------------------------------=
Renewontime
A FREE email reminder service for licensed mariners
http://www.renewontime.com
=-------------------------------------------------=

On Sat, 05 Mar 2005 16:40:38 -1000, renewontime dot com
wrote:

Generally speaking though, a cell phone is better than nothing at all,
but has several shortcomings for emergency communications, in
particular:

Of course. Digital is only about 1.5 miles range, IMO.

the CG cannot take RDF bearings of your signal, so no
position can be found from your signal alone.

I am in more trouble than a cell phone can solve if I can't provide a
bearing, a lat/lon or a range.Even from the log and estimating a DR
pos based on course and time since last plot.

Even if the boat's hit by lightning and immediately sinks, I have a
handheld VHF and GPS in a sealed "go" box, and even a pelorus. So I
suppose if I get hit by lightning in the fog and am knocked out until
the water lapping over the coamings wakes me up.

That might be bad.

There have been several
cases of sailors and fishermen here (Hawaiian Islands) who have run into
trouble, had only enough power or signal for a brief call on their cell
phone to the USCG, but the CG was unable to assist. Because the CG
wasn't able to take bearings of the signal, no position or even rough
idea of the distress caller's position was known, so CG assets weren't
deployed.

A marine VHF would have probably been better, but is still limited to
line-of-sight distances (which because the CG antennas are on top of
mountains equates to about 24 - 30 miles). In these particular
situations a 406 EPRIB would have been many times more effective in
summoning help.

Offshore (as in "out of sight of"), or in busy sea traffic, fishing
fleet areas, I would definitely consider it, if only because it goes
off if you are bobbing in the water unconscious.

Good argument for an automaitc PFD, too, but I have the manual and my
wife has the dual man/auto SOSpender models.

R.

"rhys" wrote in message
...
Even if the boat's hit by lightning and immediately sinks, I have a
handheld VHF and GPS in a sealed "go" box, and even a pelorus.

Do you think they will still be working after a lightening strike - unless
of course they're in a sealed metal "go" box?

Graham.

How about if you wrapped them in tinfoil before packing them in box?
Seriously would that adequately shield them from stray rf? Kirk.


"Graham Frankland" gdfltdatnospamglobalnet.co.uk wrote in
:

"rhys" wrote in message
...
Even if the boat's hit by lightning and immediately sinks, I have a
handheld VHF and GPS in a sealed "go" box, and even a pelorus.

Do you think they will still be working after a lightening strike -
unless of course they're in a sealed metal "go" box?

Graham.

On Tue, 8 Mar 2005 23:50:01 -0000, "Graham Frankland"
gdfltdatnospamglobalnet.co.uk wrote:

"rhys" wrote in message
.. .
Even if the boat's hit by lightning and immediately sinks, I have a
handheld VHF and GPS in a sealed "go" box, and even a pelorus.

Do you think they will still be working after a lightening strike - unless
of course they're in a sealed metal "go" box?

Of course!

R.

We have had discussions here in the past about this type of thing. I call
it "improvisational lighting" and I don't see any difference between
making
up the lighting rules as one goes along, and making up the crossing or
overtaking rules as one goes along.

This kind of thing is largely why most commercial operators have such low
opinions of recreational sailors.

* Perhaps with some reason. But *my* first duty is to survive and if
breaking the rules means I do that rather than getting mown down by a big
ship who should be giving way to me under the same rules then that's fine.
There are many cases of yachts being mown down when completely innocent and
abiding by the rules which is why recreational sailors have such a low
opinion of commercial operators.

I know of no commercial ship that has been run down and sunk by a yacht,
whether or not it was in the right ( or wrong!)
TonyB