Navigating after sunset

[Sawdust]

And that's what pleasure boating is all about, Bob. Wish I could share each of those magic moments with every C-Brat. I certainly don't want to sound like an old grump saying, "Don't go out at night." Go, go, go - just know your limitations and do your homework.

Dusty

[drjohn71a]

One of the eeriest, but beautiful sights is a totally calm, moonless night, where the sky and the ground/water look exactly alike. Easier to see all the falling stars, and you get a double bang in the reflection. John

[Sea Wolf]

drjohn71a-

We were on Howard Prarie Lake near Ashland, Oregon in 1999 on a windless night with the moon rising over the eastern mountains, when the reflection of the moon in the absolutly flat lake formed a laser-like flat beam accross the water from shore to shore, instead of a single, round reflection. I've only seen that the one time. At least at that level of beauty and uniqueness.

Joe.

[oldgrowth]

My experience with night cruising was on Lake Chelan last year. There was a full moon just coming up over the northeast horizon and it was just getting dusk. Water was flat so I thought I would see how far up the lake I could get. Everything went well until I was about 10 miles beyond 25 Mile Creek. No more lights on the shore beyond 25 Mile Creek and the lake turned into a northerly direction. The mountains on the shore of the lake were high enough to block the moon light and a strong southerly wind was blowing. It was hard to tell the size of the waves, but I had a face full of water from them because I kept putting my head out the window trying to see anything. My GPS showed a campground with docks a few miles ahead of us but I did not want to fight the wind, waves and not being able to see so we turned around and found a campground and docks across from 25 Mile Creek.

One of the first things I did to my boat was add dimmer knobs to all my dash instruments so I can adjust the brightness to them or turn the light off completely.

[therevdr]

A couple of us USCG Auxiliarists on Lake St. Clair (north of Detroit) have found night patrols to be especially exciting . . . it's a beautiful time to be on the water and, at the same time (as most of the other postings have suggested) a time to take extra care.
As we began night patroling, I looked around for something to cut the light intensity of my LORAN GPS DISPLAY (which is just about indispensable in the dark to find the channel markers, etc.); the lowest setting is still way too bright for the night. I finally found (at TOYS-R-US in the infant section) sun screen sheets that can be cut and used as display dimmers (it's low-tech dimmers); over the main chart display and depth finder, I still have to use two layers of screening. (I've gone from two-sided tape to velcro to keep the display screen in place.)
therevdr on Driftwood Drei

[jezzicaz789]

On edit by Da Nag

Leaving spammer post, since it's so friendly. Still killed the spammer, though - sorry.

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[BrentB]

Welcome and be sure to post a message in the General Chart forum
http://www.c-brats.com/viewforum.php?f=3

[Hunkydory]

[Da Nag]

[hardee]

Have recently seen an ad for a "handheld" FLIR device. $$$$$ I am sure, ($2500 roughly). Anyone here have any experience with FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) I believe. I had a chance to observe a demo at the Seattle Boat Show (SBS) and was very impressed. However, the price and installation requirements were, shall we say, extensive. Handheld seems to have some appeal, if the price is right.

Keeping in mind that running after dark is not done without considerable thought and preparation. In four years, two times. Running very slowly and with one engine up.

Harvey
SleepyC

[Doryman]

[thataway]

Flir technology depends on temperature of the material. I suspect that the deadheads would not show up well. Also fog and rain can decrease the reliablity and range. Granted that there are come cheaper devices, they are different than "night vision". I would put the EPRIB as being an essential, the FLIR an interesting aid, but not essential. We have managed thousands of hours of night running without incident.

[20dauntless]

I recently read a post from Ken Williams who has an extremely well equipped Nordhavn 68 with a top of the line night vision system (it costs more than a new, well equipped CD22!). His conclusion was that it's a waste of money and not very useful.

I often go between Anacortes and Decatur at night. A couple sharp lookouts, radar, chartplotter, and familiarity make it fairly easy, although you have to be careful of floating debris. I don't think I'd want to be out at night in crowded or unfamiliar areas...

[hughpenk]

I first read this this thread 3yrs ago and changed my boating habits. I used to WOT the 16 at night in familair waters and a green channel marker jumped out in front of me and I narrowly missed it. Even in familiar waters it's hull speed. The kayak sport is growing and kayaks are out at nite too. It's tough to see a forest green old town loon kayak at nite and they're out there. On the Hudson at nite near Troy I have expeienced a "lighted channel marker" change from red to green- it was actually a traffic light reflection on a bend in the river. So hull speed it is.

[starcrafttom]

I have a habit of getting out to the islands after dark on Friday nights in the summer, Just a matter of getting off work too late. So we have arrived in port after dark more than a few times. Slow is good if you have the time and I never do so I am forced to try and make good speed. I know the area very well, but has been noted we get a lot of debris here. Waiting a half a hour for the moon to rise will allow you to make better speed and spot the logs a little better. I find traveling in to the sun at dusk harder than driving at night. With the sun in your eyes you can’t see anything and the reflection will hide a fair size boat and make a kayak invisible. This is why I spend a lot of time in the day light in good weather using my radar. I know how to set it for maximum results at three miles (any farther in this area is useless) and at 1/16th of a mile. Sit in your boat at the dock and learn how to use it. Better yet sit at anchor and learn how to use it. Learn how to swiftly mark targets and track them, how to adjust your gain and power settings. Most important is to have the radar on BEFORE it gets dark. Have it set up and running before the sun sets. I have mine on all the time sun or shine.
This last year I installed a remote light on the bow rail and really like it when I get close to a breakwater or the docks. I still get some light leakage at the bottom of the spot light on to the rail and I have to fix this in the summer but the light has so many uses. I like it for picking my way thru an anchorage and finding a mooring buoy. Also good for spotting my crab pot at dusk. I also used it to judge whether I was dragging in the wind one night. We were anchored and stern tied in a small cove with a lot of other boats in a high wind. After dark I set the bow light on to a tree across the cove. If I got up in the night and turned on the light I could see the tree. If I did not then I was dragging. This night was our first with a new 25 feet of chain and we held great even though some other larger boats did drag. The light is also great to check on how close your neighbors are if they are dragging. I also like it for spot lighting wildlife at night on the shore. After having the light for half a season I can say that is more than worth the money for a verity of uses.