Night boating

I boat in an area frequented by many working boaters, some tugboat operators, some NOAA researchers, and quite a few gill netters. [Freighters abound in the channel, and ignore us, and we them, because we are not in the shipping channel.] The latter are indeed protective of their nets, both to avoid damage to their gear, and to prevent other boaters from a prop snarl. I do not, repeat do not flash anybody on the water, and have never been blasted by a gill net light. Likely because we all know night vision is critically important. I have been painted once or twice by tugs encumbered with a load, typically towboats (idiosyncratically, these are pusher tugs handling barge strings ahead of them), every time when night paddling a sea kayak, unlit. I believe the tugs do it because they have to make decisions ahead of closing, because their maneuverability is very restricted.

In short, a blast from a floodlight is only used as a last resort. Those who gratuitously flash others are regarded as the rudest of the rude, in this snag-laden, deadhead-frequented estuary. We need our night vision. In a busy, light bedecked urban harbor, the custom is different.
 
AstoriaDave":5u4wh4hp said:
In a busy, light bedecked urban harbor, the custom is different.
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Agreed. If you have ever been on the water at Seattle's Lake Union fireworks on the 4th, or the Elliot Bay fireworks on New Year's Eve, or Seafair on race day after dark, then you have seen that things are quite different from an orderly commercial working harbor. The rules of the road and even common sense are not the norm. It's literally every man for himself.

My first choice now is to avoid those events, but I've been to them in the past. And I still consider my vessel and the passengers in my care as important as a gill netter does his net even if the defense is seen as rude.

Mark
 
What does have to be remembered in the rules of the road--and this at times not clear at night. For example when the advice given was to spotlight a boat which showed both red and green navigation lights, did not differentiate, if the boat was stand on or give way. That is very important!

Shore lights are always a problem, But so are boats which do not show proper navigation nights. Defensive driving--as suggested where you turn (being sure that you are not putting any other boat at danger, to show directly what your intentions are.
 
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