night sailing

squeakywaffle

New Member
hey guys-

Yesterday I went sailing with a friend for a couple of hours... I took her back to her house (on the lake) and I was cold and hungry so I stayed until around midnight. I sailed the couple of tacks back to where I keep my boat in total darkness, and it was totally awesome. The wind was pretty steady but I had to sail by feel alone as I couldn't easily see my sail or telltales. It was also just really peaceful...

The problem is, it was also totally dangerous and probably totally illegal. Do any of you guys ever sail at night and/or know a solution for making a laser visible at night without too much trouble or cost? The best thing I can think of is those waterproof flashlights with the little red cone on them instead of a lens, but I'm not sure it would really be bright enough. I'm thinking this light would be strapped to the masthead to get it as high up as possible and hopefully into the line of sight of any drunken powerboat drivers I might encounter.

Any ideas? Also if you've never sailed at night you should try it... it is great.
 
hey guys-

Yesterday I went sailing with a friend for a couple of hours... I sailed the couple of tacks back to where I keep my boat in total darkness, and it was totally awesome.... Any ideas? .

Navigation Light Rules
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...visor/10001/-1/10001/NavigationLightRules.htm

According to these rules a single tricolor light at the top of the mast (would be legal).

At west marine, you may try the:

009_277_001_519.jpg




HTH
 
There is provision in the Coll Regs covering small boats where it may not be so practical to show the side/stern lights. Good idea to familiarise yourself with the Coll. Regs anyway - even if you only race as you will still be covered by them under a number of circumstances (depending on where you sail and what activties take plce there as well, etc.)

Ian
 
In addition to showing the required lights, it's a good idea to have a flashlight ready to hand.

Sometimes powerboaters drive too fast at night and can't/don't see the navlights. If you keep a sharp lookout at all times, you may have a couple seconds warning to see one coming, then you can shine your flashlight on your sail to make yourself visible.
 
In addition to showing the required lights, ...

Interested about the REQUIRED word. IRPCS has special conditions that would apply to a Laser. Always worth knowing the IRPCS not only to know what you must (and need not do) do but also what others might (or might not) be obliged to do (or need not do under the regs).

Ian
 
Yesterday I went sailing with a friend for a couple of hours... I took her back to her house (on the lake) and I was cold and hungry so I stayed until around midnight.

I guess it all depends on the atmosphere ....
 
Squeaky,

For casual moonlight night use, see my previous post regarding proper nav lights for sailboat under 7 m. :

* Mast head tri-color light / cockpit lantern required
OR
* bow/stern lights required.

For impromptu night use, something for your on personal safety would probably be a good idea (getting bonk on head by boom), such as:


It's waterproof and this can be used for other uses, boats, etc

Here is a fun little flash program for review:
http://www.boatsafe.com/flash/reviewlights.html

Cheers mate!
 
we used to do this. we'd put a real small glowstick on the boom se we could see where it is when we gybe/tack, we'd use clear tape and attach one to the bottom of the centerboard so we could see it when we capsize and we'd just sail by feel, it was a LOT of fun
 
I am surprised how people seem to unaware of the IRPCS AND the exceptions. It is many years since I took the exams on it but somewhere around Rule 25 means something like a Laser does not require sidelights and sternlight. You can carry them but you can also be covered by an exception. Blind "this is the rules" (hen it actually isnt" means you arr also incorrectly assuming what others will and will not be doing - which is also dangerous.

Ian
 
I am surprised how people seem to unaware of the IRPCS AND the exceptions. It is many years since I took the exams on it but somewhere around Rule 25 means something like a Laser does not require sidelights and sternlight. You can carry them but you can also be covered by an exception. Blind "this is the rules" (hen it actually isnt" means you arr also incorrectly assuming what others will and will not be doing - which is also dangerous.

Ian

So what do you mean... I don't have to carry any lights at all if I don't want to?

I am going to light my boat before I sail at night again, but it would be great if I could just focus on visibility, as opposed to following some protocol dictating that certain colors have to be pointing certain directions and whatnot.

I sail on a big lake with many (often drunk) boaters, so lighting, while it might ruin the experience a little, is a must.
 
In Ohio, a sailboat the size of a Laser is required only to carry a flashlight to illuminate the sail as needed.
 
My inclination would be to tape a torch to the mast pointing up and back to illuminate the sail. Maybe blinker the lense to stop the peripheral glare affecting your vision.
 
I like the flash light on the sail idea. At night it is really quiet on the water and sound travels, (as long as the wind is not howling) so you should be able to hear a power boat coming and have time to get the light on your sail in enough time that the power boat can see you and avoid you. Just make sure the flash light is powerful enough.
 
In Ohio, a sailboat the size of a Laser is required only to carry a flashlight to illuminate the sail as needed.
Its a long time since I took my Yachtmaster but I am confident that this also meets the minimum requirements for IRPCS at least it did back then!
 
Its a long time since I took my Yachtmaster but I am confident that this also meets the minimum requirements for IRPCS at least it did back then!

Found them (latest IRPCS regs as published by USGC:-

RULE 25—CONTINUED​
(d)
(i) A sailing vessel of less than 7 meters in length shall, if practicable,
exhibit the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Rule, but if
she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted
lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time​
to prevent collision.

(There is also a picture that shows a guy in a sunfish type boat shining his torch on the sail.)
 
Torch is better than many solutions. For example, using e.g. lights attached to the mast - you need to think about the purpose of those lights You have side lights so people can get some idea about the direction you are moving in. In a potential collision situation, the "stand-on" boat needs to get some indication that the "give way" boat has taken some action. At night, often the clearest indication is a change in the sidelight presented to the other boat. However, the Laser mast turns so any sidelight/stern light attached to the mast would give a totally inaccurate indication of your Laser's course to other boats - positively misleading.

Put the lights correctly fixed in orientation with the hull e.g. on the bow and they are so close to the water as to be useless or misleading, etc.

The lights are intended for others on the water not for yourself - so you have to think about it in relation to how others will use the information you present.

(As all pretty well all my books are in storage at the moment whilst I house hunt in the UK), seeing the rules again was reassuring that I have not forgotten it all.

Ian
 
I live on a sailboat, and from experiance I can tell you that if you want to be seen, shine a bright light on your white sail!!! If you shine a light at a speedboat he can't really judge how far away you are.
 

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