Night time sailing

[MacGyver]

My wife and I went out for the first time last night for a night time sail.
Winds were sustained pretty well at around 10mph from what er can gather.
We decided that being new still, we would just run the main only, not the Jib since I had also just newly that day installed the down haul for the jib, and we were still messing with lazy jacks.

Nice quiet and very dark........ very disorienting....... Good time to teach the wife how to use the lights on land as reference points.

It went well, we weren't out too long as lightning in the distance seemed to get more defined despite the clear sky above. Being a victim myself of lightning and my wife knowing all the hell our lives have been since (for me medically and for her having to deal with the new me) we decided to head in.

what has your experiences been? Any tips for us?
It was so nice, no one out, quiet, and docking was almost a breeze (full pun intended).

Jason

[NateD]

Sailing at night changes dramatically based on the cloud cover. I've been out on pitch black nights with heavy cloud cover where you couldn't see coming waves or the top of the mast which is pretty disorienting. I've also been out under a full moon and more stars than I could count in a lifetime, which was nearly magical.

In any case I stay farther from the shore/shoals/fixed objects than usual, and try to rely on my eyes adjusting to the conditions rather than using lights (but I keep a flashlight/headlamp close at hand). My biggest concern is usually getting hit by a speed/fishing boat if it is one of those really dark nights, so I'm constantly scanning for running lights and listening for a motor.

[HideAway]

For us it depends on the area you are sailing.   I wouldn t consider a night sail near any commercial operations or in waters I don t know.  Full moons are the easiest and wonderful but our best night we spent was anchored far from the rest of the world on a dark, cold November's night standing in the companion way watching hundreds of falling stars rip open the heavens for hours on end.  Looking out over the Gulf of Mexico during the dark of night reveals no horizon so the meteorites looked as if they were landing in the water -  It was a moving spiritual experience and a bit scary all at the same instant.

[crazycarl]

My 1st time night sailing was on our Bristol 22 with our youngest daughter on lake Michigan.  She sat at the bow most of the night while I had placed a small tv on the cabin top so I could watch the Olympics (2004).  Around midnight she came aft as I had already turned off the tv.  We sailed for another 2 hours to reach shallow water to drop the hook, all the while listening to the water curl off the bow.

I fell for night sailing right then.  It's my favorite time to be out.  There are no distractions, just me and the breeze and the water rushing past.   Magical.

                                             Carl

[Bob23]

    One nice thing about night sailing is all the yahoos in powerboats and jet skis are home watching tv where they can only hurt themselves.
   I like sailing at night...cooler but it's a whole different game. Even in waters that are in the daytime very familiar are completely new. Forces me to study the charts and remember the lights.
bob23

[wes]

Night sailing? Do you mean night, as in when it's completely dark outside? OMG, my wife would have to breathe into a paper bag if I suggested that.

On the other hand, this could be the excuse I've been looking for to install radar on my 19 . I think that would look so cool....

Wes

[kickingbug1]

our first night sail was on carlyle lake with the greenes on their 19 "miss b's haven". it was during last years clr. it was indeed magical (full moon, tons of stars and a few shooting stars). this year i plan on installing lights on my 16 for more of the same. i will however check the forcast carefully and try to sail by the light of the moon, although getting lost on carlyle lake shouldnt be a problem (he hopes). i would tell anyone that if you havent tried it you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

[HenryC]

Here's something I wrote for the Sept-Oct, 2009, "Florida Wildlife Magazine" on the topic.  As a bonus, I've also added an unpublished article on a related topic.


A Little Night Sailing

“Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.” – John Le Carre

There is something really special about being out on the water after dark.  Most experienced boaters feel perfectly comfortable underway, day or night; but those who are new to the sport or who prefer mostly daylight activity like water skiing may not have as much experience being “out there” after sunset.  But sometimes a boat trip is delayed by weather, or a breakdown, or because the fishing was particularly good that day. So sometimes a skipper just finds himself alone, at night in another world, a dark lonely one of surprising peace and beauty.

It’s always a little scary, especially the first few times you are out in your boat after sunset.  Even if conditions are perfect, the waves and the winds always seem more dangerous, more unpredictable.  It’s all in your mind, of course, the brain tends to over-compensate in the dark, to be more cautious and take less chances.  Use this to your advantage, sail or motor conservatively and safely, you probably won’t really need to, but it never hurts to be extra careful out on the water. 

Of course, you have to be particularly careful that your boat is well equipped; that all your lights are properly rigged and working and that you have all the required safety gear than you might normally carry, all stowed away so you can locate it quickly in the dark. And don’t forget to dress appropriately. Boating at night isn’t inherently more dangerous than during the day, but visibility is reduced, and there are fewer boats on the water. You are on your own out there, but don’t let that scare you, it only adds to the thrill of the experience.

You must also make sure your navigational skills are well-honed  and that you know how to use your chart and compass and GPS.  Unless you are an experienced seaman, you should avoid bodies of water at night  that you are not already thoroughly familiar with in daytime.  Things tend to look different in the dark, the lights and buoys you use for navigation are often lost in the background clutter of a million lights on shore. Distances are hard to judge, too, and there are other boats out there as well.  Keep a proper lookout, learn the rules of the road, underway light displays and aids to navigation, and follow them strictly. Even a well-seasoned skipper with the proper equipment, can sometimes get disoriented in a strange harbor at night. Don’t bite off more than you can chew before you’re ready; and remember, caution and confidence work together.  Build them up gradually and you’ll have plenty of both when you need them.

But it will all be worth it. There is a mystery and a grandeur to the sea after sunset; the sun goes down in Florida  with a spectacular show of color and cloud as the last bit of the disk sinks beneath the hard slash of the horizon.  If it is clear and dark the stars will come out in breathtaking numbers, and  far from city lights, with a brilliance and beauty some of us may  not have seen in years.  Few of our children have seen this ultimate glory of nature in our light-polluted urban skies, this is one way you can give them a memory that will stay with them all of their lives.  How many youngsters today can say they have actually seen the Galaxy, from inside?  If there is a moon, the fainter stars and the Milky Way may be washed out, but to make up for it you will have the icy cold orb of earth’s satellite bathing everything around you in an exquisite glow, and part of the sea will reflect it like a pool of molten silver.

But there’s something to be said for the dark, overcast nights, too.  Your little craft crosses an empty and mysterious universe, except for the glow from your instruments and the glare from your running lights reflected off the surface of the dark sea–plenty of light there for your dark-adapted eyes.  But look carefully, sometimes there is more!  In Florida, especially in the fall, sometimes the water itself glows with a pale, unearthly blue-green fire.  They call it phosphorescence, but it is actually a living creature, Noctiluca, a microscopic little bit of protoplasm that gives the sea this dim cold light by its presence in untold billions.  The wake of your boat trails behind you, a river of green across the sea, and when spray splashes aboard or on your clothes you can see the individual little specks of life as they blink off and on, surprisingly bright if your eyes are adapted to the dark.  When fish swim through this soup of phosphorescence they leave trails of green, flashes of light like ghostly torpedoes.  The boater realizes just how many fish there are in our bays and seas, normally hidden from our eyes.

A good boat with a good crew thrives on this kind of cruising, and some of your most treasured moments on the water will come after dark.  In a large harbor, navigation becomes a routine but constant task as the skipper and his crew pilot and dead reckon their way across the chart, identifying and plotting landmarks and steering by compass over the stretches where aids to navigation are few and far between. It is not a chore, soon you will come to look forward to these intense sessions at the chart table, or squinting through binoculars trying to find that next buoy.  These moments become a fascinating and exciting part of the boating experience and will give you the intense satisfaction and pride of having guided your little craft across the trackless wastes with skill and confidence.  On longer passages, such as coastal cruises, there will be long periods of time when you and your crew will be truly alone, as few people are in today’s crowded and busy world, a little speck of human cargo far offshore, as free and independent of the rest of humanity as any spacecraft plunging through the void of interplanetary space. 

If your boating takes you out primarily in daylight, or if  you’ve just gotten involved in boating, extend your experience and your skills by planning a few night trips.  Sail or power, or even in your paddlecraft, a whole new world is waiting for you, a world which you need not abandon after the sun sets and where, if you’re very lucky, may one day greet you with one of nature’s most awesome displays, a Florida sunrise on the water. Build up to it gradually and don’t be shy about asking for expert advice, but do it.  It will be one of the wisest and most worthwhile things you’ll ever do with your boat.

Coastal Cruising

So you have a boat, a cabin cruiser or sailing weekender, and you’ve done all the usual things with it.  You’ve sailed it around the bay, perhaps trailered it behind your car on vacation, or even darted offshore.  Maybe you’ve used it to camp in secluded coves and harbors for an overnighter or a long weekend, or traveled to distant marinas and yacht clubs to meet old friends, make new ones and explore other shores.  By now you have confidence in your boat, your skills, and are ready for something new, a  challenge.  You’ve exhausted the possibilities close to home, but you’re not ready yet to strike out into the scary world of blue-water offshore voyaging. You are ready to go coastal cruising.

Florida is THE state for the coastal cruiser.  There is plenty of coastline to explore, lots of harbors, anchorages and lagoons between barrier island and  mainland. The weather is generally mild and usually predictable days in advance and our seas are relatively free of danger and hazards; aids to navigation are plentiful and well-maintained. With a little caution and common sense you can travel long distances to many destinations in relative safety, yet always have a harbor nearby to duck into if things get ugly. There is the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf Stream, the west coast has the gentle Gulf waters and endless  islands and mangrove forests. Then there’s the Panhandle and the Keys, and Big Bend country.  There’s wilderness and nature but plenty of civilized destinations too.   Just offshore, always near land, you can still travel long distances with the open ocean alongside and the beach close aboard. And rarely will you be anywhere that other boats are not in sight.

So what kind of vessel do you need?  The name tells it all, a cruiser, whether the ubiquitous motor cruiser or the small cabin sailboat.  There’s no need for a luxury houseboat, just a stout little ship capable of carrying you and your companions out of the weather along with several days’ supplies.  You will need enough stowage for your food, water and clean clothes, bedding, some basic cooking and waste management facilities and warm, dry bunks.  Although the adventurous may prefer to solo, it is a treat to have a crew to share your experiences with. How many you ask to join you will depend on the size of your boat, your tolerance for crowding, and how much privacy or quality time you expect from your fellow mariners. Most recreational mini-yachts are designed for couples and small families, but keep in mind you will not be fighting for your lives on a desperate voyage.  The whole point of cruising is to stop frequently and take advantage of shoreside facilities.  Marinas are everywhere and many have reciprocal agreements so you will have plenty of places to buy supplies, take a warm shower, eat a gourmet meal, do laundry, empty your waste holding tanks, drop off your garbage and purchase fuel.

Access to support facilities and information for the cruiser is available in numerous cruising guides and other publications which can be purchased in any marine store. Don’t be shy about asking other boaters for advice and suggestions, either.  Make sure you are familiar with the operation of your radio, and remember, much of the time you will be in cell-phone range of the beach. But keep in mind, even though you will have ready access to the shore, you are also self-sufficient to a very great extent.  You should always have on board everything you need to cruise comfortably  for several days without outside assistance or supply.  You don’t need a marina to anchor in a sheltered cove, and it can be a great adventure (especially for youngsters) to travel a whole night without stopping.

In my opinion, this is the charm of cruising.  You are on your own and your little ship is free and independent of the world. The bowl of stars above, the phosphorescent sea below, and always a spectacular Florida sunrise or sunset to look forward to.  If your crew is checked out, you can stand watches, some of you on deck navigating the ship while the rest are below, eating or sleeping.  In the event of rain, you can don your foul weather gear and press on.  In your snug cabin, coffee is brewing and food is prepared, ready to greet you when it is your turn to strike below and climb into a warm bunk. There simply isn’t anything like a long passage offshore to get in touch with what really matters in life.

Either sail or power craft can be successfully cruised, but with the high coast of fuel these days the balance seems to be swinging to sail. Both types have their pros and cons.  For a given size, the sailer is usually more seaworthy and can operate in more rugged weather.  The power boat, on the other hand, can usually make it to safety faster.  In either case, it’s up to the skipper to know the weather patterns in the area  for that time of year, monitor the  radio constantly and plan his or her passage accordingly.  Florida weather is generally well within the capabilities of the typical cruising boat.  Radio broadcasters are generous with forecasts so if anything is heading your way you should have plenty of warning. But the fact remains, you are a mariner now, and sooner or later you will be faced with bad weather.  You should plan your voyages so you can either run from it or have a boat and skills that can handle it.  The only path to seamanship is experience, but don’t be afraid to read, ask questions, and learn from others; build up your knowledge and confidence gradually and systematically.   Above all, respect the sea.  No matter how good you are, it can still overwhelm you, so always have a Plan B ready and don’t take chances.  A good sailor is a conservative sailor.

The key to successful cruising is preparation. Make sure your boat is in good shape and well equipped and that you are thoroughly familiar with the skills of your shipmates.  Plan ahead and mark on your charts headings to be steered, alternate courses and destinations, hazards, safe harbors and key aids to navigation or landmarks. Make certain you have food, fuel and water, plenty of dry clothes, tools and spare parts. All safety gear should be up to Coast Guard specs.  Keep an eye on your navigation, make sure you know where you are at all times and where potential harbors and anchorages are in relation to your position.  Remember, even in ideal conditions, someone can get hurt or your boat can be damaged, you need to know where to run for cover at a moment’s notice.  If you are crossing a wild stretch of coast with little shelter, then be especially vigilant.  Let someone know where you plan to be and keep in touch with them by radio or phone and inform them of your itinerary.

With a little common sense and responsible seamanship your voyage will turn out fine.  The coastal cruise can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience; you will be with people you love, family or friends, and you will be in a beautiful, even breathtaking environment. You will be the captain of your ship, the sole master of your own life in a way which is almost impossible to achieve in this uncertain and schizophrenic world of ours. And when the voyage is over, you will return to your everyday “normal” routine ashore refreshed, recharged, with a sense of renewal and restored confidence.

It is this confidence that is the major long-term benefit of cruising.  Living is always a risky affair, even for the most sheltered of us.  It always has been.  At any time, we can be thrown a curve ball, or be overwhelmed by crisis. We all accept this, but in our artificial civilization it is particularly unsettling because misfortune strikes without warning in ways we can do little about it.  The sea is challenging, and it can be unforgiving.  But we are in charge, we know its dangers and can anticipate them and prepare.  At sea you must always be alert but you never need be helpless. You are active, not passive, and there is always something you can do to help yourself.   Learning this about yourself can be the greatest lesson of all.

[brackish]

When I lived on the Gulf Coast I used to really enjoy night sailing particularly in the Summer, the winds were generally fair and the temps cool compared to the daytime temps.  I now, however, live in the dead center of the Bermuda high that camps over the mid south for most of the summer.  That means when the sun goes down, the wind goes from very light to dead calm. 

[Tadpole]

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.php

I'm between boats right now, but my wife and I have done lots of night sailing over the years.  Certainly a magical time...seems to stimulate deep conversation.  We sailed enough at night that it was worthwhile for us to have a moon rise/set table (see link above) to plan our trips.  Just go to the site, enter the location, choose sun or moon table, and you get a schedule for the entire year. 

And yes, you usually have the lake to your self.

Tadpole

[HenryC]

A moonlit night can be beautiful, and bright moonlight can help you find things and get around.  But on a clear, transparent night, go out when there is no moon.  Even a thin crescent moon will wash out the fainter stars, and the Milky Way.  Go out when the sky is clear and dark, and there is no moon.  If it is safe to do so, turn off your running lights and let your eyes adapt to the darkness.  It will blow you away.

And you will find that a starry night by itself provides enough light to the dark-adapted eye to find things, and get around.  Once you see a really dark sky in all its glory, you will come to resent the moon.

"I've loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night"
Galileo Galilei

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/good-old-boat/36496-moonglow.html

[bimmerhead]

I agree with everyone reading this, clear nights and gentle breezes are epic, just another thing to love about sailing.. but you mentioned lightning,,, did I read you correctly Jason?

You've been hit by lightning? and lived to share your thoughts here? and how differant is "the new you" from the original? I'd love to buy you your faverite adult beverage and hear that story!

Kind Regards,