First night sail - a bit nervous.

lockwood

lockwood

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19 Dec 2004
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Cardiff
www.craiglockwood.co.uk
I will be embarking on my first journey in the darkness tonight - a bit daunting to a newb like me.

I will only be out for about 4 hours (between 8pm and midnight) and will just sail a few miles out from Cardiff Bay and back, nothing to hairy hopefully.

Having never sailed in the dark before, I am a bit nervous, but I know the area reasonably well, so fingers crossed I won't hit land or a rogue bouy!
 
Don't want to teach you to suck eggs, but make sure you do yourself a rough passage plan and note down all the light signatures of relevant buoyage, use a note book that you can keep with you in the cockpit. It all looks very different in the dark. I also have difficulty judging the distance off lights, so try not to run in to anything, moving or static.

Enjoy, it's fun.
 
Moon sets around 2am, so if you get some clear skies you'll get some reasonable light from it. Enjoy it, could be a glorious evening.

Rick
 
nothing to it, you got your gps so enjoy it ....... but you wont get much darkness this time of year till about the time you are approaching cardiff again /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
You are about to make a very pleasant discovery!

It is one of the best kept secrets in sailing that things are much easier at night, in almost all conditions, but espescially during fine weather on an inshore passage.

You can see the buoys and lighthouses from far further away and it is easier to get a bearing on them.

You have enough light to see what you are about, on deck.

(depending on family circumstances) The children have gone to sleep.

The wind is usually lighter, and steadier.
 
I really enjoy night sailing......so long as conditions are reasonably good!

As you are going tonight, as we are so near the Summer solstice, you're going to be surprised at how long you can see the last remnants of daylight. It's quite likely that, as you return to your berth you'll still be able to a bit of lightness in the sky to the west.

Make sure you know what lights you will be looking for and have a good trip.
 
Have a nice trip. Don't forget to go up to the bows to watch the phosphorescence on the bow wave once you're well away from land, it is always a magical sight.
 
It should be glorious - a lovely clear night. It's all so beautiful and silent at night. As others have said, it's difficult to judge distance in the dark, so if you get confused as to which buoy or light is which, don't panic, and reason it out logically. Enjoy it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It all looks very different in the dark.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very true!

Had only done a bit of night sailing when we had some friends join us in Torquay, we sailed across to the other side of Torbay, dropped the hook for supper. Going back it was dark, I say dark that is except for the glow of the red, blue, green, yellow etc lights on the sea front.

Do you think we could find the red and green lights to the entrance to the marina?!!!!!
 
On my first night sail I had to pass between a lighthouse perched on a reef and an unlit rock about 3 cables off. Since the rock was unlit it posed the greater risk so I reasoned to keep closer to the light. However judging distance at night is difficult and I ended up getting too close to the lighthouse and was only alerted to the fact by the rapidly dropping depth on the echo sounder. I do not know how close I came to hitting the reef, but it was probably close! In a strange way the light was comforting as I could see it and avoid it (so I thought!), while the unlit rock was lurking out there unseen. This is where a radar would be useful.
 
As Stuge says make a good pilotage plan.
An A4 sheet of paper with a plan of all lights, their light characteristic and name/number, just copy it off the pilot book or chart and include any unlit buoys or hazards so as to not run into them. Mark on your course and any transits or other harbour exit entry requirements information you may need, put this in a plastic sleeve and have it on decks at all times. Carry a red or very dim torch so you can read it without dazzling others. Stay off the helm yourself, your job is to pilot only. Keep one eye on the depth guage, and dont be afraid to stop the boat if you get disorientated to allow you time to get you bearings.
By copying all the relevant info from the chart/ pilot book you will remember it and wont need to pop down to the chart table at a critical moment.

Give your helm clear instructions as to which way to point and it should all run smoothly.

Enjoy
 
a little stage fright will keep you aware, its no bad thing, red or blue lensed torch/bulb will aid in night vis retention, on that note, if a light has to go on keep one eye shut. despite knowing the area you'll be surprised at how different the shore looks in the dark, especially easy to lose sight of marks with a town/harbour backdrop and of course other vessels,
keep an eagle eye under your cloth to your lee. you will love it, dont stress, its the begining of a new chapter for you, wish I were with you.
 
As someone else said its difficult to judge distances at night. A dim white light ahead might be a bright light on shore miles away or a yachts white nav light close to.
It a mistake you only make once though -
 
Agree with all before. You will enjoy it all ......except getting back in. The lights always look a lot closer than in daylight
If you can take a waypoint on a buoy which is at a known (to you) distance, it will give you confidence.
At the lst resort, be prepared to wait for daylight and familiarity.

Enjoy! Regards Briani
 
Damn it!

Just had a thought, I do not have a steaming light. I doubt very much that I will set anchor but I suppose you never know.

Would a large torch hoisted up the backstay be sufficient?
 
Steaming light is used when motoring above red green and white lights, not when anchored. Anchor light is different - it's an all round white light. Steaming light only covers port and starboard segments, doesn't show aft.

You really should have a steaming light, though will probably survive without, albeit in breach of colregs eg. motoring in and out of harbour. For an anchor light you could improvise by using the steaming light + the stern (white) section of the tricolour to give the effect of an all-round white. You can unscrew the bulb from the red/green bit if they're separate from the white, otherwise cover red and green segments up if it's an all-in-one tricolour.
 
just tell anyone who gives you gyp that the bulb must have blown ......... unless the official is reading this he wont know the difference.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

worst things happen at sea
 
Hi
I'm sure you will let us know it all went, and I will look forward to your next post.
Bon voyage
Keith
 
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