Isle of Wight sealine crash with injuries.

[Momac]

Unfortunately many leisure vessels are not required to have AIS fitted unlike commercial vessels and some leisure vessels are pretty solid.. Lots of missing echo's there if you were to see the full picture. Mind you the plotter displaying this might show the approaching coastline.

My point being only to illustrate the fact that vessels are not restricted to 5kts after dark as was suggested .

 

[julians]

Its frighteningly easy to get disoriented, especially at night , and even when viewing a plotter screen.

Being generous - I wonder if the boat was new to the owner, hence unfamiliarity with the plotter.

Still doesnt excuse a lack of caution though....

 

[colhel]

Its frighteningly easy to get disoriented, especially at night , and even when viewing a plotter screen.

Being generous - I wonder if the boat was new to the owner, hence unfamiliarity with the plotter.

Still doesnt excuse a lack of caution though....

A few years ago I got caught in fog approaching Poole Harbour, I was utterly convinced the plotter was wrong. Luckily no harm done but it was very unsettling

 

[Elessar]

I don’t normally use the plotter at night as it kills my night vision. Usually put the radar on as it’s a predominantly black screen.

 

[benjenbav]

I don’t normally use the plotter at night as it kills my night vision. Usually put the radar on as it’s a predominantly black screen.

My first radar set was a green on black display with a shield surround - like something out of a WW2 submarine.

 

[colhel]

I don’t normally use the plotter at night as it kills my night vision. Usually put the radar on as it’s a predominantly black screen.

I find it useful in places like Poole Harbour where there's plenty of other lights to confuse you. If I'm steering to a course in open water then keeping a lookout is easier with it off. I did say Fog in my previous reply just in case you missed it ?

 

[dunedin]

I don’t normally use the plotter at night as it kills my night vision. Usually put the radar on as it’s a predominantly black screen.

Do you switch the plotter screen to night mode? Should be no brighter than a radar

PS. Have had some fun and games when turned plotter to night mode and brightness down - then switched off in that mode. Couldn’t see the screen at all in daylight to go through menu options to reset to daytime mode. Towel over head and screen eventually worked

 

[SaltIre]

My first radar set was a green on black display with a shield surround - like something out of a WW2 submarine.

My first chart table had a black curtain round it to stop everybody else's night vision going.
It was on a Type 22 Frigate.

 

[Boat2016]

A few years ago I got caught in fog approaching Poole Harbour, I was utterly convinced the plotter was wrong. Luckily no harm done but it was very unsettling

the depth sounder would also be helpful in this situation.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

PS. Have had some fun and games when turned plotter to night mode and brightness down - then switched off in that mode. Couldn’t see the screen at all in daylight to go through menu options to reset to daytime mode. Towel over head and screen eventually worked

A few short presses of the on/off button usually cycles through the screen brightness on most plotters.

 

[jrudge]

Its frighteningly easy to get disoriented, especially at night , and even when viewing a plotter screen.

Being generous - I wonder if the boat was new to the owner, hence unfamiliarity with the plotter.

Still doesnt excuse a lack of caution though....

It is indeed. Autohelm is useful for doing the initial grunt work.

similar in a light aircraft in cloud. It isxa Much lower workload if the auto pilot flys it and you become a systems manager

 

[Elessar]

Do you switch the plotter screen to night mode? Should be no brighter than a radar

PS. Have had some fun and games when turned plotter to night mode and brightness down - then switched off in that mode. Couldn’t see the screen at all in daylight to go through menu options to reset to daytime mode. Towel over head and screen eventually worked

Yes. But a plotter is all illuminated in different colours but a lot of it is white. A radar is mostly black. Far better for your night vision.

 

[Elessar]

I find it useful in places like Poole Harbour where there's plenty of other lights to confuse you. If I'm steering to a course in open water then keeping a lookout is easier with it off. I did say Fog in my previous reply just in case you missed it ?

I was replying to the thread not to you Col!!

 

[julians]

Yes. But a plotter is all illuminated in different colours but a lot of it is white. A radar is mostly black. Far better for your night vision.

My plotter (simrad) when you put it in night mode,as well as dimming the backlight,and changing the colours of the chart,it also changes the colour of all the text from white to red, it seems pretty good in terms of not disrupting your night vision

 

[Alicatt]

My first radar set was a green on black display with a shield surround - like something out of a WW2 submarine.

The first radar I worked on was a Decca 101 then I was sent off to Decca HQ in Croydon and had to learn about digital logic circuits and how it was used in the TRANSAR and 900 series radars for collision detection and track plotting, this was in 1973.
The 101 radar was a hybrid design with both solidstate and valve technology. Oh, and the display was orange/black monochrome

 

[Portofino]

My plotter (simrad) when you put it in night mode,as well as dimming the backlight,and changing the colours of the chart,it also changes the colour of all the text from white to red, it seems pretty good in terms of not disrupting your night vision

So does this Stone Age plotter .

Further more it does what it says on the tin ….works in stark 8ollock direct sunlight.
We also have military esq red light below option, so if you have to leave the helm to go below It can and is be illuminated in red .

Yes i have wasted many hrs of my life at boat shows trying to find an improvement , the day time bright sun screen thingy, but still searching.
All ridicules accepted guys .As per normal .

 

[Alicatt]

My plotter (simrad) when you put it in night mode,as well as dimming the backlight,and changing the colours of the chart,it also changes the colour of all the text from white to red, it seems pretty good in terms of not disrupting your night vision

Navionics on my android tablet has a night mode where it puts a red overlay on the display and reduces the brightness, but remember green is the portion of the spectrum where the eye is most sensitive, and the eye is much less sensitive at the red and blue ends of the spectrum.

 

[Supertramp]

Anyone who sails (or motors) a lot at night will understand that the risk of things going awry is much greater than in daylight. Made worse still if tired. And worse still on a truly black night.

There is no point speculating about the accident circumstances - wait for the report. The responses on here are interesting. The skipper of a boat adds to his responsibilities considerably by deciding to sail at night. Think about a man overboard situation (especially in an open cockpit boat). The discussion should be about the additional preparation and precautions for a night passage at speed in open water.

Here's hoping nobody bumps into me at 20knts while I'm tootling along through the night at 4knts under reduced sail.....

 

[LittleSister]

There is no point speculating about the accident circumstances - wait for the report.

Ultimately there's no 'point' in waiting for the report, either!

But before the report is eventually produced, why not speculate about what might have happened?

Speculating about the cause of the accident on here is educational, entertaining and harmless, is it not?

 

[henryf]

I see nothing entertaining about a serious accident that left people in hospital and which saw emergency services airlifting casualties.

You must live in a very different world to me.

We might all make assumptions as to the cause but until the skipper comes on here or the accident report gets published I would suggest keeping those assumptions to ourselves.

By all means consider best practice for night time journeys. My advice would be:


Zero alcohol
Consider whether you actually need to make the trip or whether it can wait until daylight
Make extra allowance for weather and tides
Have everyone wearing a life jacket and brief everyone on the boat, your plans and the additional risks at night
Sort out lighting so you are not “ blinded”
Ensure nav lights are on and working
Set chart plotter and instruments to night mode / dim them right down
Consider plotting a course even if you are familiar with the area
Use radar if fitted
Proceed with caution at slow speed
Consider using auto pilot to hold you on a steady course. This will stop you from inadvertently veering off course and reduce workload
Consider allocating navigation duties to someone else IF you have a suitably qualified person on board allowing you to concentrate on helming the boat.
Continue to manage guests / passengers on board who may not be aware of the potential dangers.
Keep referencing lights and marks with your chart plotter / radar and position. Predict what you should be seeing and compare that to what you are seeing with your eyes.

It’s not an extensive list but it gives you some things to consider.

Don’t use the pressure of guests on board to attempt your first night time trip. That should be done with the company of a qualified instructor / experienced skipper.

Henry