Search light not giving adequate illumination for cruising

[max from alaska]

They’re salmon seiners and they use them when running from opener to opener across the sound, typically at night because the openers are in the morning. Or after delivering to a tender in the middle of the night and cruising back to anchor up. Forward facing lights weren’t useful when making a night set (which we rarely did), because you’re interested in what’s happening between you and your skiff man on shore. Not what’s directly in front of you. But still we didn’t use them when we truly didn’t need them. I put in 10 years doing this.

 

[bob daily]

USCG rules state that as long as other lights on board can not be confused with navigation lights it is permitted. Commercial boats, working tugs, charter, cruise ships, ferrys all use lights that are not navigation lights and some of them look like a floating city at night. That said as long as your not harming other boaters with bright lights and your navigation lights are clearly visible, your not shining a spot light a mile in front of your boat and only using it for safe navigation and the safety of your crew you will be fine! The USCG has never given a ticket or fine to any one that sunk there boat after hitting debris for having too many improper lights! Just be safe and a little common sense! Bob

 

[max from alaska]

Yes I doubt that many folks who are opposed to lights have spent much time cruising at night when it’s too dark to see a log or orange buoy when it’s 10 ft in front of them. Common sense says to be prepared, or don’t do it at all. Most people I know to don’t do it at all. The benefit of being capable is that, you’re much more capable in general and confident that you can deal with what comes your way.

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

I’m opposed to lights, and have been in dangerous situations because of people running their docking lights in open water. Also morons running light bars on their center console. Use the appropriate technology. Lights aren’t the appropriate technology for running at night. There is a reason boats don’t come with headlights.

I was taught that the lights on your boat are for others to see you - to be able to determine your course and speed. They aren’t for you to see the water.

https://youtu.be/oGW8L0zdpZ0


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[FlyMeAway]

Yes I doubt that many folks who are opposed to lights have spent much time cruising at night when it’s too dark to see a log or orange buoy when it’s 10 ft in front of them. Common sense says to be prepared, or don’t do it at all. Most people I know to don’t do it at all. The benefit of being capable is that, you’re much more capable in general and confident that you can deal with what comes your way.

I've logged many hours sailing or motoring at night. I am very opposed to lights.

If you are properly equipped and prepared, it is very unusual to be out in a situation where your eyes do not adjust to see as well or better than a searchlight would. A light only shines where you are pointing it; eyes adjusted to darkness / moonlight / stars can see pretty much everywhere. That's why our boats come with red running lights, to preserve night vision.

To give you some sense of this, sailors routinely make transpacific and transatlantic passages running 5-8 knots at night with no lights whatsoever (not even nav lights, oftentimes, because they use power). Do they occasionally hit things? Yes. Would a light have solved the problem? No.

I suppose if you're visually impaired, or have a condition that impedes your night vision, it would be different. But my experience has been few people take the time to actually allow their eyes to adjust to the dark (it takes 20-30 minutes), at which point you can see remarkably well. In conditions like rain, night vision is actually *better* than shining a light, because the light gets reflected off the rain and reduces your overall visibility.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I agree with folks who are against using spotlights for night time navigation, except in limited circumstances. I've been blinded way too often by other boats' lights in conditions where they weren't really necessary if their skippers would let their eyes get used to the dark and use some common sense.

I installed a FLIR on my boat just for low speed night time cruising, and especially for getting into my creek. It's not very useful faster than about 12 knots IMHO, but I don't want to scurry along in the dark anyway. Way too many things can go wrong very quickly. At 12 knots or less, crab pots, buoys, navigational aids, and even floating logs show up very clearly on the screen, leaving plenty of time to maneuver around them.