Lights while sailing at night

[Sandy]

I have the opposite problem. Big ships lit up like Christmas Trees! You try working out where the navigation lights are.

Looking at the evidence of the pictures, I am not convinced that they were taken after sunset.

Hopefully, somebody is keeping a lookout in both vessels. I have always taken the line, might is right, and keep out of there way.

[dom]

To those who have taken issue with him here, I will just say, in the words of Oliver Cromwell, “I beseech you in the bowels of Christ - consider that you may be mistaken!”

My £0.01 worth as not a ship's master, but +1.

Looking from the bridge of a ferry it's much easier to pick up sea-level lights as one scans away from the ship. Moreover, upon sighting a tricolor one's brain (at least mine) encourages one to think that the light is further away than it is.

From the perspective of a yacht where one is looking more horizontal to upwards; tricolors, anchor lights and whatnot continuously get lost in the twinkling sea of land lights. Small, restricted steep-to harbours like Cowes, St Peter Port, Roscoff, etc. seem to be the worst.

[Frank Holden]

My £0.01 worth as not a ship's master, but +1.

Looking from the bridge of a ferry it's much easier to pick up sea-level lights as one scans away from the ship. Moreover, upon sighting a tricolor one's brain (at least mine) encourages one to think that the light is further away than it is.

From the perspective of a yacht where one is looking more horizontal to upwards; tricolors, anchor lights and whatnot continuously get lost in the twinkling sea of land lights. Small, restricted steep-to harbours like Cowes, St Peter Port, Roscoff, etc. seem to be the worst.

Spot on! Good to see that someone understands what is going on here...

Now, I know some of our brethren are struggling a bit with the imagination side of things ... but imagine that in this pic it is dark... the control tower is active.... and there are incoming aircraft.... where would you like your anchor light to be if I was coming up the channel at 15 knots?

They are right on the edge of the channel and my HoE was about 5 metres when I took the photo.. small work boat bridge maybe?

DSC_4133 (1).jpg

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

Or flip on that AIS transceiver switch, crack open a bottle ..... and relax.

Richard

I know you are joking, but maybe make it a bit clearer? An uninformed novice might actually take your advice..

[Minn]

My ex boat as Frank will recall was set up for pottering round the Thames estuary where one often anchors at the edge of a big ship channel and was equipped with a two foot tall Davey cone burner paraffin riding light that had begun life as a merchant ship NUC light minus the red shade, absolutely visible and unmistakable from two miles and more, hoisted on the forestay, and a pair of lower side lights off a scrapped Hong Kong harbour tug, 24 volts and 90 watts so the current drain can be imagined but they were only used in and around ports and traffic and nobody failed to see her. At sea under sail - tricolour at the masthead of course.

Wish I still had that lot.

[RichardS]

I know you are joking, but maybe make it a bit clearer? An uninformed novice might actually take your advice..

Errrrr ..... I would recommend any novice to take my advice. If I'm anchored anywhere which is potentially close to the passage of larger ships then I always leave the AIS switched on. Why wouldn't you? A large vessel heading towards you in the gloom is going to get 20 miles worth of warning that they are going to hit you.

OK, they might have Class B reception switched off (allegedly) but if they then hit you at least you will know from the "other side" that the ship's master will be hammered to kingdom come and back by the Courts.

Richard

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

... I have always taken the line, might is right, and keep out of there way.

Does that include not standing on to ships, even if the Rules say you should be?

[prv]

Errrrr ..... I would recommend any novice to take my advice. If I'm anchored anywhere which is potentially close to the passage of larger ships then I always leave the AIS switched on. Why wouldn't you?

Your post didn't say anything about being at anchor - looked like you were saying that transmitting AIS while underway meant you could crack open the booze and stop keeping a lookout

Pete

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

Your post didn't say anything about being at anchor - looked like you were saying that transmitting AIS while underway meant you could crack open the booze and stop keeping a lookout

Pete

It sure did

[Sandy]

Does that include not standing on to ships, even if the Rules say you should be?

I make sure I keep out of their way, but there is not a lot of shipping round here. When I am leaving or entering the marina the big stuff follows a clearly marked channel, no reason for me to be in there when they are. The Queen's Harbour Master kindly emails me every day with shipping movements, just the odd unpublished movement of submarines to worry about. If we have a submarine movement the "men in black" make sure you are well out of the way.