The sun is dropping rapidly over the horizon and you're still some distance from your destination. A quick look at the charts shows a number of options: poke into a nearby anchorage for the night; crank up the engine and head for a marina; or flip on the running lights and keep right on sailing. What do you do? Sailing at night can be a wonderful experience. It can also be terrifying. Do you ever sail at night? What do you do to prepare yourself, your boat, and your crew for the experience? Are there any tips you could suggest to others that might improve the chances that they, too, would have a great night out under the stars? How, for example, do you deal with crab or lobster pots? Pound nets? Floating debris? Boating traffic? Tell us your experiences sailing at night and then take the Quick Quiz on the home page. (Discussion topic and quiz provided by Warren Milberg)
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It is extremely hot in our part of the country, so we usually plan to sail at night this time of year. Our lake does not have any shallow areas, very little floating debre and boat traffic, and the winds are much steadier at night. It is fun to star-gaze while sailing. It is easy to become disoriented at night. One should have a skipper that can maintain a good fix on the boat's position. David
Dadgum crab traps...
Our St. Johns River is a great place to sail, BUT, unless you have someone posted on the bow, it is playing with trouble to sail at night. Local fishermen plant crab traps randomly, and even if they are small, they are boat magnets at night. However, several folks do enjoy full moon sailing (when even I can spot the traps.)
Our St. Johns River is a great place to sail, BUT, unless you have someone posted on the bow, it is playing with trouble to sail at night. Local fishermen plant crab traps randomly, and even if they are small, they are boat magnets at night. However, several folks do enjoy full moon sailing (when even I can spot the traps.)
Galveston Bay - nightmare
Galveston Bay being in Texas reflects that states attitude to nature i.e. if it isn't your land it's your dump. Filled with producing and non-producing oil and gas rigs including the steel stumps of ones from the early part of last century. Add to this the practice of past shrimpers and bargers of somply taking old boats out and scuttling them...well you get the picture. And all of this willy-nilly trashing in waters less than 10' in depth. Oh, did I mention those old wells were never properly located or identified by location, nor are many of the new ones. The good news is that there are quite a number of channels marked with buoys and range markers. Of course the main Houston channel which is now 55' is well marked. The lesser side channels although some are fairly well marked are from a boaters standpoint well camoflaged and hidden amongst the clutter of an overdeveloped shoreline along the south and west shores. THe point is that night or day this boddy of water requires the utmost concentration on the part of the helmsman, and single hander is at the Mercy's mercy so to speak. To many rely solely on their gps plotters, only sadly sooner or later to discover these do not have anywhere near half of the navigational hazards on them, and few if any of the navigational aids. So how do you(disallowing stupidity and chosen ignorance) manage? You keep up to date charts on board(in the cockpit, next to the tiller/wheel), you keep them updated with your OWN observations and those of other competent boaters. This assumes a GOOD working knowledge of standard navigational technique and instruments. Minimum is a hand compass, a ships compass properly swung and carded, a back-up lead line(for when the depth finder dies)...and practice, practice, practice at orienting yourself offshore. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the biggest hazard of all, those other 95% of boaters who haven't a clue about, nor care about any of the above... But you know what, for the 5 months of heat and humidity of the summer around hear the evenings and nights provide the best sailing/boating around.
Galveston Bay being in Texas reflects that states attitude to nature i.e. if it isn't your land it's your dump. Filled with producing and non-producing oil and gas rigs including the steel stumps of ones from the early part of last century. Add to this the practice of past shrimpers and bargers of somply taking old boats out and scuttling them...well you get the picture. And all of this willy-nilly trashing in waters less than 10' in depth. Oh, did I mention those old wells were never properly located or identified by location, nor are many of the new ones. The good news is that there are quite a number of channels marked with buoys and range markers. Of course the main Houston channel which is now 55' is well marked. The lesser side channels although some are fairly well marked are from a boaters standpoint well camoflaged and hidden amongst the clutter of an overdeveloped shoreline along the south and west shores. THe point is that night or day this boddy of water requires the utmost concentration on the part of the helmsman, and single hander is at the Mercy's mercy so to speak. To many rely solely on their gps plotters, only sadly sooner or later to discover these do not have anywhere near half of the navigational hazards on them, and few if any of the navigational aids. So how do you(disallowing stupidity and chosen ignorance) manage? You keep up to date charts on board(in the cockpit, next to the tiller/wheel), you keep them updated with your OWN observations and those of other competent boaters. This assumes a GOOD working knowledge of standard navigational technique and instruments. Minimum is a hand compass, a ships compass properly swung and carded, a back-up lead line(for when the depth finder dies)...and practice, practice, practice at orienting yourself offshore. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the biggest hazard of all, those other 95% of boaters who haven't a clue about, nor care about any of the above... But you know what, for the 5 months of heat and humidity of the summer around hear the evenings and nights provide the best sailing/boating around.
Night Sailing...
... on the Chesapeake can be fun, and pretty dangerous. Lots of crab pots out there to tangle your rudder or shaft if you are not really careful. For reasons I can't fathom, the crabbers seem to use black or blue, which you can't see at night, for floats. And, many of the lighted nav aids all blink with the same periodicity making it harder to differentiate them. Moving lights on the shore often look like boats moving on the water. Yet night sailing can be a lot of fun. The key (for me) is keeping a sharp eye out for hazards in the water, always maintaining night vision, always giving way early when another vessel is anywhere nearby, and most importantly: always having a fix on exactly where I am.
... on the Chesapeake can be fun, and pretty dangerous. Lots of crab pots out there to tangle your rudder or shaft if you are not really careful. For reasons I can't fathom, the crabbers seem to use black or blue, which you can't see at night, for floats. And, many of the lighted nav aids all blink with the same periodicity making it harder to differentiate them. Moving lights on the shore often look like boats moving on the water. Yet night sailing can be a lot of fun. The key (for me) is keeping a sharp eye out for hazards in the water, always maintaining night vision, always giving way early when another vessel is anywhere nearby, and most importantly: always having a fix on exactly where I am.
Lake Huron
A nice sunset followed by a steady and sometimes brisk warm off shore breeze. Stars overhead, a full moon, it's relaxation at it's best. The noise of the powerboat day is gone and the waves lap gently as the boat ghosts along at 4 or 5 knots. It's great!
A nice sunset followed by a steady and sometimes brisk warm off shore breeze. Stars overhead, a full moon, it's relaxation at it's best. The noise of the powerboat day is gone and the waves lap gently as the boat ghosts along at 4 or 5 knots. It's great!
Night sailing is great
But as the posts have stated you need to know your body of water. Everything looks different at night and if there are lights on shore navigation aids can be hard to spot. Ideally I like to night sail offshore and make landfall during the daylight. We have done two overnight passages this year during a may vacation. Night one was fantastic with wind all night and we averaged about 5 kts. The return trip was much less fun. We had a good sail until sunset and then the wind dropped to almost nothing by about 10 pm then early morning fog. I hate to motor all night. Dolphins and bioluminescence are my favorites at night. Fog is the worst aspect of night sailing. When we had the boat on a lake we sailed at night regularly. With a lake you can learn everything about the lake during the day and have confidence at night. Tom
But as the posts have stated you need to know your body of water. Everything looks different at night and if there are lights on shore navigation aids can be hard to spot. Ideally I like to night sail offshore and make landfall during the daylight. We have done two overnight passages this year during a may vacation. Night one was fantastic with wind all night and we averaged about 5 kts. The return trip was much less fun. We had a good sail until sunset and then the wind dropped to almost nothing by about 10 pm then early morning fog. I hate to motor all night. Dolphins and bioluminescence are my favorites at night. Fog is the worst aspect of night sailing. When we had the boat on a lake we sailed at night regularly. With a lake you can learn everything about the lake during the day and have confidence at night. Tom
Kentuycky Lake at night can be great!
Many weekend nights we have dinner at the Ky Dam Hotel and leave their dock and sail for hours. When the moon is out and the wind is on a reach, it can really be fine sailing. I have radar, so I keep a good watch for the small fishing boats and the barges that are potential hazards.
Many weekend nights we have dinner at the Ky Dam Hotel and leave their dock and sail for hours. When the moon is out and the wind is on a reach, it can really be fine sailing. I have radar, so I keep a good watch for the small fishing boats and the barges that are potential hazards.
I LOVE night sailing .........
With a full keeled boat there is little worry of fouling crab/lobster pots, etc. Besides, they apparently caught ALL the crabs that were able to be caught during the past few years on the Chesapeake so there are very few crab pots this year. (Unlighted fish traps are another story that will remind you why you need an ultra sharp knife on board.) However, at night THERE IS NO STINK POT CHOP that during the day shakes the winds from the sails, so one can sail on the lightest of nightime zephers. Even on the darkest of nights there are wonders to behold: the stars, the 'silver heels' bioluminescence that streams out in your stern wake for miles, the fish that disturb the bioluminescence starting off 'fluorescent' moving streaks away from the oncoming boat, the crash of waves against the bow that makes the bioluminescence go 'exponential' - quite a 'light show' that never ceases to amaze me. I LOVE the dogwatch from midnight to 4AM. Ever see the 'green flash' at dawn? I love how the sky goes from the blackest of black just before dawn and slowly turns into the faint beginnings of daybreak then dawn, sometimes rarely showing the 'green flash'. Night sailing takes some getting used to but once you gain experience with a well founded boat, you almost prefer it. Especially in hot humid summer weather, night sailing is quite comfortable and cool --- better to hide during the daytime with a broiling sun.
With a full keeled boat there is little worry of fouling crab/lobster pots, etc. Besides, they apparently caught ALL the crabs that were able to be caught during the past few years on the Chesapeake so there are very few crab pots this year. (Unlighted fish traps are another story that will remind you why you need an ultra sharp knife on board.) However, at night THERE IS NO STINK POT CHOP that during the day shakes the winds from the sails, so one can sail on the lightest of nightime zephers. Even on the darkest of nights there are wonders to behold: the stars, the 'silver heels' bioluminescence that streams out in your stern wake for miles, the fish that disturb the bioluminescence starting off 'fluorescent' moving streaks away from the oncoming boat, the crash of waves against the bow that makes the bioluminescence go 'exponential' - quite a 'light show' that never ceases to amaze me. I LOVE the dogwatch from midnight to 4AM. Ever see the 'green flash' at dawn? I love how the sky goes from the blackest of black just before dawn and slowly turns into the faint beginnings of daybreak then dawn, sometimes rarely showing the 'green flash'. Night sailing takes some getting used to but once you gain experience with a well founded boat, you almost prefer it. Especially in hot humid summer weather, night sailing is quite comfortable and cool --- better to hide during the daytime with a broiling sun.
Overnighters in the Atlantic
We've made 8 trips from the Florida Keys to the northeast in the last 5 years, and two round trips across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. We go in and out of the ICW along the east coast, depending on weather, wind (too much, wrong direction, or none). We do jump out whenever we can mainly to avoid the endless number of bridges in Florida. On our last trip this past June, we overnighted from the Keys to Ft. Pierce, then an overnighter from St. Simons Inlet to Charleston, and again from Cape May to Block Island. Usually it's pretty peaceful; the main hazards are cruise ships, tug boats, fishing boats, sea buoys,- all usually quite visible at night, but at times the moving targets are difficult to discern which way they're heading and they can get pretty close. Radar is a must, wave action can many times block your vision; gps is a must; single sideband (many times your out of range for VHS and forget cell phones); good charts of course; jacklines and harnesses are a must; flashlights and a back-up red/green flashlight (just in case your nav lights fail); and a pot of coffee - sleepiness is the worst hazard. It's just the two of us - so one is on watch while the other sleeps (if you can). But it does have its rewards: there is nothing like the starry sky, the bright moon (if you're lucky) and the first light of day getting lighter and lighter until dawn - which is usually spectacular. And of course a big timesaver to get whereever you're going.
We've made 8 trips from the Florida Keys to the northeast in the last 5 years, and two round trips across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. We go in and out of the ICW along the east coast, depending on weather, wind (too much, wrong direction, or none). We do jump out whenever we can mainly to avoid the endless number of bridges in Florida. On our last trip this past June, we overnighted from the Keys to Ft. Pierce, then an overnighter from St. Simons Inlet to Charleston, and again from Cape May to Block Island. Usually it's pretty peaceful; the main hazards are cruise ships, tug boats, fishing boats, sea buoys,- all usually quite visible at night, but at times the moving targets are difficult to discern which way they're heading and they can get pretty close. Radar is a must, wave action can many times block your vision; gps is a must; single sideband (many times your out of range for VHS and forget cell phones); good charts of course; jacklines and harnesses are a must; flashlights and a back-up red/green flashlight (just in case your nav lights fail); and a pot of coffee - sleepiness is the worst hazard. It's just the two of us - so one is on watch while the other sleeps (if you can). But it does have its rewards: there is nothing like the starry sky, the bright moon (if you're lucky) and the first light of day getting lighter and lighter until dawn - which is usually spectacular. And of course a big timesaver to get whereever you're going.
Night sailing on Lake Michigan
I sailed across Lake Michigan last summer with a friend of mine. We left Milwaukee around 6:00 P.M. and got to the Michigan side at around 9:00 A.M. the next day. We setup jacklines and were clipped in from about 8:00 P.M. through the night. We were careful to maintain our night vision, and although we had a some fog, and the wind died for part of the trip, it was an enjoyable trip. After 11:00 P.M. we did 3 hour watches. The biggest concern was other vessels. We monitored the vhf all night. The return part of the trip back was mostly during the day. I would love to go across when there was no fog, and good wind. Perhaps it will work out this year.
I sailed across Lake Michigan last summer with a friend of mine. We left Milwaukee around 6:00 P.M. and got to the Michigan side at around 9:00 A.M. the next day. We setup jacklines and were clipped in from about 8:00 P.M. through the night. We were careful to maintain our night vision, and although we had a some fog, and the wind died for part of the trip, it was an enjoyable trip. After 11:00 P.M. we did 3 hour watches. The biggest concern was other vessels. We monitored the vhf all night. The return part of the trip back was mostly during the day. I would love to go across when there was no fog, and good wind. Perhaps it will work out this year.
In Lake Ponchatrain there are so many crab traps that for all intents and purposes no one is out there at night. But offshore is a different story and I love it out there at night. Whenever I head over towards Fla. I head out, unless I don't have a good weather forecast. Like some areas of Fla. there are plenty of inlets not too far apart to duck into when weather turns sour.
Saturday / Sunday
Hello, This past weekend my family and I sailed from Mattituck NY to Mt. Sinai NY. We left at 8:00 Pm Saturday and arrived at 1:00 AM Sunday. It was a great trip. Wind that started NW at 8 kts, increasd to 12 kts, moved N, the lighted to 8 kts. The kids (4, 7, 10) hung out for a while, then watched a movie from 9:30 - 11:00, then slept. My wife and I sailed (the autopilot did most of the work), watched the stars, phosporescense in the water, and the moon come up. There are lots of lobster pots but you can't see them. We saw lots go past, I don't think we hit any. We saw one barge (lit up like a city) one motorboat, and one sailboat (as we approached the harbor). The sailing was fantastic, I loved every minute of it. I keep a powerful flashlight at the wheel, handheld VHF, and everyone on deck wears a PDF. If someone needs to go forward, another person needs to be on deck. I also keep a small flashlight in my pocket so I can check the masthead fly, sail shape, etc. Barry
Hello, This past weekend my family and I sailed from Mattituck NY to Mt. Sinai NY. We left at 8:00 Pm Saturday and arrived at 1:00 AM Sunday. It was a great trip. Wind that started NW at 8 kts, increasd to 12 kts, moved N, the lighted to 8 kts. The kids (4, 7, 10) hung out for a while, then watched a movie from 9:30 - 11:00, then slept. My wife and I sailed (the autopilot did most of the work), watched the stars, phosporescense in the water, and the moon come up. There are lots of lobster pots but you can't see them. We saw lots go past, I don't think we hit any. We saw one barge (lit up like a city) one motorboat, and one sailboat (as we approached the harbor). The sailing was fantastic, I loved every minute of it. I keep a powerful flashlight at the wheel, handheld VHF, and everyone on deck wears a PDF. If someone needs to go forward, another person needs to be on deck. I also keep a small flashlight in my pocket so I can check the masthead fly, sail shape, etc. Barry
Nice N Easy
Nice N Easy, I have a boat on Lake Pontchartrain. It's a project boat that we're fixing up, so we make fairly frequent trips to Slidell. Would like to meet up with you sometime when we're there. If you don't mind, contact me off list at hparsons@parsonsys.com
Nice N Easy, I have a boat on Lake Pontchartrain. It's a project boat that we're fixing up, so we make fairly frequent trips to Slidell. Would like to meet up with you sometime when we're there. If you don't mind, contact me off list at hparsons@parsonsys.com
Lake Grapevin, North Texas
As noted below, we have a project boat on Lake Pontchartrain, but or "regular boat" (an O'Day 25) is on Lake Grapevine in North Texas (Dallas/Ft Worth area). We sail the boat frequently, and probably at least 2 weekends a month, my wife and I do a night sail. We both like the cooler temps in the summer, and there's less boat traffic. The lake is deep up to the shore in most areas, so we can pretty much go wherever we don't see lights. One of her favorite boat activities is to go out late at night, set the autopilot to take us to the other end of the lake, and just sit on the bow watching the shore go by. Any activity on the boat that she likes enough to call a "favorite" ranks high on my list too. Gotta keep the better half happy on the boat.
As noted below, we have a project boat on Lake Pontchartrain, but or "regular boat" (an O'Day 25) is on Lake Grapevine in North Texas (Dallas/Ft Worth area). We sail the boat frequently, and probably at least 2 weekends a month, my wife and I do a night sail. We both like the cooler temps in the summer, and there's less boat traffic. The lake is deep up to the shore in most areas, so we can pretty much go wherever we don't see lights. One of her favorite boat activities is to go out late at night, set the autopilot to take us to the other end of the lake, and just sit on the bow watching the shore go by. Any activity on the boat that she likes enough to call a "favorite" ranks high on my list too. Gotta keep the better half happy on the boat.
South Shore of Lake Pontchartrain
We have crab traps as well, but they are usually visible and lined up with each other. Night sails are the best for us. Navigation is easy with all the streetlights to guide you. Not much to worry about hitting and the jet skis are all at home. There's usually enough air for a light boat like ours to slide along and the air is so much cooler. The yacht club at South Shore has wonderful little raft-ups on warm evenings, and most boats are out there until midnight or later. Come to think about it, it was a night sail that hooked me for good.
We have crab traps as well, but they are usually visible and lined up with each other. Night sails are the best for us. Navigation is easy with all the streetlights to guide you. Not much to worry about hitting and the jet skis are all at home. There's usually enough air for a light boat like ours to slide along and the air is so much cooler. The yacht club at South Shore has wonderful little raft-ups on warm evenings, and most boats are out there until midnight or later. Come to think about it, it was a night sail that hooked me for good.
I like to enter strange harbors in the daylight so I plan my departure based on ETA, which often means leaving at night. In Hawaiian waters the trade winds (& waves) really step down a notch at night making night crossing my preferred method for channels. Leaving Haleiwa (north shore Oahu) at sunset and crossing to Kauai under a full moon, catching tuna all the way - it doesn't get any better. One precaution I always take at night is Jack lines, lanyards & harnesses. Everyone on deck is tied in. The harnesses have whistles and strobe lights. Hard to find MOB in daylight I don't want to try it at night (knock on wood) Kurt
Lake Superior I just returned from a 178 mile solo trip around the Keweenaw Peninsula in beautiful Northern Michigan. The best part of the trip was the first eight hours at night. I commented to one of our club members that I was able to see a gorgeous sunset, moon rise, full moon, moon set, and sun rise, all in a 12 mile distance. That's how slow the sailing was. The best investment I think anyone can make who wants to sail at night or gets caught in thick fog, is a chart plotter. On a small boat like mine(Catalina 25 Tall) it's the next best thing to having radar. If you're sailing alone at night, or any time, you also should have an auto pilot. Nothing elaborate is necessary. Just something to tend the tiller so you can leave it for a few minutes or catch some sleep at the tiller if you are alone. With these two devises your set to conquer the night. Al C25T GALLIVANT #5801
Navigate with your depth sounder!!
I am surprised that more captains did not suggest using their depth sounder as an aid to navigation, especially in the dark. Didereaux mentioned his but didn't describe how to use it. Before I got my chart-plotter I used mine a lot while sailing the Atlantic coast by following a favorable fathom line. A couple of years ago we were overtaken by an intense fog bank that came in from sea. I just followed the deeper water of Calibogue Sound, keeping track of my position by following the chart using depth as a reference. I used time lapsed between identifiable changes in depth, plotting new eta's to the next identifiable change, and plotting new courses when needed. A few times I ventured into more shallow water in order to get a beam of light on a channel marker that I knew I was closing. Of course, I recorded the time at each "waypoint." We moved ahead in confidence (mine, at least)at about 4kn all the way home. No problem for me but I must confess that my wife/mate was not in her best mood. However, when we were safe in our slip she admitted that she had increased confidence in my seamanship. Hey, guys new to sailing, do everything to improve your skills: they will not only keep you safe, but will assure that your favorite mate sticks with you over the long haul. Further, electronics are prone to fail: know how to use your charts, time-pieces, and other time-tested aids to navigation. Although she has confidence in my seamanship, the experience that I described above was the compelling reason why my mate bought me a NEW CHART-PLOTTER for my birthday!!
I am surprised that more captains did not suggest using their depth sounder as an aid to navigation, especially in the dark. Didereaux mentioned his but didn't describe how to use it. Before I got my chart-plotter I used mine a lot while sailing the Atlantic coast by following a favorable fathom line. A couple of years ago we were overtaken by an intense fog bank that came in from sea. I just followed the deeper water of Calibogue Sound, keeping track of my position by following the chart using depth as a reference. I used time lapsed between identifiable changes in depth, plotting new eta's to the next identifiable change, and plotting new courses when needed. A few times I ventured into more shallow water in order to get a beam of light on a channel marker that I knew I was closing. Of course, I recorded the time at each "waypoint." We moved ahead in confidence (mine, at least)at about 4kn all the way home. No problem for me but I must confess that my wife/mate was not in her best mood. However, when we were safe in our slip she admitted that she had increased confidence in my seamanship. Hey, guys new to sailing, do everything to improve your skills: they will not only keep you safe, but will assure that your favorite mate sticks with you over the long haul. Further, electronics are prone to fail: know how to use your charts, time-pieces, and other time-tested aids to navigation. Although she has confidence in my seamanship, the experience that I described above was the compelling reason why my mate bought me a NEW CHART-PLOTTER for my birthday!!
Prep is half the deal
Night sailing to me is a challenging love affair... I sail often at night on the Adriatic, mostly to cover areas that I know from prior visits, saving daylight time for new sights. My prep for any night sail goes as follows: 1. plot course on paper chart 2. transfer all pertinent waypoints to GPS 3. switch bulb over nav-table to redlight 4. when I am alone: make several thermos of coffee. 5. when with company establish watches. 6. (admittedly) more thoroughly than during day sail, I religiously mark my position every 30 minutes on the paper chart.
Night sailing to me is a challenging love affair... I sail often at night on the Adriatic, mostly to cover areas that I know from prior visits, saving daylight time for new sights. My prep for any night sail goes as follows: 1. plot course on paper chart 2. transfer all pertinent waypoints to GPS 3. switch bulb over nav-table to redlight 4. when I am alone: make several thermos of coffee. 5. when with company establish watches. 6. (admittedly) more thoroughly than during day sail, I religiously mark my position every 30 minutes on the paper chart.
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