Boating while blind

[QC]

Over this last weekend I had to shuttle some people to/from an Island and the shore on Lake Havasu at night. I have boated often at night, but don't recall ever having a darker sky. No moon at the time I was motoring. Two nights in a row. Towards shore I had city lights as a reference, but the return to the Island was almost completely devoid of a horizon reference and my spot did not hit any land references either for most of the 4 mile trip.<br /><br />I have a GPS and I also had a course setup that was literally straight from a waypoint just off the Island and a waypoint I marked in the main harbor/bay. Also, during the daylight hours I ran the route a number of times to lay down tracks on my screen that I knew in daylight were clear of any unmovable obstacles.<br /><br />Sooooo, although I was scared, I was also very confident that I was not gonna run into anything other than a boat without lights or floating debris. Basically I kept my eyes on the screen and stayed between my earlier set track lines and on my course, and looked up periodically to quickly scan for anything very close that I might get a glimpse of.<br /><br />I think if I had to do it again, I would have a passenger scan constantly with my spot and I'd keep my head on the screen the whole time. Any thoughts? Anybody else had to operate on almost completely IFR without Radar? Nuts? Reasonable?

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Boating while blind

I've never been out on a totally black night, but we do often get a thick offshore fog. So thick that you can only see a boatlength or so. Yes, you need a crewman watching out while the pilot concentrates on the compass and GPS. Naturally, you need to keep your speed down.<br />It's times like that which make you aware of the necessity of having two viable means of navigating. The GPS is a wonderful and reliable thing, but you really need to have a compass course as backup. Dead reckoning may be inaccurate, but it's almost always available.<br />So far, the only thing we've ever almost collided with was a bell bouy - naturally one of our GPS waypoints. Obviously we have no radar, and the bell's hammers had gotten stuck!

 

[tommays]

Re: Boating while blind

we do it every summer at lake george when were camping and go to town its about a 6 mile trip in black out<br /><br />my BIL and myself just stand up and both look out and keep the speed at about 8 mph there are to many rocks and other stuff to take a chance<br /><br /><br />i have sailed from Block Island to NYC never seeing the bow of a 34 ft sailboat "70 miles at 5 knots" now that was nerve racking <br /><br />tommays

 

[QC]

Re: Boating while blind

I ran about 15 MPH, but again there are no obstacles unless I went totally off course. I agree on the compass comment, Paul. My biggest concern was a GPS malfunction . . .

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boating while blind

Ayuh,........ I Usually go Boating while Blind,... Atleast once a Year..........<br /><br />I'm running an old Lorance GPS/ fishfinder combo....<br />Back when I 1st got it,... We were running back in from a Sucessful Salmon trip,... Typical of a Black Cloudy night,.... <br />The Mainland is pretty well lit that time of year,.. But the Islands are Always Black.......<br />Well,..... I didn't Zoom in At All with the screen,+ actually Overshot the mouth of the bay,+ was Behind a Point,.... <br />Luckily,... I realized my mistake,+ Acted like I Planned It That Way....... <br /><br />Now I Zoom in to where the shore is Just Into the screen.......I get a Much Better feel for exactly Where I'm at that way....<br /><br />And,.. As Stated,... A Boat doesn't belong on the water,... Without a Compass........<br />Even when you KNOW it's pointed the Wrong Way,...... Follow It,+ You'll be OK.........

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Boating while blind

Doesn't everyone carry a large hand-held multi-million candlepower spotlight for just such an occasion? I do. Frankly, I thought is was required equipment per Coast Guard for any boat that's out after sunset, but I could be wrong on that. If it's not required, it's a $20 to $40 insurance policy that would totally solve problems such as floating debris, other boat, and WHOOPS where did THAT island come from?! <br /><br />GPS is wonderful, but no good boater will EVER rely on a single source of navigation. Everything can fail. As has already been mentioned, an old fashioned compass....and the knowledge of how to use it properly to navigate...is a mandatory backup no matter how great your GPS works.<br /><br />I'll never forget the day I was hammering along in rough waters, got nearly airborne on a rogue wave and crashed down hard. Whatever happened, my GPS cleared/rebooted and basically had to be restarted. I had lost my entire track. I knew exactly where I was and didn't need it that day, but it really opened my eyes...

 

[Pogo123]

Re: Boating while blind

Well done, QC ... and your concern over the possibilty of a GPS (or any electronic nav equipment) failure/error is very valid.<br /><br />As a life time professional aviator and mariner, the basis for all navigation is still a DR (dead reckoning) course line modified by wind and current effects. Properly done, all your expensive electronics do is verify what you already know from having laid out your DR course.<br /><br />Electronics can be very useful, but they DO fail and are subject to induced error ... just at the trime when you need them most, generally.<br /><br />In Zero/Zero conditions, (which we'd all rather avoid whenever paossible) your idea of a constant lookout is also valid and very valuable. <br /><br />It only takes one small error on the part of your electronic nav or yourself to totally ruin an otherwise great day.

 

[QC]

Re: Boating while blind

craze1, I have and use a mega million spot, but again, I couldn't get any shore references as I was crossing a fairly wide bay. Also, I usually refrain from using them except in short bursts as they cause temporary night blindness (which was the problem in the first place). Upon reflection, since I couldn't see anyway, I thought of having a crewman use the spot while I stared at the GPS. Next time I guess . . .

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Boating while blind

QC, I completely missed your reference to you attempting to using the spot in your original post...totally my oversight.<br /><br />But yes, my main reason for mentioning the spot was not necessarily to look for shore, but to hand it to a passenger and ask them to constantly scan the water ahead and yell out for any obsticals while you navigate home via staring at your GPS. God forbid you come across that what-are-the-odds huge floating log or dead boat in the water....you might not have made it back at all...

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Boating while blind

spotlight is important, but as qc pointed out, it won't help you identify anything if you're a mile or 2 from shore. it is really only helpful when picking up something near you.<br /><br />gps plotter is the key while boating at night. it's just too easy to lose track of where you are or which way you're facing or heading.<br /><br />radar is your 2nd most important tool, if you have it.<br /><br />and probably the most important rule while boating at night- slow down and eliminate distractions.

 

[Kopasetic]

Re: Boating while blind

15 mph is way too fast for those conditions, at 15 mph you are travelling 22 ft/second, if your lookout does see something by the time they yell to you, you have probably hit the object. First rule in thase conditions SLOW DOWN.

 

[Silver/Fish]

Re: Boating while blind

Years ago we did alot of duck hunting...Can you say 3-4 a.m. Far from any city lights, before gps,fog-filled mornings. Slow speed, a good spot light, and alot of practice.A Great time!

 

[QC]

Re: Boating while blind

With the exception of Kopasetic, I believe most comments have confirmed my thoughts and procedures with the understanding that next time I will have the spot on full time.<br /><br />Kopasetic,<br /><br />Please understand that I have no windshield, and no forward obstructions on the boat. I did have an observer and although 15 MPH sounds fast, I cruise at 40 MPH in daylight, so from a relative perspective I have really slowed down . . . Yes, I could go even slower and maybe should have.<br /><br />Submerged obstruction not withstanding (problem in daylight too), we could see directly in front of the boat. That's why I refrained from using the spot . . .<br /><br />And finally, just to make Bondo feel better. Prior to getting my first handheld GPS, I was on Lake Mead, heading back to the marina at night (take a look at my Avatar, lower left, that basin is 10 miles across). We had launched there earlier in the day, and I got all of the way back to the ramp and I couldn't see my truck anywhere, which should have been visible from the boat. Looked around a little more and finally realized I had piloted her into the wrong marina . . . I was about 6 miles off. Couldn't pretend I did it on purpose as 3 other guys were helping me look for my truck . . . Younger and dumber . . .

 

[Silver/Fish]

Re: Boating while blind

Often on those early mornings we would actually turn the spot light on (and off) It may sound strange to some, however there are times when you can see better without the spot light on. To pick out the shore-line and other "shadows" in the water.....

 

[Kopasetic]

Re: Boating while blind

QC, I guess it's better to err on the side of caution and arrive a little later. I have been in inky dark and fog conditions, easy to get turned around, I have also lost use of GPS in middle of trip. With limited visibility my first rule is "dead slow" can't believe others here don't support that. Good luck boating, hope we don't "run into" each other soon.<br />Regards

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Boating while blind

Last year, due to a medical emergency, I had to navigate in similar conditions - soley on GPS (luckily I had plotted the course, not on purpose, just playing around with the new toy). I had the spot on full time, but my lake has MANY dead trees around the shoreline and the spot was invaluable.