What do you use for headlights

[Chinewalker]

Re: What do you use for headlights

He means he leaves work on a Friday night, drives 4-5 hours by car to his boat, then drives 5 miles to his cabin by boat...
- Scott

 

[Windykid]

Re: What do you use for headlights

I always used reflections of light from the moon or shore lights. A flash light for objects in the water. But before GPS, I would not navigate in total darkness unless I knew the waters and even then it was slow ahead. Better safe than sorry!

 

[bowman316]

Re: What do you use for headlights

having a well marked channel, with lighted boys helps a lot!
knowing which boy lights every 4 seconds, and which one blinks every 2.5 seconds, and so on.
A lot of these rivers on the bay are hardly marked at all though.
it is annoying, because you can be hundreds of feet from shore, going around a bend, and be in 6 inches of water.

 

[QC]

Re: What do you use for headlights

On lakes, I use GPS to make sure I am in deep water throughout my route. When on the river I use a combo of GPS in wider areas, guts, local knowledge and I shoot the shoreline with quick bursts of the handheld spot. No Channel markers on the Colorado River sections . . . I also have someone positioned to stare immediately in front of the boat for floating debris. And no matter what, nobody else gets the spot regardless of how much they beg for it

I have good routes set into my GPS, but I prefer to use the track back "bread crumbs" at night. You know the lines of where you have travelled that day/week . . . When I suspect I will be night boating I travel those routes in daytime with the express intent of laying down an upriver line and a downriver line that I know will be safe (read deep and far from obstacles). Then I keep the boat in between those lines at night. I have also found that sometimes I prefer the view that shows the lake as if I am looking out a window as opposed to the map view. When I have that horizontal look I can get a better feel for the upcoming turns as opposed to looking at the map. Also, when on the water now I use "track up" view for the map pages. This way I never get confused looking at a north up map. I am always looking at the map in the direction of travel. Somewhat chick-like, but it works for me . . .

(All sexist comments are solely in the interest of authenticity and humor mixed together in ratios that I feel are appropriate for the audience. Any similarities to real persons, or spouses, are specifically on porpoise.)

Those of you that run with "docking" lights on, need to contemplate the name of those lights a little longer . . .

Last little comment. Anybody else experienced vertigo on a pitch black night where you can't even make out the shoreline/horizon? Happened very briefly to me one time, and I DID NOT LIKE IT

 

[External Combustion]

Re: What do you use for headlights

Boating at night without auxiliary light can be a safe enjoyable experience if you have normal vision and practice. Each night that you are still above ground is a good night to practice night navigation.

"Slow" speed, that is under ten knots, is a must. At that speed you are covering over 16 feet every second. It is almost impossible to adequately examine the water for obstructions faster than that.

I am an inland boater so there are stump fields, sawyers, rock outcrops, shoals floating debris, drunk boating operators (sometimes in their boats ) even an occasional animal to run into. None except the occasional rock outcrop are on any chart. GPS is useless for these, yet they can sink you just the same. Slow speed will allow you to spot them in enough time to take the appropriate action.

Learn to point your eyes 10 to 12 degrees away from the spot that you want to see at night. The blind spot in your eyes will prevent you from seeing anything you look directly at at night. Keep your eyes moving and pay attention to things caught in your peripheral vision. To practice this just turn out the lights in your house and walk around trying to find a book or other article.

Smoking and alcohol consumption is very detrimental to night vision. Avoid them if you are going to navigate at night. Douse all lights including instrument lights except the oil pressure and temperature lights and radar. They should have the minimum amount of red glow to read them by. This is where analog dial pointers are far superior. Your visual attention should only be occupied by what is in front of you. Let your ears tell you about the engine speed and other conditions.

You can learn to tell where there are obstructions under the water by watching the wave patterns on the surface. Note their action during the daylight as you are learning.

As we get older it is harder to see at night, but training yourself will work well and you won't need a light in good weather.

Learn the feel of your boat on the water. As you approach shallow water the engine will slow as the hull friction goes up, the helm will get more sluggish and your bow will drift slightly towards deeper water. The old time tow boat operators claimed this phenomenon was caused by a boat trying to save itself from a poor pilot.

And yes, I do use a sextant, a lead line and a chip log in addition to my electronics!

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: What do you use for headlights

There have been several good posts on this topic already. In my home waters (Galveston/West Bay area), it's very shallow in many areas. Sometimes it's tricky enough just during the day, but I really enjoy venturing out at night on family fishing expeditions - even to areas I've not been in before.

I've found that night time navagation is easier and works best with at least two people - one [very trustworthy] person with their face stuck in the GPS and depth sounder, and the other at the helm with their eyes on the water. Slow speed, keep your eyes moving, and use a light only when you really need it.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: What do you use for headlights

I rarely go out at night, and most night time boating is at the end of a good evening fishing.

Even then, slow back, using only the night sky to guide me. I'm on a small lake but I'm not eager to find a group of teenagers or a lonely kayaker with a thud.

It hard to see but I find it best to let my eyes adjust and travel at a speed according to how well and far forward I can see.

 

[arks]

Re: What do you use for headlights

Learn to point your eyes 10 to 12 degrees away from the spot that you want to see at night. The blind spot in your eyes will prevent you from seeing anything you look directly at at night. Keep your eyes moving and pay attention to things caught in your peripheral vision.

That's a VERY good tip, and something I've done in the past. It really works. Thanks for bringing it up EC!

 

[Benny1963]

Re: What do you use for headlights

bomamar in louisiana on the rivers and canals that we fish and hunt gps is usless depthfinder usless without light you dont go ,to many stumps sandbars and alligators ,so were you run at night depends on what you use

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: What do you use for headlights

Red back lit dimable gauges also help to keep the pupils dilated allowing a maximum of ambient light in.