You know, I have this romantic notion of sailing with my wife as the sun sets, then hanging around on the cat as it gets dark, sailing or lounging as the mood strikes us.



Is that a safe thing to do on a fresh water lake? I don't see other sailboats on the lake after dark.



Jonathan

That depends on the mood of your wife.



If your boat is less that 7 meters then you only need a flash light to illuminate the sail for other boats to see.



however hitting a stump at high speed in the dark is always dangerous.

I do a lot of camping with my cat.We night sail all the time.There is a three sevens rule for lighting with a flashlight only.Seven meters, seven knots and I can't remember the last one.The way the lighting works is you sail dark and keep your eyes open for other boats.when you see one near you, shine your light at them to get their attention then shine it on your sails until they have past.I sail with my jib rolled up to help increase my forward visibilty.Theres nothing like a star filled night sail!

I just solved my night light need a couple of weeks ago. In case I'm caught in the dark (most likely) in the Round The Island Race in Ft. Walton I have recently spent way too much time deciding on a compact but very bright and portable light for illuminating the sail and piercing the night with a beam of light suitable for reaching a near shore or channel marker. My answer is the "Super SabreLite-Submersible" flashlight by Pelican Products. (I'm not affiliated with the company or any supplier.) Submersible to 500 ft., xenon beam, made from some kind of indestructible plastic. Runs on three "C" batts. I don't know the candlepower but this light will blind squirrels at an incredible distance. It's pricey at about $35 but it's well worth it. I don't usually gush about marine products but for a beachcat sailor this solved my problem.



There is one guarantee caveat that made us laugh: "The above gurantee does not cover sharkbite, bear attack or children under 5". Those two legged little ankle biters must be killers.

The third seven is "Seven Beers"

I believe the P-16 has a curled lip where the hull joins the deck. This allows you to head down to West Marine, K-Mart etc and get battery powered clamp on lights which you can attach to the bows and sterns. A high power flashlight should also be carried. Imagine a drunk in a bass boat at 50 mph......spend the $50 and get good lights. You will night sail more often (which is fantastic) if you are not worried about getting run over.

I'm thinking about running lights vs. flashlight vs. both.



Running lights have two disadvantages: (1) they don't advertise that I'm a sailboat, and hence deserve right of way, (2) I assume that they ruin the starlight by creating light pollution, but I don't know how much they affect the light as seen from the boat.



The flashlight could be used when I hear another boat, and by shining on the sail, I clearly state that I'm a sailboat.



Of course, using both is a great idea if I don't mind the light pollution.



Have I got that about right?



Jonathan

If you are going to go night sailing on a regular basis, you should get running lights as well as doing the flashlight-on-the-sails thing. Like the other poster said about the drunk powerboater going 50 mph at night. Other sailboaters might recognize the reflection of a light on a sail, but most powerboaters are going to be looking for running lights and are just going to think they are hallucinating if they see some hazy white image. 50 mph sounds conservative compared to some of the speeds at which I see powerboats going across our sound late at night. Running lights are designed to not affect your night vision. So be safe and be prepared to light yourself up like a birthday cake, if you hear a powerboat coming. Night sailing is a wonderful experience.

Jonathon,



Check your state regulations, because some states require lights for all craft running at night. I have gotten tickets before having a great time on a full moon lit night.



Night sailing is usually a lot better than in the day, because the wind stedies out, and there is little power boat traffic wake to deal with. Go to the local craft store, Oriental Trading Co, etc and by a box of red and one of green Calumet light sticks. (The snap and glow sticks) There only a couple of cents each, and last about 5-6 hours. Just use a small piece of duct tape on the bridal and your off. Unless its realy bright out, I would also use the flash light up the sail, just to keep the drunks from running over you when your in a compromising position with your spousal equivalent.



Enjoy



Matt

the last full moon i sailed at night. i left sullivan's island and went across the charleston harbor about 10 pm. i went to the aquarium and back. about an hour sail. earlier that day i bought a red and green bow light, strapped it on the bridal and a white stern light which i hose clamped to the boom. both battery powered. there was about a 12 knot breeze and steady. it was kinda scary. you really have to pay attention were you are. and channel markers are almost invisible expect for the little dinky red or green on top. it reminded me of mtn. biking at night- kind of sur-real or like being in a van gogh painting. (no i wasnt on something) i saw other recreaqtional boats out there. i did pass near by a large barge coming in the harbor. it definitly got my attention when it turned on its search light. but i saw it well before that and was well out of its way. shoot, if i was on a lake, i would just carry a flash light. i think i will just sail at night only about once or twice a year. all my friends thought i was crazy to go out there at night. i sorta believe them.

not only is sailing at night a blast! but it makes you hone your sailing skills when you can no longer see the wind indicator or the tell tales on the sails, you have to sail by feel. It was during the night portion of our 22.5 hour endever at RTI that I "finally got it". I've been much faster ever since.

Are the Calumet light sticks legal as running lights? How bright are they compared to normal running lights?



Jonathan

We have often run night races on lakes when there are few fishermen out, just us catsailors in the lovely full moon. This is great fun, especially getting to weather marks almost by feel- how to not overstand or understand at night when depth perception is hard. Close crossings with other boats means judgement is honed carefully to be close but not too close! I got some broken and discarded strobe lights from highway hazard markers and repaired them to float on our homemade marks.



However Florida DNR "Enforcer" Jesse Crews busted me many years ago for sailing a Hobie16 after dark: I had to go to dang court to get it thrown out. This guy waited 3 HOURS for me to come back in to the ramp! Sometimes they don't know, or Ol' Jesse was breathing hard for 3 hours- "Oh Boy, I'm Gonna really Bust this one!"

If you're going for lights you can get a battery operated port/starboard light for the bow (just mount it on one of the bows) and to show you're a sailboat you will need a battery powered masthead light and a white stern light. I would still carry a searchlight/flashlight like I mentioned in my earlier post to shine on the sail. You can't assume every yahoo in the dark will know that a white masthead light indicates a sailboat. Night sailing is also a good excuse for buying a small air horn and three flares.

There is one more thing to consider.Where you sail.I'm in a area that is about as safe as you could have for night sailing.If I were in a heavy traffic area I would add red,greenand white.I avoid the intercoastal waterway because I have seen many boats with no lights flying by.If you want to make sure you will be seen at night,in addition to the flashlight,home depot had a rechargeable spotlight for 20 bucks.It will fit into a large zip lock bag and works fine shining through the bag.

At the other end,I have a friend with a hobie 21se.He has installed two large gel cells(one in each hull)He has running lights,lights for his sails and 160 in. of purple neon mounted under his tramp.He also has 4 bose speakers,2 on the bridles,2 on the spreaders and 200 watts of stereo with a six cd changer.He wears the remote around his neck.Its quite a experience at night with the neon shining up through the mesh tramp and pink floyd's dark side of the moon playing.



Have fun

Mike

W.O.W.! Where is this H21 located!?

We sail off dunedin causeway dunedin fla.Tampa Bay area.

I'll try to get some picts. to post.Give me a couple of weeks.

Mike

THAT, is totally rad!
I have thought about sailing in The Bay after dark, but I think that would proove suicidal. Probably end up getting swept out the Golden Gate and eaten by sharks.........
You Florida people have all the fun

Its tuff....But somebody has to do it !!!!! Did I mention the water temp. is 86' last time I checked?