Sailing at night

[racing8989]

I would like to know if I am ALONE sailing around the world what I would do at night to be sailing even witholut feeling scare? I am new into this matter, and I am very unconfident wht I will do alone at night while my sailboat keep sailing? Thakns

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Sleep in 20 minute intervals, get up, look around, go back to sleep. You'll end up doing that day or night. But ask MarkJ who just crossed the Atlantic alone. As for being scared, when you stop being scared, you stop being careful so always stay a little scared.

[Unicorn Dreams]

SLEEP.
With certain guidelines,
If running radar, turn on the proximity alarms
Do NOT sleep approaching land, heave to if necessary
Have a timer to wake you every so often, longer the range of your radar, the better your sleep
You will get more suggestions, this just to get started

[zeehag]

do not sleep in shipping lanes..they are marked on charts... watch horizon.
fix stuff.. there is always something to do in darkness--- watching stars and moon and fishies and seas--and possibly other ships ..... keep watch and doze at intervals..

[MarkJ]

Hi,

Someone advised me that sailing at night is exactly the same as daytime. And it is!
So treat it as the same. Sure there is differences in vision, but thats all.

I do not use a torch.

I let my eyes do their work at night and my hands and feet know where everything is. Your body can only learn that if it must. So leave the torch below and learn your boat.

Cook well on your boat and don't be afraid of having a big fry up at 2am. Remember night is the same as day

Love your boat and respect yourself that you can solve problems at night. You can. Its only the thought thats scary


Mark

[racing8989]

Hi Hanh and Others thnks for the advise. Look like alone is going to be very dificult. Thnaks anyway. Hannah where are you form?

[GorillaToast]

Before you head off onto a voyage, why not make a few short nighttime excursions ( 2-3 hrs)that don't take you out into the open ocean. That might help you get used to sailing your boat in the dark.

If being afraid of being alone in the dark is the problem, try camping out somewhere you know is safe, but is remote enough to make you feel alone. Stay within short distance of your car to make a fast getaway if the heebie jeebies get too bad.

[zeehag]

being alone on land is a bit different than being alone at sea--- being alone at sea is awesome...can be wet and wild or calm and windless....but is always beautiful!!!

[Sam Plan B]

I attended a Carib 1500 seminar last year. One of the speakers recommended a radar signal detector. It is called a CARD and their website is:
Safety@Sea (NZ) CARD The device is rail mounted an picks up a nearby ship's radar transmission at about 5 miles. It gives of a warning beep. Power requirements are very small. The cost is about $1500. It's on my to-do list.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

I attended a Carib 1500 seminar last year. One of the speakers recommended a radar signal detector. It is called a CARD and their website is:
Safety@Sea (NZ) CARD The device is rail mounted an picks up a nearby ship's radar transmission at about 5 miles. It gives of a warning beep. Power requirements are very small. The cost is about $1500. It's on my to-do list.

ONly works if the ship (or fishing boat or other yacht) actually has their radar switched on... and believe me, they frequently do not. IMO this is a waste of money, or at the least gives one a very false sense of security.

Cheers,

Jim

[Sam Plan B]

Steve Black, founder of the Carib 1500, thought it was a useful piece of electronics. He has made many single handed Atlantic crossings and I trust his judgement.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

I attended a Carib 1500 seminar last year. One of the speakers recommended a radar signal detector. It is called a CARD and their website is:
Safety@Sea (NZ) CARD The device is rail mounted an picks up a nearby ship's radar transmission at about 5 miles. It gives of a warning beep. Power requirements are very small. The cost is about $1500. It's on my to-do list.

AIS receiver/transponder would be better, more effective and a lot cheaper. CARD was probably fine in 1998 when plotters were not some common and AIS was non-existant but now there seems little point.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Steve Black, founder of the Carib 1500, thought it was a useful piece of electronics. He has made many single handed Atlantic crossings and I trust his judgement.

I love Steve and count him as a friend but judgment isn't high on his list of attributes.

[MarkJ]

Yes, gotta say, radar is often not used on fishing boats working or yachts at all, and ships I don't know. But AIS is used on all, takes very little power (for a yacht) doesn't ever need to be turned off (for a fishing boat) and is always on in a ship.

The only people without AIS now are yachts like me (I'm too poor) or pirate skiffs. and it doesn't matter if you run them down

[sailorF54]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Steve Black, founder of the Carib 1500, thought it was a useful piece of electronics. He has made many single handed Atlantic crossings and I trust his judgement.

If you feel you must have one, take a proven but much cheaper design
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