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31-07-2012, 18:58
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Ft Pierce, FL
Boat: 2007 Silverton 39MY
Posts: 8
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Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
I have never done an overnight trip when I cannot see what is ahead of me. Last weekend I left Miami at 2am for a trip north offshore and really enjoyed it.
Here is my question for the seasoned boaters out there: What is your opinion on night time travel?
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31-07-2012, 19:01
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,608
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
It's sort of necessary if you want to get any distance offshore. For us to get to any sort of nice cruising grounds is 6-7 days 24 hours a day.
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31-07-2012, 19:06
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wherever the boat is!
Boat: Marine Trader 34DC
Posts: 4,619
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Nothing more inspiring than a good breeze running offshore under a full moon. There's just no other experience like it. Chuck
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31-07-2012, 19:07
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hayes, VA
Boat: Gozzard 36
Posts: 8,700
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Quote:
What is your opinion on night time travel?
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At least most of the loony power boats are off the water. You are still obligated by the same rules of the road as well as the "don't hit anything rule". Commercial boats will be moving faster than you are so you need to stay defensive in planning your route.
It always helps to plan arrivals in the day light. Clearing customs and immigration in other countries is usally a day light thing. Arriving when you mean to may not always be possible but if you can it helps. Setting the departure time so the arrival time makes sense is just a good idea if the passage is short. Larger ports at night can be very confusing so some planning is needed too.
__________________
Paul Blais
s/v Bright Eyes Gozzard 36
37 15.7 N 76 28.9 W
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31-07-2012, 19:08
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#5
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: floating around ... hopefully in aqua clear swimming pool water!
Boat: 1985 Passport 37
Posts: 172
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
... and the stars can be even more spectacular without the full moon! I love a good meteor shower on overnight passages!
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31-07-2012, 19:10
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Boat: Prior boats: Transpac 49; DeFever 54
Posts: 2,874
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Night sailing is my personal favorite and if you head offshore is something you must enjoy or you will have many a nervous night. Traveling at night under power is not my idea of fun. When you hit something you can't see under power, you probably are going to do some damage. Also, fouling props is a popular pastime for traveling under power after dark. You would be amazed at the floating junk out there that is easy to avoid during the day.
!2-4am was always my favorite watch and when working commercially when I was a kid, that was the watch I usually drew so got used to it if we were travelling somewhere or towing something.
Sailing at night is almost magical... another plus is you can't see the hugh seas that would scare the hell out of you during the day. Just my opinion... Capt Phil
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31-07-2012, 19:16
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,104
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
I've had good experiences at night. Like sailing around the north tip of Hawaii and hearing the dolphins breathing along side the boat as we sailed along.
Then I've had some not so good experiences like running into a fog bank in the wee hours. I've never seen darkness like that! It's unerving until you get use to it. Radar definitively helped that night.
But, on a clear night the stars are fantastic even far off thunderstorms are fascinating to watch as long as the stay far off.
__________________
Capt. Mike
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31-07-2012, 19:31
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#8
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: gettin naughty on the beach in cornwall
Boat: 63 custom alloy sloop,macwester26,prout snowgoose 37 elite catamaran!
Posts: 10,591
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
dangerous stuff sailing at night,ive heard reports of cruisers dropping all sails and going to bed............
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31-07-2012, 19:57
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern British Columbia, part of the time in Prince Rupert and part of the time on Moresby Island.
Boat: 50-ft steel Ketch
Posts: 1,884
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Sometimes an early start is necessary depending on physical circumstances. Where I am, high tide is around 0100 and it is advisable to start then when under sail during slack water and let the ebb flow help you along to the open sea as the tide goes out. If you start at dawn, you have have low tide and have to worry about flood flow as the tide comes in. If winds are light, one might easily have to motor out rather than sail. Coming into port one may want to come in with the tide instead.
__________________
'Tis evening on the moorland free,The starlit wave is still: Home is the sailor from the sea, The hunter from the hill.
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31-07-2012, 21:28
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,380
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Some of my favorite hours to be on watch. If the weathers good and the sky is clear you can get the stars, moon rise or set, and sun rise all in one watch....then have a cup of coffee, some breakfast, and crawl into your bunk.
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31-07-2012, 21:53
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Boat: J/40
Posts: 40
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
A good autopilot and the right seasickness medicine (Stugeron) or calm seas, and I am good to go. Put a headlamp on and put your watch on the headlamp with the alarm going off in your ear every 8 minutes. Take a healthy look around and another nap. Radar and AIS makes things a little more comforting as well.
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01-08-2012, 07:37
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,143
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Agree- you sometimes need to leave early to reach your destination during the daylight. It's safer & easier (you can plan it out during day) to leave an anchorage in the dark than to enter a new place in dark. We also travel 24 hrs a day so for us it's part of going places.
Sailing on a moonless night and seeing the phosphorescent trails as dolphin swim alongside the boat is amazing. It is so very peaceful as well.
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01-08-2012, 07:43
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#13
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
night time sailing is awesomest. i love it. stars, moon, silence--is wonderful! flying fish on deck......watching porpoises swimming in the waves as they pass your hull under full moon--awesome
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01-08-2012, 08:01
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Abaco, Bahamas/ Western NC
Boat: Nothing large at the moment
Posts: 1,036
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
For those who have been there, just think of all the things you see between 4am and sunrise!!!
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01-08-2012, 08:04
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,608
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Re: Question: 12am -6am Sailing/Cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tingum
For those who have been there, just think of all the things you see between 4am and sunrise!!!
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Yeah, who needs mind altering substances
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