Newbie needs tips on sailing through night to San Juans

[dabnis]

Jackdale,

So noted, thanks for the corrections, it's been many many years since I took the Power Squadron navigation course. Many more combinations of light configurations than I remember, the more to be confused by?

Dabnis

[erps]

sometimes women blink, sometimes they flash. The difference seems trivial with lights, but not with women.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by dabnis

Jackdale,

So noted, thanks for the corrections, it's been many many years since I took the Power Squadron navigation course. Many more combinations of light configurations than I remember, the more to be confused by?

Dabnis

ColRegs were amended in 2003. Only one new aid to navigation has been added recently - the emergency wreck buoy.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by erps

sometimes women blink, sometimes they flash. The difference seems trivial with lights, but not with women.

[dabnis]

Jackdale,

So noted, thanks for the correction. It's been many, many years since I took the Power Squadron navigation course. Many more light combinations than I remember. All the more to be confused by?

Dabnis

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by dabnis

Dylan,

As Artbyjody mentioned lights at night can be really confusing. Navigational lights blink, except for range lights, lights on shore are steady, as are lights on ships. The first few times for me running at night were frightening. I never really felt completely comfortable doing it. It would be helpfull if you could go out at night with someone that has experience to see what it is like before just "jumping in" with no experience yourself. Running at night can be very dangerous, especially if you haven't run the course in the daytime before hand.

Dabnis

One thing to note about this transit area - it is a COMMERCIAL transit area. If you do not run with active radar, AIS (class A receiver or the newer Class B Transponders), do either have one or the either:

1. Radar reflector (passive is fine - usually that spherical metal thing you see on most, active versions come as like a VHF antenna as a stick).

2. Or cheat - and use an X-Band Radar Detector plugged in. It will not necessarily alert them (though reported it does - but I never count on it) but it will you. Most (not all) commercial ships generate microwave freqs that set off a decent radar detector.

Run as many lights as you can. I usually use my spreader / work light to illuminate my sails while in transit.

Again, can not stress, it doesn't matter if it blinks, steady on or you think it waves to you. Night-time cruising is where you have to be on top of your game because your distance vision is impaired. Your biggest enemy is other recreational boats that have no real radar, or lighted footprint.

Last year off Whidbey at 2 am -we ran across a boat, but it was not until five minutes before she could of crashed the bow we saw anything that indicated it was a boat. Nighttime - I love it myself - but you have to be on your toes because while commercial is assumed large, a majority are small tugs towing your death threat, the others, have less the lighting you do...

Do it with someone and nighttime sailing in this area is not what you would want to single hand to - unless cognizant to the follies that lie ahead.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by artbyjody

One thing to note about this transit area - it is a COMMERCIAL transit area. If you do not run with active radar, AIS (class A receiver or the newer Class B Transponders), do either have one or the either:

Thanks for prompting me to write an addition to this thought. Rosario Strait is a Traffic Separation zone in which small vessels must not impede large vessels. There are other TSZ's in the area as well: Admiralty Inlet, Haro Strait, Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound. Seattle Traffic get really perturbed as do the ocean going vessels common in the area.

Check Colreg's for details and check the charts to ensure you know where the TSZ's are.

You can miss most of this by leaving Whidbey Island to port, and taking the Possession Sound, Saratoga Pasage, Skagit Bay and LaConner route, but I would not do that at night.

Jack

[CharlieCobra]

Nope, too many shallows on the East side of Whidbey plus it's narrow with not much wind. Then you're forced to transit Deception or the ditch to get to the islands.

Jody, I recall the slog to the store for smokes in PT well. Fredia and I found a nice little store about 10 blocks from the marina well back from the water in the residential area. It's within walking distance of Point Hudson.

[erps]

for the sailors who run at night in the Puget Sound area, how do you see the logs and stuff in chop? We made a short run last month at night that started in smooth water and I could pick out the hard stuff pretty well with the naked eye. It got choppy and I switched to using binoculars to scan the water ahead, but it wasn't very effective. I suppose out on the blue water, sailors pretty much rely on a lack of crap in the water. We just don't have that luxury IMO in the Puget Sound.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by dabnis

Dylan,

As Artbyjody mentioned lights at night can be really confusing. Navigational lights blink, except for range lights, lights on shore are steady, as are lights on ships. The first few times for me running at night were frightening. I never really felt completely comfortable doing it. It would be helpfull if you could go out at night with someone that has experience to see what it is like before just "jumping in" with no experience yourself. Running at night can be very dangerous, especially if you haven't run the course in the daytime before hand.

Dabnis

The biggest issue you'll find - is tows with tug boats. You'll see nav lights think you got it and its a tow boat with a 350 yd tow behind. One of the biggest issues I lecture on is towing - and you'll get alot of that in your experience.. You never want to be one that crosses a tow chain / rope...