First things First

[bporter]

In re: the taking a bearing in a bouncing small vessel.

You don''t have to get an exact compass reading to do a safety check. If you can line up two fixed items on your boat(e.g. a shroud and a winch) onto the lights so you have three marks in a row, you can very easily take a "bearing" without digging out the compass. Try to line up the three items again in a couple of minutes (Shroud, winch, light). If you can do it again, think about starting evasive maneuvers.

Somebody jump all over me if I''m wrong here, but this is how I generally check withgout a handbearing compass handy.

[paulk]

Any port in a storm, Bporter. If you don''t have a compass handy, your lining up things at least gives you an idea of your relative bearings -- which is what you need to know. It doesn''t help to know that the guy that hit you was going from port to starboard because you saw a green light, or from starboard to port because you saw a red. If you see the bearing isn''t changing, you know to alter course and avoid the collision, regardless of what color lights you see.

[Pangaea]

What about takeing a bearing and then
trying radio comm? I sail alot at night and find this works well. Most of my encounters are with fishing boats though.

Dennis L.