Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

02-20-2004, 07:34 AM

Generally speaking, boating early in the season is safer than "The Season".

One "early" problem is winter-damaged tree parts that float from shore to shore. Another is floating dock parts. Or entire docks! I reported an intact 50-foot dock floating freely a few years ago. It was painted red -- a difficult color to spot at night -- and it floated for weeks.

In rebuilding winter-damaged docks during the spring, both old pieces and some large new pieces "get lost". At night, you'll never see those dock parts.

Boating at night -- at any time -- has its own challenges.

How good is your night vision?

1) A recent Meredith fatality cited a defective stern light as a reason for the accident.

You should be able to see boats with missing stern lights.

2) Navigation lights (so-called "bow lights") are detectable enough to identify a boat at night -- even from astern.

3) Last season, in front of my place, two small boys in two unlighted boats roped together stayed out past dark. You should be able to see just such an eventuality.

4) Those "near misses at night" may be the "other" boater's fault -- or it might be your own.

There's no requirement for a test of a boater's vision -- day or night. A former neighbor,who may have bought his Meredith condo and Baja by now, is "sighted" in just one eye.

5) A "flash" from one of those 1,000,000 cp searchlights can disrupt your night vision for many minutes.

6) There's no standardization of shore/dock lights, so keep at least one wary eye ahead.

Be a wary boater. GPS didn't save "Ouch".

02-20-2004, 07:34 AM	#22
madrasahs Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Boating at night Generally speaking, boating early in the season is safer than "The Season". One "early" problem is winter-damaged tree parts that float from shore to shore. Another is floating dock parts. Or entire docks! I reported an intact 50-foot dock floating freely a few years ago. It was painted red -- a difficult color to spot at night -- and it floated for weeks. In rebuilding winter-damaged docks during the spring, both old pieces and some large new pieces "get lost". At night, you'll never see those dock parts. Boating at night -- at any time -- has its own challenges. How good is your night vision? 1) A recent Meredith fatality cited a defective stern light as a reason for the accident. You should be able to see boats with missing stern lights. 2) Navigation lights (so-called "bow lights") are detectable enough to identify a boat at night -- even from astern. 3) Last season, in front of my place, two small boys in two unlighted boats roped together stayed out past dark. You should be able to see just such an eventuality. 4) Those "near misses at night" may be the "other" boater's fault -- or it might be your own. There's no requirement for a test of a boater's vision -- day or night. A former neighbor,who may have bought his Meredith condo and Baja by now, is "sighted" in just one eye. 5) A "flash" from one of those 1,000,000 cp searchlights can disrupt your night vision for many minutes. 6) There's no standardization of shore/dock lights, so keep at least one wary eye ahead. Be a wary boater. GPS didn't save "Ouch".