| If you've never sailed at night, you're missing one of the | | | | Keeping watch in tight areas and places where other |
| most exquisite experiences offered by the sport of | | | | boat traffic is heavy is best done by someone else |
| sailing. Night time is a magical time on a sailboat, one | | | | while you focus at the helm. |
| with even more solace and peace than you'll | | | | 4. Make sure all navigation lights are working on your |
| experience during the daylight hours. There's nothing | | | | boat. Do a check before leaving port. Discovering that |
| like ghosting and gliding on the water with a full moon | | | | critical lights aren't working is better done at the dock |
| above or easing along a secluded shoreline and | | | | rather than in the middle of heavy boat traffic at night. |
| hearing the howl of coyotes or eerie hoots of an old | | | | 5. Keep white, blinding lights turned off in the cockpit. |
| barn owl. | | | | Be careful to not kill your night vision by seemingly |
| But sailing at night is quite different as you can imagine | | | | simple things like a crew member flicking on a bright |
| than during the day. A lake with its landmarks and | | | | flashlight or lantern. |
| identifying points looks completely different in the dark. | | | | 6. Take it slow. There's no rush. Particularly in heavy |
| Sometimes hazards and boat channels are well lit and | | | | boat traffic areas, easy does it. You'll be surprised how |
| marked and sometimes they are not. Following a few | | | | hard it is to see some boat's navigation lights. |
| simple and common sense rules for your first night sail | | | | 7. Confirm weather before you go out at night. You |
| will ensure your nightly excursion is pleasurable and not | | | | can't see clouds building like you can during daylight |
| stressful and unsafe for you and your crew. | | | | hours. |
| 1. Before you sail by yourself at night, crew with | | | | 8. If you anchor, make sure your anchor light is on and |
| someone who has experience. There's no substitute | | | | you're out of the way of boat traffic. |
| for learning any sailing skill from someone who's done it | | | | You'll bring a whole new dynamic to the sailing |
| before. | | | | experience when you start going out at night but be |
| 2. For your first night sail, scope out your route during | | | | cautious for your first few times. Slow and easy is the |
| daylight hours. Make sure you mark hazard areas on | | | | rule and with time you'll gain confidence and totally |
| your GPS as well the channel to your home port. | | | | enjoy your night time outings. |
| 3. Sail with at least one other crew for your fist time. | | | | |