Feature: Boat Lighting

Be seen at night!

Anyone who likes to cast a line can tell you about the benefits of night boating. But along with the benefits come certain risks and we have to say that in the minds of all the people we speak to, those risks loom large.

The most commonly mentioned fear is a collision with another boat, and it seems to be more common than you'd think.

Quite a number we spoke to had experienced a near miss and many told us that they've given up on night boating because of it. Still, others are comfortable on the water at night and make getting out after dark a regular event. What can we do to feel more like them?

The first step in avoiding collisions is being seen. So having all of the legally required lights fitted to your boat and operating correctly is essential. If that sounds overly obvious, we can only say that most people spoken to who'd experienced near misses said the boats they nearly hit didn't have lights showing.

A friend of mine was out one night, happily motoring along, when all of a sudden some guys floating about in a tinnie switched on a torch and madly started waving him off at the last minute. Only violent manoeuvring saved them. So, not only were these guys dumb enough to be sitting around with no all-round light showing, they left it until the very last minute to manually warn an approaching boat of their presence.

SHEDDING LIGHT
The free government handbook of boating rules will describe the finer points of boat lighting, but the basic requirements for any boat are an all-round white light and a pair of red and green sidelights.

The red light should be fixed to the port, or left side of the boat while the green light is fixed to the starboard side. Of course, many boats come with these already factory fitted, but tinnies and other small boats often don't have them.

Sidelights and all-round lights are extremely cheap. If your boat doesn't have them, fit a set. As the shots show, there are even portable battery powered versions available, so there's no excuse for not having these basic lights showing.

Actually, lots of things needed for safety on the water at night are battery powered, so make sure you have spare, fresh batteries for every piece of equipment you're carrying. That goes for your main battery, too.

Always take a spare so you have full power available at all times, and make sure that your batteries are heavy-duty marine types, capable of surviving the deep charge/discharge cycles common in boating. There are switches available that allow you to change from one battery to another, or to use both simultaneously in parallel for maximum amps.

It's a good idea to have a powerful 12V searchlight with a penetrating beam on board for spotting hazards. In fact, novice boaters often wonder why boats don't have permanent headlights that shine ahead to illuminate obstacles like a car does.

The reason is that on the road everyone is travelling on well defined paths, so headlights only need to shine on the road directly in front of a car. Also, in built-up areas at least, distant parts of roads are illuminated by street lights.

Things are the complete opposite on open water in the dark. Lights only illuminate the direction where they're pointed, and they don't penetrate that far into the darkness. By the time a car-style headlight shining on the water illuminated an obstacle, you'd probably be in danger of hitting it anyway.

It's certainly true that you should slow down at night in the name of safety, but a reasonable speed is still necessary to get where you're going.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
There's another problem with lights that are permanently switched on - they ruin your night vision. Human eyes actually do a pretty good job of seeing in very low light.

The longer we spend in near darkness, the more we can see. Serious sailors know this, which is why ships' bridges have only minimal night lighting. As soon as a bright light is switched on, our night vision is diminished and full night vision doesn't return for some time.

Experienced night operators will tell you that well developed night vision is one of the best assets you can have on the water and the advantage is that it operates in whatever direction you're looking.

No matter how good your night vision gets, you're still stuck with human magnification. You can extend your range considerably with a good set of night binoculars or a scope. Night binoculars feature large objective lenses that gather more light than ordinary types, although a standard set is better than nothing. Also, we've heard of people using night vision equipment for boating. We've never tried it, although it's said to work a treat.

No matter how good your night vision gets, there will be times when lights are needed to look both in and outside the boat.

A good torch is mandatory and it's hard to go past that old stalwart, the Dolphin. It floats and considering you're on the water at night - it's not a difficult choice. Not only are these torches excellent, they're inexpensive, so you can afford to have two on board at all times.

Sometimes non-directional light is more useful. For these occasions, a general lamp is what's needed. There are a number of different types available and you should have one aboard.

Also, fixed general lights in cabins and out on deck are a good idea. Some are permanently wired into the boat's 12V system, while others are battery powered, even though permanently mounted. We've already mentioned the need for spare batteries, but make sure you carry spare globes for everything, too. Also, consider newer LED type lights. They use far less power and almost never blow or fail.

WHO LISTENS TO THE RADIO
Lots of people go boating without a radio. Many on the water around cities feel they'll rely on their mobile phones if things get difficult. But a mobile phone only allows communication with one person at one time. A transceiver radio allows communication with everyone who's listening, so if help is needed, more people hear about it.

Also, weather broadcasts are available on radio. However, it must be said that weather updates are also available from phone-in services. So by all means, take your phone. Foreknowledge of changing conditions from any source can be the key to staying safe and avoiding the need for emergency assistance in the first place.

One popular method of spotting obstacles is to look for silhouettes against shore lights. Obviously this won't work in all circumstances, but it can be a useful technique. Of course looking into a bright array of shore lights can sometimes obscure the very lights you're trying to see. And this doesn't work if a fog sets in. Neither, for that matter, does your night vision.

The answer in these situations, and all of the time in fact, is radar. Although radar is often seen as something for bigger boats, there's no good reason that it should be so. Furuno have a small model 1623 that's under $3000. Now, that's still quite a bit of money, but if you're buying your boat on finance, why not add a comparatively inexpensive unit like this to the finance package. It won't make much difference to your monthly repayments, but it will make all the difference to night boating.

It's handy to know exactly where you are at all times. The 1623 also has a GPS option. Again, in fog, this could be a real lifesaver. Certainly, fog is less of a problem for readers in northern climes, but it can be an issue south. And if things do go wrong, there's nothing like being able to make a call on your radio to give exact co-ordinates to those trying to help you.

In addition to radar, GPS and the right radio can all be part of your overall finance package. Also, if you're going to go more than a couple of miles offshore, you should have an emergency position indicating radio beacon or EPIRB.

When you get out at night it's best to remain in areas that you've investigated fairly thoroughly during daylight hours. You should always be as aware as you can of the weather, but this is particularly important at night. If you can't see any visual indicators of your position, it's essential to have a compass to make sure of heading in the right general direction.

As another important safety measure, try not to go alone. Another person scanning around the boat while you're concentrating on moving ahead is a definite bonus. A second person could also be watching the radar.

Many of the subjects we've touched on here deserve more coverage than space has allowed. In coming issues we'll cover each of them in greater detail. Thanks to JV Marine and BCF for help with this article.

LIGHT THE WAY
New compact, reliable, power-saving LED navigation lamps can be seen for miles

Much is demanded of navigation lights. For safety, they must be visible from specific distances, have accurate light output and be highly reliable.

With valuable power savings and an attractive appearance, Hella Marine said its new compact marine LED NaviLED navigation lights shine brightly in adverse conditions.

Hella Marine said the high-efficiency lights should be popular with both sail and power boaters, and will he released at the 2008 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (from May 22 to 25).

The manufacturer said the lamps are easily seen from two nautical miles away, and offer all the energy-saving and dependability benefits of Hella Marine LED technology.

NaviLED lamps draw less than 2W each, 10 per cent of the power of a comparable incandescent bulb, said Hella Marine, and with no filaments to break, proven design and solid construction, the company said its LED products are highly shock and vibration resistant for reliability and safety in extreme conditions.

They are a complete "fit and forget" electronic device, fully sealed to protect against the harmful effects of saltwater corrosion, said Hella Marine, plus the new lamps are also UV resistant.

Hella Marine said its Multivolt circuitry ensures consistent illumination from 8 to 28V-DC, even under low battery voltages and high charging loads.

The lamp is reverse polarity and spike protected for reliable operation and an ultra-long service life, said Hella Marine, and quality marine cable is pre-wired with each lamp, providing time-saving, waterproof installations.

The manufacturer said the NaviLED lamp's advanced lens and optic designs ensure highly accurate cut-offs and clear visibility.

Intended for sail and powerboats, the innovative lamps even take into account vertical visibility when a sailboat is heeling, said Hella Marine.

Available as single port, starboard, stern and towing lights, or twin port and starboard packs, the lamps measure 71x53x33mm and weigh less than 50g. Model choices include a clear or coloured lens and black or white shroud.

For further information, phone Hella on (03) 9581 9299, email: custservice@ha.hella.com or visit www.hella.com.au