Although at sunset most cruising sailors prefer to be anchored in a quiet lagoon for the evening, night sailing is beautiful and safe. To gain confidence and increase your safety, developing night vision skills is necessary. Some sailors considered night sailing to be too dangerous. "After all, no one can see in the dark, unless they are a cat." Wrong! By following safe boat operating procedures and learning to use night vision, dangers will be significantly reduced while the hours of enjoyable sailing will be extended.

Safe boating practices and the law require that in times of reduced visibility you must reduce your speed so you can stop your vessel in one half the distance that you can see. Therefore, when two boats are meeting head on, each would be able to stop in time to avoid collision.

The law also requires proper navigation lights to be shown by all vessels from sunset to sunrise (and during conditions of reduced visibility). When you have learned to recognize the colors and placement of the lights on other vessels, you will be able to tell their size and direction of travel. Lights will indicate the type, size and activity of a vessel. They will tell if the vessel that you see is under sail or power. All of this information is available without actually seeing the vessel.

During night sailing, have your passengers and crew assist as watch keepers. Additional eyes, ears, noses, and each person's intuition will provide the skipper with the information he or she needs. "I can't see at night, " is the response of most passengers and crew who are suddenly pressed into lookout duties. Most people can see much better in the darkness then they expect if they are trained to use night vision.

Training your self to use night vision is easy and fun. Practice on a dark night by exiting a brightly illuminated cabin or building and venturing out into the darkness to observe the night sky. At first all you will see is blackness because at night objects which are colorful in daylight will appear in shades of gray or black. After giving your eyes time to adjust to the darkness you will begin to see some of the brightest stars. After 30 to 60 minutes you will have your night vision and will find that the sky is filled with thousands of star, planets, and satellites.

When you are boating at night, it is necessary to turn off all lights (except those required for navigation). Instruments and navigation charts should be illuminated only by a dim red light. Be aware that red lines on a printed chart will disappear under a red light. Use flashlights only when it is absolutely necessary. Close one of your eyes before the light is on so you will retain your night vision in at least one eye.

When you are trying to spot other boats, unlighted navigation buoys, or floating objects, scan the water from right to left and back. Occasionally scan from top to bottom and back up. Keep your eyes stationary while moving your head. Peripheral vision will pick up objects as something stationary. Don't expect to see objects in the center of your field of vision. Your peripheral vision will tell you that something is out there. Go with your intuition, it is probably correct.

In addition to peripheral vision, use your ears to detect sounds of breaking waves, the squawking of sea gulls sitting on a protruding rock, or the sound of an engine inn the distance. You may smell engine exhaust, wood smoke from a cottage on shore, or hamburgers from McDonalds (oops, how did that get in there?). Lastly, report to the captain, watch captain, or helmsperson everything you hear, smell, or what your intuition tells you. Each piece of information is important.

Now that you are comfortable and safe sailing at night you will enjoy the beauty of the night sky, knowing that you really can see a lot at night using night vision.