How many of you folks boat at night.

Taxus812 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:34 pm **Posts:** 46

I have too much time on my hands apparently and was looking at all the lighting I can add to my boat. I can remember thinking that would be cool or I can install it like this......... I got totally wrapped up in it. (like the radio)

Finally the thought hit me. I never boat at night. I think I have my lights in the boat once. Besides, my ramp is totally unlit and in the woods (good place to get jumped )

Does anyone really boat at night ?

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:55 am

Last time was 10 hours ago...

I was out on the boat last night. I love boating on the intracoastal waterway at night. I've been doing it for 30 years, but it is so much easier to stay in the channel and spot the channel markers nowadays with GPS chartplotter. In the old days, had to use a q-beam.

schoolsOut · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:51 am

I made two night trips this past week while at Smith Mountain Lake. It was amazing! My first two night runs as captain and I loved them. In both cases we headed out during the evening but came home after dark. On night we were out for a family game of mini-golf over the marina, the second night we went to the Portside Grill and Bar (awesome little place right on the lake). The rides home were so calm and peaceful. Our dock was unlit (because I did not think to turn on the lights before I left), but we used one of these incredible flashlights to spot it and help with docking (http://www.costco.com/Duracell%C2%AE-Du ... 84625.html). There was also a shallow area of the lake marked by two buoys which we used the flashlight/spot light to locate. My kids loved helping out with the light. Overall, I highly recommend some night boating.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:00 am

All the time. If it wasn't for Navionics on my phone it would be nearly impossible.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

I do, I use my garmin 536s, shows my prior tracks, easy to follow them home. Just look for things floating in the water.

240 Joe · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:27 am

We go out to restaurants frequently on Lake Norman NC at night. Parts of the lake have channel markers and shoal markers. I use my iPhone GPS to navigate; while it won't plot a course home it does tell me where I am. It's a lot of fun.

RichA · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:37 pm **Posts:** 98

Coming back from fireworks July 4 with the moonlight on the smooth, easy water... Oh yeah.

I'd like to find a decent waterproof (as opposed to weather resistant) flashlight to keep on the boat.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:30 am

On the St John's half the navigational poles in the middle of Lake Monroe don't have lights.. it can be a fun game of let's not hit shit.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:16 am

Usually only when there is enough moonlight. Too many deadheads in the river for blackout driving.

Capt. Hoss · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:21 am

I love to go out at night, just take it slow and pay plenty of attention. 2 weeks ago when Norris Lake had fire on the water, we were headed back and I ran up on a pontoon who didnt have any lights on at all and the only way I seen him was I saw a little of his wake comming off the back. The pucker factor was high the rest of the way home.

EvilZ · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:19 am

RichA wrote:

Coming back from fireworks July 4 with the moonlight on the smooth, easy water... Oh yeah.

I'd like to find a decent waterproof (as opposed to weather resistant) flashlight to keep on the boat.

Go to a dive store and buy a diving light (or find one online). They have some really nice LED lights nowadays which are waterproof as you'd expect....You'll pay a few bucks for one though.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:24 am

EvilZ wrote:

RichA wrote:

Coming back from fireworks July 4 with the moonlight on the smooth, easy water... Oh yeah.

I'd like to find a decent waterproof (as opposed to weather resistant) flashlight to keep on the boat.

Go to a dive store and buy a diving light (or find one online). They have some really nice LED lights nowadays which are waterproof as you'd expect....You'll pay a few bucks for one though.

I picked up a handheld, LED spotlight at K-Mart for like $10-11 bucks. Holds a charge for about 2 hours of continual use, or 7 days of non-use. Also has a cigarette lighter adapter, and it puts out a biiiig spot of light. I use it for docking and it works awesome.

Paul I. · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:39 pm

I put radar on my boat 3 years ago and use it every time I do out at night now. Just last year I was coming back to my slip. About a mile out before the no wake zone. The radar was showing something about a 1/2 mile out. I could not see it, but kept slowing down until I was about 500 ft in front of me. A 40' sailboat, its steaming light blended in with the houses and street lights.

I won't leave port with out it.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:42 pm

If a decent looking aftermakrt tower looked good on my 215 it would already have radar. I have a raymarine sitting in my shed.

deafwish · **Posted:** Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:43 pm

Nothing beat's the feeling of being trimmed up at WOT, on glass-like water, with moonlight.

www.iFourWinns.com

How many of you folks boat at night.

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