Quote:
Originally Posted by NoRegrets
I came upon 2 situations that I offer to reflect upon.
1) I was returning to our slip at night in Paugus Bay. As I neared the end of the bay there was a "dark" boat just floating without lights. I was really mad that someone would place us at risk and navigated around the vessel. I got into the slip and then felt guilty since it may have been someone in trouble and I did not check. The guilt got the better of me so I went to make sure everything was ok. What I found was someone cut the lines and sent the vessel adrift. The police were notified and the authorities took it from there. I was disapointed in myself for letting anger cloud my thinking.
2) Once again going down Paugus bay at night I saw what I thought was a good size log with a branch on one end. I went around it and then saw 2 more logs. These were not logs at all. They were 3 deer out for a midnight swim. I am not sure what the proper lighting for hoofed animals would be but these 3 were definitely breaking night navigation rules.
It is interesting that when I write about these situations it becomes apparent that if you focus on the man made laws and suspect that someone is breaking the rules, anger easily takes over clouding reaction. If you can keep your thinking open to observation and react to the situation you can assist constructively. The deer did nothing wrong but could have caused a collision the same as the sailboat or the boat set adrift.
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Great post, we all know the rules and try to throw people under the bus as soon as we see a law being broken. Obviously the captain is responsible for operating within spec, but that doesn't mean we cannot help them do that.
So a boat has no nav lights on, why? They forgot? Someone hit the switch and turned them off by accident? Wiring short?
Yes there could be someone who chooses to not turn them on because they prefer not to, by all means pick on that person as much as you like! I suspect some people shut them off once they hit the middle of the broads or wherever as to not attract bugs or some silly reason. They assume they aren't really in danger.
So how do you "help" someone that has operated with no nav lights? for whatever reason. My normal reaction would be to shine my million candlepower spotlight on them for as long as possible. Most people would wonder why they are being singled out, which causes a person with even a shred of common sense to run through a checklist of what they could have done or not done. If they still persist to operate without lights, then call the MP ASAP. If you don't call, how will you feel when you read about or even hear the accident a little while later when they finally collide with someone.
If anyone on this forum does operate without lights. You will kill or hurt someone eventually.