7 Tips for Night Sailing

A night sailing trip is not only romantic, but also very serious. In addition to the beautiful Moon (although sometimes it is not visible due to weather conditions), stars, the Milky Way and the sounds of the sea, you will also have to watch the boat, radars and the condition of the crew.

However, a leisurely night passage is the type of experience that every yachtsman should have at least once. We tell you point by point what to be prepared for before a night sailing.

1. Start gradually

If you have no experience of sailing at night, do not break away from the anchor or the marina at 1am and rush headlong to the call of adventure. First, get used to the darkness: choose a familiar marina, leave it and come back at dusk. Then plan several trips to the sea at dawn and several almost nighttime visits. Make your first full-fledged night trip only with a good weather forecast and, if possible, a full moon.

By the way, the full Moon is a great "free spotlight" - our natural satellite will give much more light than any flashlight, and visual awareness will add confidence. Do not forget that despite the impressive brightness of the Moon, the sense of space and the eye at night can distort the real situation, so it is worth checking with the radar and echo sounder.

2. Prepare a route

Going out to sea without a plan is a stupid idea. Going out to sea at night without a plan is a very stupid idea. Prepare a sensible route without unnecessary complications. A night route will be more difficult in any case, at least because of the psychological aspect, which cannot be ignored. Study the maps and be sure to mark the location of fishing and commercial ports on your main map, so that you know in advance where there may be active nighttime traffic on the water.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/yacht.scream

Also, don't ignore the tides and, most importantly, the weather forecast. It's a good idea to have weather GRIB files or a saved weather forecast in case of communication problems. If the forecast is for worsening conditions, it's best to stay in the marina and wait for a good night.

3. Learn the "language of fire"

Before going out to sea, we strongly recommend that you make sure that you know and understand the different types of navigation lights. They will be your main reference points at night. With a little practice, you will find that by the flashes of light and colors you can easily navigate and understand where not to go and how to avoid a threat.

There are many online IALA tests on buoy, lighthouse and navigation lights. Before a night sailing, refresh your memory by taking one. Just in case, you can keep a laminated card with symbols in the cockpit - it will come in handy in case you forget a sign.

4. Safety first

We will never tire of repeating the obvious: having a life jacket is critically important, especially at night. However, floating up after falling overboard is good, but not falling overboard is even better. That is why having a safety rope is extremely important, especially on a night cruise.

As for life jackets, if they are necessary during the day, they are critically important at night. The thing is that people are not always visible in the water during daylight hours if they fall overboard, and at night the situation is even worse. Before going out to sea, check your life jackets for malfunctions and faults. Make sure that the device works properly, that the reflective elements are in place and that the life jacket has not expired.

5. Slow and steady wins the race

The rule in the heading of this paragraph is especially applicable for night sailing. At night, it is better to go at a lower speed and not to "rape" the yacht and engine unnecessarily. Due to poor visibility and not always 100% readings of radars and echo sounders, there is always a chance that the boat's hull will encounter unexpected shallows and reefs, so low speed is your reliable friend and comrade.

We also remind you that reaction time at night is usually lower, maneuvers are more difficult, and there is less time to solve in difficult conditions. Choose proven, practiced maneuvers.

6. Watches and duty shifts

Sight is the main source of information, but at night, especially when there is no moon, our senses are dulled. That is why hearing also comes to the rescue. Fortunately or unfortunately, the night watch is not about romance, but about concentration. Both sight and hearing must be as sharp as possible. 

Organize your watch so that there is always a cheerful and alert crew member at the helm of the yacht. Divide the night into understandable watches that are convenient for your crew - perhaps long watches will be optimal in your case, or you may have to give preference to shorter periods of time. A few tips:

• The desired duration of one shift is 2-4 hours. Shorter shifts usually do not allow for proper yacht management or rest for the shift. Longer shifts are possible, but with consideration of the individual characteristics of the crew. 
• During your watch, periodically carefully examine the entire surrounding space - both the cockpit and the sea. Often at night, a person may experience tunnel vision, which is fraught with late detection of dangers and increases the risk of collision on the water. To avoid this, switch your focus.
• On racing yachts, it is common practice for the person leaving the watch to boil a drink for the replacement. This helps the person taking over the watch to get a boost from the drink, and the person leaving to share important information in the process.

7. Dress warmly

Even after a hot day on the water, it can get really cold and chilly when the sun goes down. Choose your clothes for night sailing in advance so you don't shiver from the cold while on watch. 

Three layers are relevant even on a summer night. Thermal underwear wicks away moisture, fleece keeps you warm, and a light windbreaker will protect you from wind and splashes. Yes, you probably don’t need to dress so warmly everywhere, but it’s worth having all three layers on board just in case. Keep a dry set of clothes in a dry bag in case you need to change quickly. A hat is also a must, since up to 30% of body heat escapes through your head. If there’s a fresh breeze, your head and maxillary sinuses won’t thank you for a cool night walk.

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15.07.2025