Cole wrote in part: I never do night cruises without a watch on the bow. Skinwalker replies: Cole, We get the digest so my response my be outdated by now so take it with a grain of salt. I am sorry to question what you consider a safety measure by putting someone on the bow for all night cruises inshore and near shore. I do not understand how that would make cruising safer without creating a more dangerous situation by having one out on the bow, in the dark. Perhaps your situation is far different then I am visualizing and further explanation on your part will clarify my oversight. But these are my thoughts and concerns until you qualify a response. What is that person going to do on the bow? What is he looking for and how is the lookout going to see it without ruining your night vision by using a powerful spotlight. Further, how is he going to communicate to you effectively in time to prevent some condition that he sees only seconds before you could in the pilothouse or on the fly bridge. I see your plan through my eyes as fraught with false economies of safety. We dont allow anyone out on deck at night while our boat is underway, especially someone I like. If we need a spot light one of us uses it from the pilothouse door only for a specific purpose and only momentarily if used at all. We also ensure we know our course and location at all times or we stop. We use all available resources our boat and crew have, such as charting system, compass, depth sounder, radar, eyes and ears but never or seldom have we ever felt a need to put someone on the bow other than to pick up a mooring, anchor or to handle dock lines. Thank you for suffering my opinion and we await yours. Wayne Flatt MV Skinwalker currently hangin out Turkey Creek on the Caloosahatchie, Ortona, Florida

Wayne & Lynn Flatt wrote: > Safety of the watch is absolutely a concern. When I say "bow" I should clarify, they are usually /seated/ on the foredeck, having someone /standing/ right on the bow would be a very bad idea. This is something I will need to adress with the President I just bought, as the old Trumpy had a seat across the front of the salon, a safe distance back from the bow. They do have a spotlight, but since its always aimed away from the pilothouse it does not affect my vision. > The size of my boat allows easy communication between us, through an open front window. Usually they are looking for channel markers, and in our area the ubiqituos crabpots or eel pots. > I have no problems "suffering" the opinions of others, sometimes they are better than mine :) Cole m/v Voyager > I never do night cruises without a watch on the bow. > Skinwalker replies: > Cole, > We get the digest so my response my be outdated by now so take it with a grain > of salt. > > I am sorry to question what you consider a safety measure by putting someone > on the bow for all night cruises inshore and near shore. I do not understand > how that would make cruising safer without creating a more dangerous situation > by having one out on the bow, in the dark. Perhaps your situation is far > different then I am visualizing and further explanation on your part will > clarify my oversight. But these are my thoughts and concerns until you > qualify a response. > > What is that person going to do on the bow? What is he looking for and how is > the lookout going to see it without ruining your night vision by using a > powerful spotlight. Further, how is he going to communicate to you > effectively in time to prevent some condition that he sees only seconds before > you could in the pilothouse or on the fly bridge. I see your plan through my > eyes as fraught with false economies of safety. > > We dont allow anyone out on deck at night while our boat is underway, > especially someone I like. If we need a spot light one of us uses it from the > pilothouse door only for a specific purpose and only momentarily if used at > all. > > We also ensure we know our course and location at all times or we stop. We > use all available resources our boat and crew have, such as charting system, > compass, depth sounder, radar, eyes and ears but never or seldom have we ever > felt a need to put someone on the bow other than to pick up a mooring, anchor > or to handle dock lines. > > Thank you for suffering my opinion and we await yours. > > Wayne Flatt > MV Skinwalker currently hangin out Turkey Creek on the Caloosahatchie, Ortona, > Florida > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering > > To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options (get password, change email address, etc) go to: http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/options/trawlers-and-trawlering > > Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World > Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.