We’re all afraid of the dark. We don’t have the eyes or the nose or the whiskers for it. People are hard-wired to see. After sunset, our ancestors hunkered down in caves or up in trees with good reason: The dark hides danger. A prudent mariner once told us, “It’s not dangerous to sail. It’s dangerous to have to sail.” That’s true, but it is possible, with some skill, to venture into the night or fog prudently and safely.
Night sailing has charms, and it can be thrilling and beautiful. It is, however, a skill you learn in daylight, gradually gaining confidence in your course plotting before you apply it to the mystery of a night on the water. Darkness introduces a new constellation of visual clues—lighted and reflective buoys and landmarks. It obliges you to tighten your navigation discipline, and redefines getting from point A to point B.
The most critical thing to explore in daylight is the effect of tidal current on your boat’s course. By understanding this, you can lay a compensated course to reach point B. It sounds difficult, but in practice it’s largely a matter of understanding tidal currents, applying corrections to compensate for them, and shaping a fail-safe course that acknowledges the limits of your vision.