Running at night

[djam]

Last night we decided to try to get a dusk bite on seabass which meant running home from catalina in the dark (about 32 miles). Not my favorite, but it's fine with radar and such.

My question is how does everyone deal with the glare off their displays on the starboard front window. I turn the displays way down, which makes it hard to read the radar, but I'm not a fan of depending on that and want to see other boats and such.

I was thinking about mounting some type of shield but wanted to see if anyone else came up with a good design.

Dave

 

[mheltunen]

I’ve taped cardboard to the dash to make a visor before. It’s not pretty but it works


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[Antidote]

I tried to make a visor then I realized I could turn the brightness way down. I can also convert to a black background which helped a lot. Opening the window also helps.


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[Brent]

Before rewiring the switch panel, the motor gauge lights were controlled with a switch on switch panel. It confused all but me then rewired back to key switch. I thought controlling the gauge lights with a switch was useful.


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[djam]

I tried to make a visor then I realized I could turn the brightness way down. I can also convert to a black background which helped a lot. Opening the window also helps.


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I ran with the window open the first 14 miles, that was rough!

 

[GoodChance]

I have 100's (if not 1000's) of hours running at night in both center console and pilot house boats. You are correct ..... the combination of a windshield and interior lighting makes it almost impossible to see anything outside of the cabin. As a sidebar, a CC vessel isn't nearly as hard/difficult to see as a pilot house .... I think the interior light gets reflected and is amplified by the cabin which doesn't happen so easily in a CC. That aside, I'm glad to hear that you are running a radar and chartplotter. Get comfortable with the radar..... learn to use it and learn to trust what it is displaying. You want to get to the point where you feel comfortable running the boat by ONLY looking at the radar and chartplotter. This trust process could take years to develop. Until then, you might consider adding a LED spotlight (not a a flood light) to your roof. Use it whenever you feel uneasy. I have a CREE LED spotlight on my boat. Got it through Amazon for $80. Waterproof and can illuminate a channel marker or other boat at a distance of 1/2 mile.

 

[shawnee83]

Until then, you might consider adding a LED spotlight (not a a flood light) to your roof. Use it whenever you feel uneasy. I have a CREE LED spotlight on my boat. Got it through Amazon for $80. Waterproof and can illuminate a channel marker or other boat at a distance of 1/2 mile.[/quote]

X2. A good remote controlled spot is a MUST HAVE for running at night, IMO. Only turn it on for long enough to find what you are looking for though...markers etc.. Not for using like headlights.

 

[Lucky John]

Not that I like to do it, BUT I run a few canyon trips each year on my 2520. I installed an remote ACR light and make great use of it spotting bouys and markers on my way to the inlet when we leave the dock at 1 am and have to travel over 70 NM to a canyon. I hit power once and dim all my electronics an open the window for best vision and make sure of my targets with radar on. It is something I will never feel comfortable with but need to do to get to the edge for grey light and best shot at catching fish.

 

[GoodChance]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013R ... UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I purchased in 2016. I'm still very happy with it on my 23 DVCC.

 

[johnkn]

I have this pair of remote LED lights mounted in the forward corners of the roof. At $1k+ they aren't cheap, but they work very well. A single center-mounted light does not work well with the high West coast bow rail as there is way too much glare and reflection off the pulpit area.

 

[djam]

I have this pair of remote LED lights mounted in the forward corners of the roof. At $1k+ they aren't cheap, but they work very well. A single center-mounted light does not work well with the high West coast bow rail as there is way too much glare and reflection off the pulpit area.

Interesting, I have a single spot line in the center, the glare is as you mention, terrible.

I find that most nights if all the lights are dimmed and I turn off the displays I can see fine, it's the displays that are a killer, but I want them for radar and chart. I think I'm going to try a cardboard for a bit and see if I can mock up some type of design.

Thaanks everyone for feedback.

 

[rsrutkowski]

Mount a good CREE LED under the bow pulpit...did that on my old 2120
Worked great

 

[dcunniff]

Late reply, but I did a few things years ago.

1. Spotlight on cabin top, remote controlled. 2. Made acrylic shield over instrument panel and put tape over it to block instrument lights from getting onto windshield somewhat. 3. Added a 12 volt LED light with a sliding white/red lens and a dimmer control, i use the red light at night. Sometimes I even shut off the instrument light white background light.

But the running lights depending on how you stand come back onto the windshield too.

Dana

 

[dcunniff]

Sorry, I am rusty on reducing photo size in Windows 10.

 

[Brent]

You should use the Tapatalk app


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[bbay_parker]

Haven't tried this myself, but was thinking a privacy screen that is used on laptops might be a cheap DIY solution?

 

[WhalinDave]

I just put a towel over the dash board and peek under it at regular intervals. Not very high tech but works for me.