# Petronius Question #2



## marlinchaser (Oct 11, 2007)

A question for those of you that regularly go out there and leave before sunup: Do you run fast going out in the dark or slow? If you run fast, how do you check for debris? Do you use a light to monitor for debris (most comments I 've seen on here seem against using lights very much for in close navigation)? Thanks for any inputs as I'd like to run out there at least once!!


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## TCAT (Oct 9, 2007)

Ideally I like to leave in the afternoon, get to the rigs right before sundown, fish the night, the early morning bite and head in around 1PM the next day. Most of the time, however, my work schedule doesn't permit the ideal situation. Therefore, we normally leave around midnight and I'll run 20knts until we reach our destination. You just have to pay attention to your radar and other visual clues. As for avoiding debris, there's not much you can do about it except for slowing down.Thats a chance you take running at night.


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## fishprintingfool (Sep 30, 2007)

We've made the run out at night a few times. As TCAT said...it's just a risk you take. Lights aren't going to help, and if anything, hurt. You'll see, but it ruins your night vision. So, you can't even see other boats nav lights, etc. If you are worried about debris, leave early enough to get there before dark.



Goes without saying, but autopilot works wonders at night (actually, it works wonders all the time!). But at night, with no visual reference to drive at, it makes that haul much more enjoyable, and frees you up to pay more attention to what is going on outside of the boat.



Just some random thoughts...



Good luck,



Mike


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## BlackFlag (Oct 23, 2007)

my theory... out of sight out of mind. Thats why they make life jackets man. Let'er Rip:letsdrink


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## Feeding Frenzy (Feb 26, 2008)

Exactly what fishprintingfool said. If you are worried about debris leave during daylight. We usually leave at dark and try not to think about hitting any debris, but then again we don't run out there at 60mph either. We usually cruise out there at about 35 to 40 so if we do hit a log or something we won't do too much damage. Don't even bother with the light. I would rather have better night vision when looking for other boats and we use our radar. Good luck.


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

No lights, watch your radar, run at a speed your comfortable with. Done it several times in my 26' cc and never had a problem. You could hit somthing floating, but unless it was right after Katrina, the odds are real real low. Good luck.


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## marlinchaser (Oct 11, 2007)

Thanks guys for the feedback; gives me insight and comfort in trying to do the trip.


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## Tatum (Apr 6, 2008)

Afternoon run if possible.

If not, SAFTEY!!!! Use the light....................


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## Reel Rowdy (Oct 4, 2007)

No lights if you want to see. We always leave Perdido Pass around 10pm, run 12-15 kts (my personal comfort zone at night) and arrive around 2-3am. Anyone who runs hard at night, life jackets or not, is an idiot IMHO.


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Tatum (4/12/2008)*Afternoon run if possible.
> 
> If not, SAFTEY!!!! Use the light....................


We are not talking about running lights. We are talking about a spot light or some other light to help see the seas in front of you. If you had done this before, you would know what we are talking about.


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## waterboy6921 (Apr 7, 2008)

daddytime is your boat named "problemchild"?


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

When heading out after dark, I wouldn't use the big sky theory. That is where you fly without the aid of a Air Traffic Controller, radar, and eyes out in the sky hoping you won't hit anything. (I've had two planes hit head on, during the most beautiful day..sky clear visibility unlimited). Those that run balls to the wall are a accident waiting to happen. Remember that along with debris there are boats without lights out there. Never depend on the other guy being legal. Conditions mean everything. ADJUST. As far as "LIGHTS" as mentioned...NO. In doing so means a loss of night vision. Keep deck/instrument lights to a minimum.


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## Tatum (Apr 6, 2008)

Referring to spot light


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Tatum (4/13/2008)*Referring to spot light


*Scan, don't stare.* If you look at something, or a place, in the dark for too long, your eyes will become less sensitive to what little light there is. If you scan your eyes back and forth over the area you are looking at, you will be using different areas of "rods", and you will be able to see details clearer. 

Quick and dirty technique: shut one eye during a temporarily bright period to preserve its night vision. For best vision, allow plenty of time to adjust to seeing in the dark. It typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to dark conditions. Spotlight:banghead:nonono ONLY when absolutely necessary, and don't look into the light beam with both eyes.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

i like to leave around lunchtime and putt out there. just depends whose boat i am on. if it's someone who isn't worried about burning a hundred gallons an hour, we'll haul ass. as for leaving at night, if you leave perdido pass around 9pm doin about 12 knots, it'll put you at petronius around 1-2am if i recall correctly. fish all night, morning bite, and then the rest of the day is up to you.


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

Yes and problem child is for sale. New boat is gladiator


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## Rastaman (Oct 5, 2007)

A spotlight on full time is not much help. I assume you have radar. I have done the trip in the "old days" (defined as not that long ago but before I could afford radar) without one and its not that much fun.

Try to go on a night with a big moon. Put your crew in life jackets. A cordless light is good to spot buoys and other random scary looking spots.

You may want to go along with another boat or ask someone experienced to go along on your boat. As with everything out there, experience is the best asset.


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## NewtoBlue (Apr 11, 2008)

Has anyone ever hit debris?? what happened??


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## 401 Cay (Sep 30, 2007)

If you are not experienced at running a boat at night, I would not make a rig trip your trial run. Learning to scan between instruments and visual cues takes some practice. Make some closer runs to some nearshore wrecks for some night snapper fishing until you are comfortable. I would recommend having a decent radar and understanding how to use it at a minimum. Do not fixate on your instruments and forget to look outside either. Running at night is not hard if you just practice a little. Good luck and be safe.


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## onoahi (Oct 5, 2007)

No radar, no running at night. Have you seen the size of the three drones we've seen the past few weeks. I'd hate to hit one of those babies. The moon and stars can help at certain times. 

We leave by 2pm and get out before sunset. Hopefully snag a wahoo or dolphin before dark and then start feeding blackfin to the sharks. This is absolutely the way to do it if you've never been.


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## Rastaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Ive hit a railroad timber and knocked the lower unit off. I also ran over a drifting shrimp net and had to jump over at night and cut it out of the wheel. that was no fun. Statistically I'm not sure how my average runs but those two incidents are over about 200 trips at night. 

In any event I saw neither and would not have even with a spotlight. One last horror story, on the way home from the rigs during the day a few years ago I pulled it off of autopilot to avoid a 40ft container from a ship. Just the tip was bobbing on the surface about 1 ft. That one would have hurt.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *NewtoBlue (4/14/2008)*Has anyone ever hit debris?? what happened??


Jason,(ReelProperty)myself and two family members (his) were heading out from Mobile, this during the daytime. He has twins and we hit a 2x4 crosswise. At the speed we were at one would of thought the motors were riping off the transom. We were lucky, only damage was a good soaking from the wall of water pushed up andover the transom:banghead


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## Gulftider (Nov 21, 2007)

We run at night quit often. Use the auto pilot and radar .we set the zone alarms on the radar set at 1/4-1/2 mile on the inner zone and 1-1.5 miles on the outer zone. Speed depends on the sea conditions. my boat likes to go 30-35 knots as the sweat spot for fuel efficiency but I rarely run that fast at night even in good conditions. usually 25knotsmax; we're up on a good plane and getting pretty good economy. if it's rough we'll run about 15 knots with the trim tabs down plow through... not good economy but we're not going beat ourselves up either. 

Know your navigation eletronic like the back of your hand and at night wear life vests, have a hand held vhf & inflatable raft out for easy access in case of disaster.


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