00:04 Ships don't have headlights for safe navigation at sea. 01:38 Ships don't have headlights due to reliance on lookouts and potential danger. 03:05 Ships rely on night vision and specific lights for safe navigation in the dark 04:29 Ships don't have headlights to preserve crew's night vision and to avoid disasters. 05:49 Ships don't have headlights due to the need to preserve night vision. 07:15 Ships use lights for navigation and safety 08:46 Ships use radar to see in the dark today. 10:18 Ships don't have headlights because human vision is sufficient and radar technology helps navigate.
Lights also attract plankton and starts the feeding chain next to the boat, which causes potential danger to marine wildlife if the lights are left on. Bright lights can also disorient birds. Most apartment complexes in hawaii have made it against their rules to have certain types of lights to help nesting sheerwater and other ocean birds.
This may or may not be true, but I remember reading somewhere that the traditional seaman's eyepatch was to keep one pupil dilated so they could see better below decks, where light was scarce. This discussion reminded me of that.
Definitely true. I did this experiment in one of my college classes and the eye kept dark was instantly adjusted for when I removed the towel over my eye. I even have a silly picture of me with the towel on!
Conversely, i lay on the beach one day with one eye closed but in the sunlight and one pressed against the towel on the sand. After a brief nap, my eyes were differently adjusted to the level of sunlight. My eyes took about an hour afterwards to see in the same brightness and color scale. I wish I'd had an eyepatch and not merely a pet parrot and pegleg that day!
This is very true. We only use our “spot lights (search lights) when we have to.” When in the open ocean, the navigator can see better without search light. The navigation systems like radar, etc and the human eye guides the ship. Great video. J.J. Johnson 1st Assistant Engineer (Maritime Engineering)
During the 60's and 70's it was popular to equip small yachts with "docking lights", small headlights molded into the bow. They fell out of favor, as a movable spotlight was far more valuable at spotting unlit markers when entering a channel. One slight mistake I noticed: The night Titanic was sunk was not moonless because of a lunar eclipse, it was moonless because it was a new moon - the moon was on the daylit side of the earth and thus was below the horizon at night. There was a lunar eclipse 2 weeks earlier though.
I'm not sure that's what a "new moon" is; usually a new moon is when the moon has the same ecliptic longitude as the sun, resulting in its shadow facing the earth, and therefore is just not visible despite being there. That scenario would just be the moon not being there at all at that time.
@@G-Cole-01 that is correct, but I chose a simpler explanation. If the moon is at the same longitude as the sun, then it would be above (or facing) the daylit part of the earth. Technically both explanations are correct, though yours is more detailed.
i'd shit my pants if i was in a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean at night time and saw 2 MASSIVE glowing eyeball lookin things slowly coming towards me
This topic is a question I never gave much thought to in all my years of being obsessed with ocean liners and modern ships, and this video was a fascinating take on the answer from start to finish. The perfect short documentary TH-cam video, IMO.
These have became my favorite videos by far. Not only are they the best oceanliner/titanic videos the Michael is such a charming gentleman. Truly one of the last of a dying breed and his outfits are always the most elegant!
Mike, I love the fact how you're diversifying and it's not just all Titanic related! Last thing I saw before I clicked on this one was a short from you about the Me 262!!😂 Fascinating stuf!! Keep it up my man!!
Great video! To add to your point at 5:00. Around 7PM Lightoller (who was Officer of The Watch (OTW) from 6PM to 10PM, right before Murdoch) actually had a deck hand trim the forward lights. He specifically asked all lights on the boat deck aft of Bridge to the Grand Staircase, the forward section of A and B deck, the entire well deck and forecastle trimmed accordingly. Yes, this would be a normal action at night regardless but the fact the OTW made extra orders to ensure this was done is overlooked. The bridge lights were off, and the shutters to the wheel house closed as you described as per standard nighttime procedure. In fact for this very reason the event order and timing of the actual collision are shrouded in some mystery. The only survivors that were on duty to witness the collision and know the exact events on the bridge were the Helmsman and Assistant Officer. Obviously we have the Lookouts to know how the ice was spotted but the events on the bridge are hazy as everyone who survived was inside the wheelhouse till after the collision. The only direct orders from Murdoch via voice were "hard to starboard", everything else was done silently by Murdoch himself on the navigation bridge; specifically the commands sent via the Engine Order Telegraph (EOT). The EOT point is largely known these days since the testimony of the Chief Stoker in Boiler Room 6 very clearly gives us the order was "Stop" not "Full Astern" as depicted in pop culture. There is some evidence to believe that Murdoch actually saw the ice first on the Starboard bridge wing as the Lookout testimony indicates the turn started immediately after he placed the phone down, something that should of started seconds later (if the hard-over call was made after the call was finished). Personally I believe the event order is as follows (all in a span of 30-40 seconds): 1. Murdoch see's ice and begins to move off Starboard bridge wing 2. Lookouts see ice and ring the bell, Murdoch calls for hard to starboard 3. Bridge phone rings and Assistant Officer answers, Murdoch orders engines to Stop 4. Helmsman calls hard over, Assistant Officer finishes call and relays the Lookup report, Murdoch activates watertight doors (switch is located in Navigation Bridge, not Wheelhouse as many think) 5. Lookouts place phone down and feel ship swinging to port, Murdoch returns to bridge wing 6. Collision, Murdoch orders hard to port (attempt to port round the obstacle to avoid stern swinging into berg and damaging propellers) Source: www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/on-titanics-bridge.html
Mike, I didn’t used to know anything about ships, and now I look forward to your uploads every week and consume other ship content. You’ve created a fascination in me and I thank you!
I’ve seen a number of sailboats with a powerful LED light mounted on the pulpit (the railing at the bow) which are used for anchoring or motoring into an area where there are crab or lobster pots that can tangle up in the propeller shaft if they run over. I’ve even been thinking of installing one on my small 32 sailboat because the Chesapeake Bay, where I sail, is loaded with crab pots in the shallows where many boats anchor for the night. I once entered Annapolis harbor at night and found myself in a field of crab pots with their floats bobbing all around me on the water. My “first mate” had to go to the bow with a powerful flashlight light and direct me away from any floats that might become tangled in our prop if we ran them over. So “head lights” do have their uses in specific situations but for the most part we keep things dark or illuminated with red lights when sailing or mortoring at night.
I sail on a patrol vessel in Denmark. We routinely patrol shallow waters and visit smaller ports where only small cargo vessels of fishing boats venture in. In these areas, particularly the entrance channels leading into the port, search lights are very much needed at night since only the outermost guidance buoys are lit up, and many times you will find that some amateur kid is going close to them during the night with no lights on and in mostly fiberglass vessels that will not show clearly on a radar (usually because they sail from one buoy to the next so that they blend in with the buoy, but are still sufficiently inside the channel to pose a significant risk of ramming them). We have been cursing them loudly and at length on so many occasions that I am unable to count it.
Yep, alot of people around here have a headlight or various spotlights on their boat. You can tell when people go night fishing due to the lights. One guy even left the headlight on his small motorboat on after he docked, and like a car, as the night wore on it grew dim and killed the battery (it was not an LED light). He was out in the morning with a generator charging it. Remember to turn your your headlights off when you park your boat.
Hmm. A BOAT spotlight. That makes sense ... I bought this big old spotlight at a garage sale with an absurdly long cord and a magnetic base that could alter satellite orbits (well ... close). 2-prong plug into 2nd cord that ends in a bare wire for a 12 volt battery. Seems 1960s. Older switch on light part resembling an old round truck headlight. Fire that sucker up and look out! Burst clothing aflame at 10 yards, light a cigarette across a lake (if you don't flash fry the holder), smoulder tops of trees on far ridges and while at it, light up the ISS. Just seemed ... wrong ... for vehicles but a BOAT! That fits like the end to a Sherlock mystery. Yes, I do get out at times.
Been their myself... was chartering a yacht under golden gate Bridge with no light... seeing a container ship was freaky, mountain moving with some lights...
Tl;dw: Ships don’t need headlights, even though some do because of various reasons, because human night vision and radar are more reliable. You’re welcome!
You fcked up when you mentioned preserving night vision over and over, was a nice watch until then, after that it just became insufferable. Stop spamming the same line, stop being excessive to improve your vids ''@@OceanlinerDesigns
6:31 One problem I see with the "spotlight in dense fog" idea is that you ruin your own ability to see in the dark...and other ships that are doing the same also can't see you because of their own glare. So you end up with a case of both ships brightly lit, but also sailing blind.
@@brestingheedness thats why fog lights exist. They massively improve visibility on a car. And no. A lantern lit in a very thick fog is easy to see even from a distance.
In the modern world where we are so used to technologies like Night Vision and Radar that allow us to navigate beyond visual range or without visible light at all in all manner of weather regardless of visibility. It still strikes me as incredible. That even just a few short decades ago. So much of our navigation was still done from eye balling it alone. Meaning that even well into the 20th century our ability to navigate was still heavily limited by the weather, nightfall, and just general atmospheric conditions.
@@EricCoop Depends on the technology. Old school ones with IR illuminators are no different than using a flashlight. But modern light amplification goggles will appear bright as day with just starlight. And FLIR will work in pitch black. The gains we've made in just the last 15, 20 years are staggering. Of course, you have to have Navy or mega-yacht money to afford that stuff.
@@shannonmcbride2010 The nightvision equipment I used was in 2003, so there you go! I understand the tech is better now, but I never got to use it after 2003 and I retired from the Navy in 2022.
Well done again. For those of us who know the topic, it's great to see the information presented in a way that is informative and interesting. In addition to the icebreakers you mentioned, many vessels use massive floodlights to see at night. Fishing vessels are a great example as they need to spot their buoys to retrieve their gear. This does make their navigation lights useless, but as you pointed out radar and also AIS keep the captains informed about each other's movements.
I recently found this channel and like the technical part of your show. There's lots of channels about hundreds of sunken ship stories, so I'm not interested in such sadness. Great job. Thanks for sharing. Be blessed 😇.
We've had "docking lights" on boats for decades. Don't really work out on the open water because they could never be powerful enough but they do work when docking or in other tight unlit areas.
I thought about this exact question many times and never came to a conclusion... Thanks a lot for enlightening us Mike! I absolutely adore your videos and I actually save them up for evenings like Friday to enjoy them to the fullest :D Thank you so so much for your hard work and dedication! It's truly a pleasure to watch your videos :) Greetings from Switzerland
Great video! But needs a correction at 1:44 The Moon wasn't covered by Earth's shadow at all! That happens only during a lunar eclipse (only possible when the Moon is full!) That night the Moon was in fact getting close to a new Moon (its position in the sky was getting close the Sun's position). The night was Moonless, simply because the Moon has set before the Sun
You can't imagine my relief seeing your face at 0:42. The voice sounded like Simon Whistler and I thought there was ANOTHER facet of engineering youtube taken over by him
Contrary to popular belief, the ship that you refer to was not named _Evergreen._ The ship was the CS _Ever Given,_ while the words painted on the side of her hull referred to her operators, Evergreen Marine. It would be the equivalent of assuming that the _Titanic_ was named _"White Star"_ after reading words painted on for brand recognition.
Another use for powerfull serchlight still in use today is when you are ice navigating at night. When I was a cadet onboard MV Arctic, going in the canadian north in january and february, the ship was fitted with three powerfull lights on the foremast and 2 wing searchlights by the wheelhouse. With thick flat ice, it was necessary to find the path of least resistence up the Hudson straight. Thanks for your vids, really interesting even for a seasoned mariner.
Another important use of them is for search and rescue (SAR). If your life jacket has reflective tape on it, a spotlight can be an effective tool for identifying people in the water. It's why almost all US Coast Guard ships have them alongside night vision systems.
Spotlights shining forward of you without any spill back don't bother your night vision nearly as much as an overhead lamp may. Lights in Fog are basically useless except for letting others you're near by. I often drive with just running lights in dense fog, it's terrifying when oncoming traffic is using their high beams in such situations. I do think a spot light used at sea only would be helpful, ignoring the probably insane maintenance issues with mounting a substantial light at the bow.
I've been caught in Central California thule fog twice. Headlights were useless, highbeams were worse as they reflected back and blinded. Both times I got off the road as soon as possible. One of those saw me walking next to our car guiding my better half off of CA 46 into a grove of fruit trees for safety.
@@mbryson2899 around here fog like that is most common at night so traffic is light, but persistent for many hours. You drive at 3-15mph only as fast as you can see, and slowly make your way home. Sure a 30min trip turns into a 3 hour trip, but at least you make it home.
Glad it's not just me they thinks much more than sidelights in fog is useless. I'd go as far as saying dedicated fog lights on cars are a bigger pest than assistant.
Good video Mike. Night vision is important and is one reason why you want the oncoming OOW to arrive about 15 minutes before taking over - gives time for their eyes to adjust to the conditions. One thing that interests me is how much brighter ships bridges have become since I first went to sea in 1971, mainly due to the addition of addition aids such as ECDIS, flat screen radars etc. Yes you can turn the illumination down but originally we operated in almost complete darkness to maintain vision.
In ideal conditions you can actually see pretty far at sea with the naked eye. The lack of light pollution makes it all the easier and paired with a bright moon and little cloud coverage the sea tends to remain quite visible at night. This is mainly due to the moons light reflecting off the surface of the water.
Basically as Radar and "light" are both electromagnetic waves these days we use head"lights" along with artifical eyes able to see that "light" we send out, while keeping our valued nightvision in the wavelenghts we are naturally able to see. I think its the perfect combination to use natural night vision in the dark and additionally "light up" the darkness with radar for artificial eyes.
I remember watching Titanic in theaters. When the ship was sinking, flares were used to see the status of the the ship as it went down. I thought to myself, "Why didn't they use flares as it was sailing." This video reminded me of that, flares at a 45° angle could be for spotting, flares straight up a signal for help. Or similar to port and starboard, flares of certain colors and or angles to mean different things.
Warships do have star shells they can fire, but to be useful they have to go a long way, have a parachute, and aren't inexpensive - 4"/25 caliber is about the minimum, and the 5"/38 of the US Navy was used extensively. Flares of the era drop to the ocean far too quickly to be useful, as steaming at even 10 knots you'd have to fire about one per minute, and even then they wouldn't see very far ahead.
'Moonless' is surely more accurately described as when the Moon is either obscured by clouds or beyond the horizon. The Moon being hidden by the Earths shadow would be a lunar eclipse.
I scrolled down to find this. Thank you. As you say, a moonless night is when the moon is on the other side of the Earth (beyond the horizon). I don't think being cloudy by itself qualifies a night as moonless. Depending on how thick and dense the clouds are, the moonlight can still brighten the night indirectly. Saying the moon is hidden by the Earth's shadow is definitely wrong. As you say, that's a lunar eclipse. Some may say this is a nitpick but a surprising number of people think the phases of the moon are caused by the Earth's shadow (It's not). It would be better to get this point correct rather than reinforce someone's incorrect understanding of the universe.
FYI: "a moonless night" is most associated with a new or nearly new moon. The moon is not in the earth's shadow but rather it's own. The moon is actually on the opposite side of earth, potentially along with a solar eclipse.
I learned this trick when driving on a dark road in a blizzard. The headlights actually made seeing the road worse because the light would reflect off the falling snow. If anything i could see the tire tracks better under the gentle moonlight
It still seems like having a searchlight on the front of the ship that can be activated under certain circumstances, but not always on, would be better than not having one
They'd turn on a searchlight if there was a man overboard. Otherwise you can see a lot further out using vision accustomed to darkness, than you can with some light source on.
@@robertkarp2070that's not true. You can see better with a light source. Look at our sun for example we are able to see with it better than without it. The same with the moon yet the moon gets light reflected from the sun so it still shines during the night via the sun. You wouldn't be able to see jack shot without these two celestial bodies. 😂
@@BrayanCarmona-kr7vt No you can't. A light source ruins your night vision, it's not like driving a car and you have to focus on the road in front of you. Out on the ocean you have to pay attention to all that is around you. On ships they keep light sources completely dark with the exception of running lights. You have a light on the mast so air craft can see it, you have port and starboard running lights. When light is shined out in front of you, you're limited to what's in the field of that light and can't see anything out far. You have to be able to see the running lights of ships out as far as the horizon. Lets say for example in the city, you look up and you see only a few stars. When out in the woods and you look up, you see the sky saturated with stars. That's the light from the city interfering with your night vision. I was an Operations Specialist 1st Class in the US Navy, I served 9 our of the 11 years I served on ships. I've stood bridge watches and lookout watches. I know the value of keeping light sources to an absolute minimum at night.
As a motorcycle rider I can attest that sometimes the headlight can hide road hazards. You need to scan from fender to 150 ft out constantly. Break concentration and eat a pothole!
4:20 True. Whenever I drive when it's dark out it's fine when there are no cars around. Once a car comes my direction I can't see even 5 feet in front of me because I'm blinded by the headlight
Me too Sometimes im also blinded by the light..... Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Madman, drummers, bummers Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat In the dumps with the mumps As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin' The calliope crashed to the ground The calliope crashed to the ground! But she was blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Some silicone sister with a manager mister Told me I got what it takes She said, "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong Play the song with the funky break" And go-kart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart To see if it was safe outside And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly And asked me if I needed a ride Asked me if I needed a ride! But she was blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light She got down, but she never got tired She's gonna make it through the night She's gonna make it through the night But, mama, that's where the fun is But mama, that's where the fun is Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun But mama, that's where the fun is Some brimstone, baritone, anticyclone, rolling stone Preacher from the East Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone That's where they expect it least And some new-mown chaperone standin' in the corner Watchin' the young girls dance And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone Remind him of romance The calliope crashed to the ground! But she was blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night blinded by the light (Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (In the dumps with the mumps) blinded by the light (As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night blinded by the light (I tripped the merry-go-round) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin') blinded by the light (The calliope crashed to the ground) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night blinded by the light (And throws his lover in the sand) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (And some bloodshot, forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot) blinded by the light (Save the buckshot, turn up the band) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night blinded by the light (Told me I got what it takes) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (She said, "I'll turn you on, son, into something strong") She got down but she never got tired She's gonna make it through the night
Moonless nights don’t occur because the moon is in earths shadow. That’s a lunar eclipse, and you can clearly see the moon the whole time during one. A moonless night is caused by the moon being in a position in its orbit where it is overhead of the daylight side of the earth, and it either isn’t visible at all at night, or only right around dawn or dusk.
Was on a Cargo Ship a container ship (around 2003) and the Radar crashed. It was a really old ship 34 years and although it still had all the latest tech and back up, like satellite navigation, the radar was seen as the main tool onboard to see ahead. However as we where hundreds of miles away from any other ship and in calm waters, this was not a big problem. It was fixed a few hours later. However to help reduce any impact, the captain did slow the ship to half speed.
Correction Mike. It was a dark night because the moon was below the horizon and yet to rise. When the moon is in the Earth's shadow that's a lunar eclipse, a rare event.
It's the same for planes, planes do have landing spotlights, but they're only on when coming in to land. They have navigation lights similar to ships, the left wing had a red light, the right wing a green light, and a white light on the tail of the plane. There are also anti collision strobe lights on the aircraft as well. Planes can be closing in on each other at 5 hundred to thousand miles per hour Combined.
With modern jets, the chances of seeing another plane on a collision course are very small. Most passenger planes have a system called TCAS that detects an imminent collision by radar and orders the pilot to immediately ascend or descend so that one plane goes up and the other one down. Pilots are told to obey TCAS even if air traffic control says something different.
The primary purpose of head lights on horseless carriages (aka cars) is so others can see you & not so drivers can see where they are going. It's literally why they are called "head lights".
0:00 havent watched the video yet, proffesional sailor here, a ship doesnt have headlights because the captain cant see directly in front of the ship and the lights would not be powerful enough to see anything in front of the ship. thats why ships have radars. the reason for the lights on ships (that dont illuminate the deck) is for navigational purpose aswell. the lights are to indicate what is the front of the ship, the back of the ship, the sides and the cargo if its highly dangerous. (like gasses or explosive materials) now lets see what this video has to say! 11:13 yep, nailed it! its all true! good video!
One not-so-important detail: it's not the Earth's shadow that causes a moonless night, but the position of the Moon when it's between the Sun and the Earth. When the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, we have a lunar eclipse. Cheers :)
When the moon is blacked out by the earths shadow that’s a lunar eclipse. A “new moon”, what we get once a month, is when the side of the moon that we see (it’s always the same side of the moon) is facing away from the sun.
TY, it's nice to know why they didn't have headlights. Since they still don't for the most part, without the radars, only if the moon is covered they won't be able to find their way around an iceberg bc, like the case of Titanic, the moon was covered, all they saw was black. If the moon is not covered, they can navigate bc the moonlight shines on the ocean.🌊
Hi thank for your information my husband loves your videos and loves the titanic and he hopes you keep it going and he loves the video about the empress of Ireland because his family is from Ireland and he cried but he was also happy watching the video so thank you
Fun fact: aircraft have the same combination of red, green, and white lights to allow their direction of travel to be identified at a distance. Thanks for another great video!
The navigation lights do way more than just showing you which way a ship’s bow is pointed. Not only the color, but also how the navigation lights of another vessel move relative to you conveys a great amount of information. We learn this in aviation, but I think it applies to ships too. If you see a red light to your right and moving right to left, the ship will pass in front of you. If you see a red light to your right right and moving left to right, you will pass in front of it. If you see a red light to your right and it’s stationary, there is a high risk of collision. They also work very well for indicating right of way, kinda like a stop light. If you see red, you have to give way and avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel, if green the other ship is supposed to give right of way to you.
Can you please answer why they don't have wheels in the next episode? I also wonder why they don't have wings, maybe you can cover that in a future episode as well. Thanks!!
Pirates of the Caribbean already answered this question. Headlights at sea would attract deadly mermaids.
😂
If you hear my jolly sailor bold, just gtf from that place
Savy!!!
😂😂
Titanic needed headlights 😂
I like the saying, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."
≈Flossy Carter
Basically the same as "prepare for the worst, and hope for the best."
I wouldn't like saying that, I'd prolly stammer.
U mean "rather be safe then sorry"
@@bullyboy131 naw more like "It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, than to have an opportunity and not be prepared."
Well this was illuminating, I am now fully enlightened and not in the dark anymore.
No other TH-camr could hold a candle to Mike's style brightening our day with information that is dotted with light entertainment.
You've shined upon us you seem very bright.
Pun intended
Watt are you guys talking about?
@@bhsbmd maybe someone could shed some light on this?
00:04 Ships don't have headlights for safe navigation at sea.
01:38 Ships don't have headlights due to reliance on lookouts and potential danger.
03:05 Ships rely on night vision and specific lights for safe navigation in the dark
04:29 Ships don't have headlights to preserve crew's night vision and to avoid disasters.
05:49 Ships don't have headlights due to the need to preserve night vision.
07:15 Ships use lights for navigation and safety
08:46 Ships use radar to see in the dark today.
10:18 Ships don't have headlights because human vision is sufficient and radar technology helps navigate.
Lights also attract plankton and starts the feeding chain next to the boat, which causes potential danger to marine wildlife if the lights are left on. Bright lights can also disorient birds. Most apartment complexes in hawaii have made it against their rules to have certain types of lights to help nesting sheerwater and other ocean birds.
@@jakeness2476 this is true, Hawaii has been super proactive but I don't think these concerns apply to non stationary boats crossing the ocean.
Thanks
Cheers., I definitely wasnt gonna watch 11 min just to find that out
Thanks that helped a lot. 👍🏻
This may or may not be true, but I remember reading somewhere that the traditional seaman's eyepatch was to keep one pupil dilated so they could see better below decks, where light was scarce. This discussion reminded me of that.
Definitely true. I did this experiment in one of my college classes and the eye kept dark was instantly adjusted for when I removed the towel over my eye. I even have a silly picture of me with the towel on!
Conversely, i lay on the beach one day with one eye closed but in the sunlight and one pressed against the towel on the sand. After a brief nap, my eyes were differently adjusted to the level of sunlight. My eyes took about an hour afterwards to see in the same brightness and color scale. I wish I'd had an eyepatch and not merely a pet parrot and pegleg that day!
In the army they trained us to close one eye if we hear a flare so that we would retain some night vision.
You said seaman huh huh
Never thought of that, but it makes sense!
I love a video that poses a question I'd never thought about.
Ships don’t need headlights because the water is always LIT
Yeah so is my brother but he still needs headlights
Terrible joke
@@Toosplash.No amazing joke because it's from the best Pixar movie ever Cars.😎👌🏻🤨
@@marlonrvlogs debatable
@@marlonrvlogs finally someone who got it ! 😂
This is very true. We only use our “spot lights (search lights) when we have to.” When in the open ocean, the navigator can see better without search light. The navigation systems like radar, etc and the human eye guides the ship. Great video.
J.J. Johnson
1st Assistant Engineer (Maritime Engineering)
During the 60's and 70's it was popular to equip small yachts with "docking lights", small headlights molded into the bow. They fell out of favor, as a movable spotlight was far more valuable at spotting unlit markers when entering a channel. One slight mistake I noticed: The night Titanic was sunk was not moonless because of a lunar eclipse, it was moonless because it was a new moon - the moon was on the daylit side of the earth and thus was below the horizon at night. There was a lunar eclipse 2 weeks earlier though.
I'm not sure that's what a "new moon" is; usually a new moon is when the moon has the same ecliptic longitude as the sun, resulting in its shadow facing the earth, and therefore is just not visible despite being there. That scenario would just be the moon not being there at all at that time.
@@G-Cole-01 that is correct, but I chose a simpler explanation. If the moon is at the same longitude as the sun, then it would be above (or facing) the daylit part of the earth. Technically both explanations are correct, though yours is more detailed.
It's actually quite common for the small passenger boats in the Stockholm archipelago to still use docking lights
Everybody! Listen to me!
And return me! My ship!
I’m your Captain!
I’m your Captain!
Though I’m feeling
Mighty sick!
@@phantom0456 great song
i'd shit my pants if i was in a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean at night time and saw 2 MASSIVE glowing eyeball lookin things slowly coming towards me
This topic is a question I never gave much thought to in all my years of being obsessed with ocean liners and modern ships, and this video was a fascinating take on the answer from start to finish. The perfect short documentary TH-cam video, IMO.
They have spotlights, there shouldn’t be an questions unless the askers a dumbass
What is your opinion on titanic ?
These have became my favorite videos by far. Not only are they the best oceanliner/titanic videos the Michael is such a charming gentleman. Truly one of the last of a dying breed and his outfits are always the most elegant!
"Ships don't need headlights, because the sea is always Lit"
"Yeah so's my brother but he still needs headlights!"
These comments were just above yours😂
This was actually funny 😆
Lol yeah we all saw the other guy who said this
During full moon maybe xD
just watched that excellent movie last week lol
Mike, I love the fact how you're diversifying and it's not just all Titanic related! Last thing I saw before I clicked on this one was a short from you about the Me 262!!😂 Fascinating stuf!! Keep it up my man!!
Great video! To add to your point at 5:00.
Around 7PM Lightoller (who was Officer of The Watch (OTW) from 6PM to 10PM, right before Murdoch) actually had a deck hand trim the forward lights. He specifically asked all lights on the boat deck aft of Bridge to the Grand Staircase, the forward section of A and B deck, the entire well deck and forecastle trimmed accordingly. Yes, this would be a normal action at night regardless but the fact the OTW made extra orders to ensure this was done is overlooked. The bridge lights were off, and the shutters to the wheel house closed as you described as per standard nighttime procedure.
In fact for this very reason the event order and timing of the actual collision are shrouded in some mystery. The only survivors that were on duty to witness the collision and know the exact events on the bridge were the Helmsman and Assistant Officer. Obviously we have the Lookouts to know how the ice was spotted but the events on the bridge are hazy as everyone who survived was inside the wheelhouse till after the collision. The only direct orders from Murdoch via voice were "hard to starboard", everything else was done silently by Murdoch himself on the navigation bridge; specifically the commands sent via the Engine Order Telegraph (EOT).
The EOT point is largely known these days since the testimony of the Chief Stoker in Boiler Room 6 very clearly gives us the order was "Stop" not "Full Astern" as depicted in pop culture. There is some evidence to believe that Murdoch actually saw the ice first on the Starboard bridge wing as the Lookout testimony indicates the turn started immediately after he placed the phone down, something that should of started seconds later (if the hard-over call was made after the call was finished).
Personally I believe the event order is as follows (all in a span of 30-40 seconds):
1. Murdoch see's ice and begins to move off Starboard bridge wing
2. Lookouts see ice and ring the bell, Murdoch calls for hard to starboard
3. Bridge phone rings and Assistant Officer answers, Murdoch orders engines to Stop
4. Helmsman calls hard over, Assistant Officer finishes call and relays the Lookup report, Murdoch activates watertight doors (switch is located in Navigation Bridge, not Wheelhouse as many think)
5. Lookouts place phone down and feel ship swinging to port, Murdoch returns to bridge wing
6. Collision, Murdoch orders hard to port (attempt to port round the obstacle to avoid stern swinging into berg and damaging propellers)
Source: www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/on-titanics-bridge.html
This might be the first time I’ve actually seen anyone post their source
Mike, I didn’t used to know anything about ships, and now I look forward to your uploads every week and consume other ship content. You’ve created a fascination in me and I thank you!
I’ve seen a number of sailboats with a powerful LED light mounted on the pulpit (the railing at the bow) which are used for anchoring or motoring into an area where there are crab or lobster pots that can tangle up in the propeller shaft if they run over. I’ve even been thinking of installing one on my small 32 sailboat because the Chesapeake Bay, where I sail, is loaded with crab pots in the shallows where many boats anchor for the night. I once entered Annapolis harbor at night and found myself in a field of crab pots with their floats bobbing all around me on the water. My “first mate” had to go to the bow with a powerful flashlight light and direct me away from any floats that might become tangled in our prop if we ran them over. So “head lights” do have their uses in specific situations but for the most part we keep things dark or illuminated with red lights when sailing or mortoring at night.
I sail on a patrol vessel in Denmark. We routinely patrol shallow waters and visit smaller ports where only small cargo vessels of fishing boats venture in. In these areas, particularly the entrance channels leading into the port, search lights are very much needed at night since only the outermost guidance buoys are lit up, and many times you will find that some amateur kid is going close to them during the night with no lights on and in mostly fiberglass vessels that will not show clearly on a radar (usually because they sail from one buoy to the next so that they blend in with the buoy, but are still sufficiently inside the channel to pose a significant risk of ramming them). We have been cursing them loudly and at length on so many occasions that I am unable to count it.
Yep, alot of people around here have a headlight or various spotlights on their boat. You can tell when people go night fishing due to the lights. One guy even left the headlight on his small motorboat on after he docked, and like a car, as the night wore on it grew dim and killed the battery (it was not an LED light). He was out in the morning with a generator charging it. Remember to turn your your headlights off when you park your boat.
Good idea to have some kind of powerful light on your boat, never know when you might need it.
Hmm. A BOAT spotlight. That makes sense ... I bought this big old spotlight at a garage sale with an absurdly long cord and a magnetic base that could alter satellite orbits (well ... close). 2-prong plug into 2nd cord that ends in a bare wire for a 12 volt battery. Seems 1960s. Older switch on light part resembling an old round truck headlight. Fire that sucker up and look out! Burst clothing aflame at 10 yards, light a cigarette across a lake (if you don't flash fry the holder), smoulder tops of trees on far ridges and while at it, light up the ISS. Just seemed ... wrong ... for vehicles but a BOAT! That fits like the end to a Sherlock mystery.
Yes, I do get out at times.
Been their myself... was chartering a yacht under golden gate Bridge with no light... seeing a container ship was freaky, mountain moving with some lights...
Mike Brady once again pierces the veil of our ignorance with another fascinating insight -- and without blowing our night vision!
I love this channel!
We're here because we want to know so it's not ignorance
Tl;dw: Ships don’t need headlights, even though some do because of various reasons, because human night vision and radar are more reliable. You’re welcome!
Mike has changed my life. Was suggested the channel, and boom complete Boat nerd. I love your dedication, work ethic and presentation. Thank you.
Haha! One of us! One of us!
You fcked up when you mentioned preserving night vision over and over, was a nice watch until then, after that it just became insufferable. Stop spamming the same line, stop being excessive to improve your vids ''@@OceanlinerDesigns
One of us! One of us!
@@OceanlinerDesignsMike Brady you are wonderful and accurate about the Titanic oceanliner.😊
6:31 One problem I see with the "spotlight in dense fog" idea is that you ruin your own ability to see in the dark...and other ships that are doing the same also can't see you because of their own glare. So you end up with a case of both ships brightly lit, but also sailing blind.
yeah it's like when you turn on the high beams of your car in the fog, you just surround yourself with illumination and visibility gets even worse.
@@brestingheedness thats why fog lights exist. They massively improve visibility on a car. And no. A lantern lit in a very thick fog is easy to see even from a distance.
In the modern world where we are so used to technologies like Night Vision and Radar that allow us to navigate beyond visual range or without visible light at all in all manner of weather regardless of visibility.
It still strikes me as incredible. That even just a few short decades ago. So much of our navigation was still done from eye balling it alone.
Meaning that even well into the 20th century our ability to navigate was still heavily limited by the weather, nightfall, and just general atmospheric conditions.
Having used night vision at sea, I don't think it's much of an improvement, but that's just me.
Still the case with aviation. Even with all the technology we have now if the pilots can't see the runway they're not landing that plane.
@@EricCoop Depends on the technology. Old school ones with IR illuminators are no different than using a flashlight. But modern light amplification goggles will appear bright as day with just starlight. And FLIR will work in pitch black. The gains we've made in just the last 15, 20 years are staggering. Of course, you have to have Navy or mega-yacht money to afford that stuff.
@@shannonmcbride2010 The nightvision equipment I used was in 2003, so there you go! I understand the tech is better now, but I never got to use it after 2003 and I retired from the Navy in 2022.
Wait till the future bring us even cooler, complex and even more civilian use technology
The kind of question that might only come to you in the shower 😂
I get such life-changing questions sitting on the toilet.
Well done again. For those of us who know the topic, it's great to see the information presented in a way that is informative and interesting. In addition to the icebreakers you mentioned, many vessels use massive floodlights to see at night. Fishing vessels are a great example as they need to spot their buoys to retrieve their gear. This does make their navigation lights useless, but as you pointed out radar and also AIS keep the captains informed about each other's movements.
I recently found this channel and like the technical part of your show. There's lots of channels about hundreds of sunken ship stories, so I'm not interested in such sadness. Great job. Thanks for sharing. Be blessed 😇.
0:12 Driving without glasses be like...
Driving under the influence be like........
DBs trying too hard to use ethnic slang be like...
Ironic that this gets recommended to me after the bridge incident
I came here to see if anyone thought this exact same thing 😭😭
We've had "docking lights" on boats for decades. Don't really work out on the open water because they could never be powerful enough but they do work when docking or in other tight unlit areas.
I thought about this exact question many times and never came to a conclusion... Thanks a lot for enlightening us Mike! I absolutely adore your videos and I actually save them up for evenings like Friday to enjoy them to the fullest :D Thank you so so much for your hard work and dedication! It's truly a pleasure to watch your videos :) Greetings from Switzerland
Next video, why don’t they have brake lights
Not sure why this doesn’t have a billion likes but ok.
Brake light on ship be like 1 hour long on😂
@@sdiz3509 not sure why that even matters but ok
Don’t forget blinkers, would they need the third brake light in the middle?
@@BoxingLegends2024 not sure why you decided to put another comment that doesn’t matter but ok
Great video! But needs a correction at 1:44 The Moon wasn't covered by Earth's shadow at all! That happens only during a lunar eclipse (only possible when the Moon is full!)
That night the Moon was in fact getting close to a new Moon (its position in the sky was getting close the Sun's position). The night was Moonless, simply because the Moon has set before the Sun
Response/reaction time + ship maneuverability vs illumination range is #1.
Costa Concordia Captain: Me no care the ship, Me just want me wife-cheating vessel into me girlfriend's ticket-free canal
You can't imagine my relief seeing your face at 0:42. The voice sounded like Simon Whistler and I thought there was ANOTHER facet of engineering youtube taken over by him
Dude Simon has been sneaking into my TH-cam for like 10 years now.
7:55 speaks in evergreen
Contrary to popular belief, the ship that you refer to was not named _Evergreen._ The ship was the CS _Ever Given,_ while the words painted on the side of her hull referred to her operators, Evergreen Marine. It would be the equivalent of assuming that the _Titanic_ was named _"White Star"_ after reading words painted on for brand recognition.
Props to you for looking snazzy, dapper, and in-theme for the discussion 👏🏼
*in fonzy accent
Ehhhhhy
Another use for powerfull serchlight still in use today is when you are ice navigating at night. When I was a cadet onboard MV Arctic, going in the canadian north in january and february, the ship was fitted with three powerfull lights on the foremast and 2 wing searchlights by the wheelhouse. With thick flat ice, it was necessary to find the path of least resistence up the Hudson straight. Thanks for your vids, really interesting even for a seasoned mariner.
Another important use of them is for search and rescue (SAR). If your life jacket has reflective tape on it, a spotlight can be an effective tool for identifying people in the water. It's why almost all US Coast Guard ships have them alongside night vision systems.
Thank you for an illuminating video 😄
I had read a brief description on this subject years ago, but your video goes into much more detail, thank you!
Brilliant video, love the style!
Spotlights shining forward of you without any spill back don't bother your night vision nearly as much as an overhead lamp may. Lights in Fog are basically useless except for letting others you're near by. I often drive with just running lights in dense fog, it's terrifying when oncoming traffic is using their high beams in such situations. I do think a spot light used at sea only would be helpful, ignoring the probably insane maintenance issues with mounting a substantial light at the bow.
I've been caught in Central California thule fog twice. Headlights were useless, highbeams were worse as they reflected back and blinded.
Both times I got off the road as soon as possible. One of those saw me walking next to our car guiding my better half off of CA 46 into a grove of fruit trees for safety.
@@mbryson2899 around here fog like that is most common at night so traffic is light, but persistent for many hours. You drive at 3-15mph only as fast as you can see, and slowly make your way home. Sure a 30min trip turns into a 3 hour trip, but at least you make it home.
Glad it's not just me they thinks much more than sidelights in fog is useless. I'd go as far as saying dedicated fog lights on cars are a bigger pest than assistant.
@@YagiChanDan fog lights certainly can be. It depends if you have a clear layer at the ground or not.
You always manage to make videos on questions I’ve always had in the back of my mind but have never articulated lol
Good video Mike. Night vision is important and is one reason why you want the oncoming OOW to arrive about 15 minutes before taking over - gives time for their eyes to adjust to the conditions. One thing that interests me is how much brighter ships bridges have become since I first went to sea in 1971, mainly due to the addition of addition aids such as ECDIS, flat screen radars etc. Yes you can turn the illumination down but originally we operated in almost complete darkness to maintain vision.
In ideal conditions you can actually see pretty far at sea with the naked eye.
The lack of light pollution makes it all the easier and paired with a bright moon and little cloud coverage the sea tends to remain quite visible at night. This is mainly due to the moons light reflecting off the surface of the water.
If ships had headlights deer would start running into them in the middle of the night.
Super intelligent as always. Every single video you produce is a wonderful educational experience! Thank you.
Basically as Radar and "light" are both electromagnetic waves these days we use head"lights" along with artifical eyes able to see that "light" we send out, while keeping our valued nightvision in the wavelenghts we are naturally able to see. I think its the perfect combination to use natural night vision in the dark and additionally "light up" the darkness with radar for artificial eyes.
I remember watching Titanic in theaters. When the ship was sinking, flares were used to see the status of the the ship as it went down. I thought to myself, "Why didn't they use flares as it was sailing." This video reminded me of that, flares at a 45° angle could be for spotting, flares straight up a signal for help. Or similar to port and starboard, flares of certain colors and or angles to mean different things.
Warships do have star shells they can fire, but to be useful they have to go a long way, have a parachute, and aren't inexpensive - 4"/25 caliber is about the minimum, and the 5"/38 of the US Navy was used extensively. Flares of the era drop to the ocean far too quickly to be useful, as steaming at even 10 knots you'd have to fire about one per minute, and even then they wouldn't see very far ahead.
'Moonless' is surely more accurately described as when the Moon is either obscured by clouds or beyond the horizon. The Moon being hidden by the Earths shadow would be a lunar eclipse.
I scrolled down to find this. Thank you.
As you say, a moonless night is when the moon is on the other side of the Earth (beyond the horizon).
I don't think being cloudy by itself qualifies a night as moonless. Depending on how thick and dense the clouds are, the moonlight can still brighten the night indirectly.
Saying the moon is hidden by the Earth's shadow is definitely wrong. As you say, that's a lunar eclipse.
Some may say this is a nitpick but a surprising number of people think the phases of the moon are caused by the Earth's shadow (It's not). It would be better to get this point correct rather than reinforce someone's incorrect understanding of the universe.
Thank you. As an amateur astronomer I picked up on this myself and start scrolling the comments to find if someone else has noticed as well!
@@full_regalia8649Do you think the earth is flat?
Really enjoyed the video. Thanks for the information.
I always figured it was because by the time the headlights spotted the object, a big ship wouldn't be able to stop anyway
Excellent presentation with calm soothing commentary. Also I learnt something today! Subbed!
mike, it's 12:04 am, your videos are so good you're making me stay up longer when I was about to sleep. worth it.
Weird... I read this at 12:04am... 10 hours later
Excellent video, thanks for sharing
Funny this appeared in my recommended after what just happened in balti
so well explained and thanks a ton for creating the videos
FYI: "a moonless night" is most associated with a new or nearly new moon. The moon is not in the earth's shadow but rather it's own. The moon is actually on the opposite side of earth, potentially along with a solar eclipse.
I love that ship horn sound in your intro
Cruise ships to this day require your curtains to be closed at night if your patio is near the bridge.
I learned this trick when driving on a dark road in a blizzard. The headlights actually made seeing the road worse because the light would reflect off the falling snow. If anything i could see the tire tracks better under the gentle moonlight
So you need a gentle beam "scannimg the road" maybe like a small infra red bulb
use fog lights lol
@@cautarepvp2079 yes perfect
It still seems like having a searchlight on the front of the ship that can be activated under certain circumstances, but not always on, would be better than not having one
They'd turn on a searchlight if there was a man overboard. Otherwise you can see a lot further out using vision accustomed to darkness, than you can with some light source on.
@@robertkarp2070that's not true. You can see better with a light source. Look at our sun for example we are able to see with it better than without it. The same with the moon yet the moon gets light reflected from the sun so it still shines during the night via the sun. You wouldn't be able to see jack shot without these two celestial bodies. 😂
Why not just install a lighthouse in the ship
@@BrayanCarmona-kr7vt No you can't. A light source ruins your night vision, it's not like driving a car and you have to focus on the road in front of you. Out on the ocean you have to pay attention to all that is around you. On ships they keep light sources completely dark with the exception of running lights. You have a light on the mast so air craft can see it, you have port and starboard running lights. When light is shined out in front of you, you're limited to what's in the field of that light and can't see anything out far. You have to be able to see the running lights of ships out as far as the horizon. Lets say for example in the city, you look up and you see only a few stars. When out in the woods and you look up, you see the sky saturated with stars. That's the light from the city interfering with your night vision. I was an Operations Specialist 1st Class in the US Navy, I served 9 our of the 11 years I served on ships. I've stood bridge watches and lookout watches. I know the value of keeping light sources to an absolute minimum at night.
Coming from someone who knows very very little about shipping/boats. This was super interesting and insightful. Love the content!
As a motorcycle rider I can attest that sometimes the headlight can hide road hazards. You need to scan from fender to 150 ft out constantly. Break concentration and eat a pothole!
Or keep concentrating but unfortunately your eyes become permanently cross eyed
And you have to do crosswords in a mirror
Love this channel, it's the best place to come for Titanic and all other ship related information!
Also. why don't ships have tires?
Also, why don't ships have windshield wipers?
4:20 True. Whenever I drive when it's dark out it's fine when there are no cars around. Once a car comes my direction I can't see even 5 feet in front of me because I'm blinded by the headlight
Me too
Sometimes im also blinded
by the light.....
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Madman, drummers, bummers
Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older
I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin'
The calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground!
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Some silicone sister with a manager mister
Told me I got what it takes
She said, "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong
Play the song with the funky break"
And go-kart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride!
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
She got down, but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night
But, mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Some brimstone, baritone, anticyclone, rolling stone
Preacher from the East
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone
That's where they expect it least
And some new-mown chaperone standin' in the corner
Watchin' the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone
Remind him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground!
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
blinded by the light
(Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(In the dumps with the mumps) blinded by the light
(As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
blinded by the light
(I tripped the merry-go-round) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin') blinded by the light
(The calliope crashed to the ground) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
blinded by the light
(And throws his lover in the sand) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(And some bloodshot, forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot) blinded by the light
(Save the buckshot, turn up the band) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
blinded by the light
(Told me I got what it takes) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(She said, "I'll turn you on, son, into something strong")
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
Moonless nights don’t occur because the moon is in earths shadow. That’s a lunar eclipse, and you can clearly see the moon the whole time during one.
A moonless night is caused by the moon being in a position in its orbit where it is overhead of the daylight side of the earth, and it either isn’t visible at all at night, or only right around dawn or dusk.
Was on a Cargo Ship a container ship (around 2003) and the Radar crashed. It was a really old ship 34 years and although it still had all the latest tech and back up, like satellite navigation, the radar was seen as the main tool onboard to see ahead. However as we where hundreds of miles away from any other ship and in calm waters, this was not a big problem. It was fixed a few hours later. However to help reduce any impact, the captain did slow the ship to half speed.
Correction Mike. It was a dark night because the moon was below the horizon and yet to rise. When the moon is in the Earth's shadow that's a lunar eclipse, a rare event.
One of my absolute favorite yt channels♥️
It's the same for planes, planes do have landing spotlights, but they're only on when coming in to land. They have navigation lights similar to ships, the left wing had a red light, the right wing a green light, and a white light on the tail of the plane. There are also anti collision strobe lights on the aircraft as well. Planes can be closing in on each other at 5 hundred to thousand miles per hour Combined.
With modern jets, the chances of seeing another plane on a collision course are very small. Most passenger planes have a system called TCAS that detects an imminent collision by radar and orders the pilot to immediately ascend or descend so that one plane goes up and the other one down. Pilots are told to obey TCAS even if air traffic control says something different.
We also have taxi lights, which are less intense forward-facing lights we use while taxiing at night, just like car headlights.
The primary purpose of head lights on horseless carriages (aka cars) is so others can see you & not so drivers can see where they are going. It's literally why they are called "head lights".
0:00 havent watched the video yet, proffesional sailor here, a ship doesnt have headlights because the captain cant see directly in front of the ship and the lights would not be powerful enough to see anything in front of the ship. thats why ships have radars. the reason for the lights on ships (that dont illuminate the deck) is for navigational purpose aswell.
the lights are to indicate what is the front of the ship, the back of the ship, the sides and the cargo if its highly dangerous. (like gasses or explosive materials)
now lets see what this video has to say!
11:13 yep, nailed it! its all true! good video!
One not-so-important detail: it's not the Earth's shadow that causes a moonless night, but the position of the Moon when it's between the Sun and the Earth. When the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, we have a lunar eclipse. Cheers :)
Agreed.
Such an excellently presented and informed video!
When the moon is blacked out by the earths shadow that’s a lunar eclipse.
A “new moon”, what we get once a month, is when the side of the moon that we see (it’s always the same side of the moon) is facing away from the sun.
TY, it's nice to know why they didn't have headlights. Since they still don't for the most part, without the radars, only if the moon is covered they won't be able to find their way around an iceberg bc, like the case of Titanic, the moon was covered, all they saw was black. If the moon is not covered, they can navigate bc the moonlight shines on the ocean.🌊
Ships don't have headlights because there's no deer in the middle of the ocean. Duh.
2:56 That is a DONG 🤣 You can't unsee it now 😂
Next video: why don’t ships have handbrakes?
Hi thank for your information my husband loves your videos and loves the titanic and he hopes you keep it going and he loves the video about the empress of Ireland because his family is from Ireland and he cried but he was also happy watching the video so thank you
So glad you’ve both been enjoying them and kind greetings from Australia!
How did this get recommended now. Dafuq.
😂
I’ve been trucking most of my adult life but have always been fascinated by ships and the sea. Love your videos and the knowledge you put out😁😁😁
This didnt age well in baltimore
Because with lights they wouldn't have had the power failure?
Wrong !
Amazing channel on a relatively obscure and niche topic that is otherwise covered in sensationalism or dumbed down with animation
Good job comrade
why dont they just occassionally turn it on and off
Always good to brighten up my day at sea. Now all I need is a boat.🚢 💡
Who’s here after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse?
So super interesting! Thanks! ❤❤❤
Fun fact: aircraft have the same combination of red, green, and white lights to allow their direction of travel to be identified at a distance. Thanks for another great video!
Man that big ole' 'hoooonk' in your opening always gives me the willies and the chills in the best possible way.
Yet another fascinating video. Thank you!
This is really interesting! I do have 20/20 vision but i also have terrible night vision.
I have a light bar on the front rail of my sailboat. Don’t use it much but it has come in handy moving around at night
great video - simple and informative
The navigation lights do way more than just showing you which way a ship’s bow is pointed. Not only the color, but also how the navigation lights of another vessel move relative to you conveys a great amount of information. We learn this in aviation, but I think it applies to ships too.
If you see a red light to your right and moving right to left, the ship will pass in front of you.
If you see a red light to your right right and moving left to right, you will pass in front of it.
If you see a red light to your right and it’s stationary, there is a high risk of collision.
They also work very well for indicating right of way, kinda like a stop light. If you see red, you have to give way and avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel, if green the other ship is supposed to give right of way to you.
Nowadays manouvring should be done before you see red or green light which has nominal range of 2 Nm
Very good research and script creation for this video!
Absolutely educational video because I never thought about it this way ever!
Casual Navigation already made a video about this, but I still like the way you explained it, especially with your titanic sprinkles in there.
This is incredibly interesting. I didn't know that I needed to know about this until I watched the video. And now I'm glad I did.
Well arnt you....
Glad
Can you please answer why they don't have wheels in the next episode? I also wonder why they don't have wings, maybe you can cover that in a future episode as well. Thanks!!
Great video. Thank you so much for the wonderful explanation about ships and having lights on them.