Hi all.
Ummmmm! I’m a bit afraid of this being a bit too long! I just hope a don’t bore you with this attempt to introduce myself and voice my first concern with Ship Simulator.
I am a new member here, and I am still feeling my way around! I purchased the Ship simulator in the hope that I could re-enact many of my past experiences and pleasures on real boats and ships, and possibly further my experience of handling vessels of all kinds in my dotage! Lol! I have to say that I did not choose the sea for my career. I’m actually a retired art teacher (lol), but I have gained much through study and experience of the sea, of sailing and navigation, with owning a couple of small vessels in my time, and had many exciting and interesting experiences with them. I am hoping that by registering my purchase and joining your discussion groups I might further my enjoyment both by communicating with like minded people and in contributing to further development of Ship Simulator.
I have several points of interest to offer for the future development of this wonderful Ship Simulator program. I live in Merseyside, England, and ever since I was a youngster I have always been a lover of boats and ships, and have had close contacts with people who live and work on the river Mersey, and made many friends over the years with tug crews, ferry crews and officers/captains. I have had the experience – and pleasure – of being a guest on the bridges, during both day and night passages, on many of these vessels – even been on the helm for an hour or two at a time!
I also, since I retired from teaching, have built a couple of scale models of local vessels, an Isle of Man steamer and a Birkenhead ferry steamer, radio controlled, with lights.
It is this question of LIGHTS that I want to discuss. All the conversation so far in this topic has been about general lights about the ship. What I have found wanting in this Ship simulator so far is the lack of NAVIGATION lights on other ships – as seen by us from the vessel we are controlling. Yes, deck lights, portholes, etc. of another ship should all be visible from our own bridge. However, if one just sees a mass of lights in a bunch on the horizon it is either a fixed structure like an oil or gas platform or a vessel moving away from you; you’re looking directly at its stern or stern quarters.
However, if that other vessel is under way and is moving across your bows and maybe moving towards you, you would see it’s BRIGHTER white navigation lights on its mast-heads or superstructure ABOVE the deck lights! These are of paramount importance, and are obligatory on every ship. They should be visible at a distance of 30 sea miles – possibly more from a very high bridge. Those two power lights display to you that vessel’s direction of travel in relation to your own, giving you ample time to ponder any diversion of course, if needed, to prevent a collision. Their port and starb’d lights should be visible at a distance of 10 to 15 miles.
Also, the bouys on either side of a channel would be lit up – green lights on the starb’d hand when viewed on entering, with red on the port side.
I really do miss these important features in Ship Simulator.
Ronnie.
