It is crucial for the skipper to maintain orientation in unknown waters not only during the day but also at night. Lateral and cardinal signs as well as lighthouses, crossfires and cross-mark lights play a prominent role here – provided you can read and understand them.
The skipper is expected to be able to recognize the different light patterns and identify the associated chart designations. This allows for safe navigation in the dark, especially in unknown waters.
Finding matches between visible sequences and the abbreviations on the cards can sometimes be tricky. Therefore, it is advisable to learn this in advance.
This is how the simulator/trainer called “Lights simulator” was created. With this simulator, users can roughly imagine what corresponding light patterns look like. It is enough to indicate the pattern (from the map or the beacon directory) in the field and press the “Show” button.
A big thank you goes to Andrey Puchko, who implemented the simulator. I take responsibility for any errors in the simulator, as Andrey is only responsible for the implementation and not for errors in the content.
Your ideas for improving the simulator are welcome!
