Why Don't Ships Have Headlights?

Ever wondered why ships brave the seas without headlights? Think about the perilous encounters vessels like the RMS Titanic faced—like that fateful collision with an iceberg on a chillingly dark April night in 1912. Even during the inquiry that followed, the question was asked: Could a massive torch have altered fate's course? So, why exactly do ships sail without headlights, unlike their terrestrial counterparts? Let's dive deep into this maritime mystery!

00:00 - INTRO
00:57 - RMS Titanic History
02:02 - Would a spotlight have helped?
03:11 - Importance of sight
03:48 - Lights on ships
04:49 - Night vision
06:46 - Albert Ballin
07:27 - Maritime artist - Kenneth Shoesmith
08:41 - WW2 spotlights
09:27 - How do ships see in the dark today?
11:12 - OUTRO

Oceanliner Designs explores the design, construction, engineering and operation of history’s greatest vessels | from Titanic to Queen Mary and from the Empress of Ireland to the Lusitania. Join maritime researcher and illustrator Michael Brady as he tells the stories behind some of history's most famous ocean liners and machines!

#ships #sinking #disaster #titanic #wrecks #exploration #history #adventure #design #engineering #mairitime #safety #vessels #sailing #documentary #story #oceanlinerdesigns

[kentslocum]

Pirates of the Caribbean already answered this question. Headlights at sea would attract deadly mermaids.

[thesevendeadlysins]

I like the saying, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

[ljooni]

Well this was illuminating, I am now fully enlightened and not in the dark anymore.

[arthurd]

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.

[Tim_the_Enchanter]

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.

[Bobowawawahahaha]

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

[Gabriel_pf]

Ships don’t need headlights because the water is always LIT

[duncanby]

I love a video that poses a question I'd never thought about.

[Andrew-wvqp]

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.

[Minn_So_So]

If ships had headlights deer would start running into them in the middle of the night.

[Kristyle]

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 YouTube video, IMO.

[IAMDPP]

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)

[kcrxo]

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)

[jkephart]

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!

[CaptainJZH]

"Ships don't need headlights, because the sea is always Lit"

"Yeah so's my brother but he still needs headlights!"

[aussiebloke]

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.

[sailingvesperonthechesapea]

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.

[ZerokillerOppel]

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!!

[markplane]

Mike Brady once again pierces the veil of our ignorance with another fascinating insight -- and without blowing our night vision!

I love this channel!

[Jshinnicklifts]

Mike has changed my life. Was suggested the channel, and boom complete Boat nerd. I love your dedication, work ethic and presentation. Thank you.