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Alaska JD · 30-07-2011, 23:37

Interesting issue. I was rejected as a military pilot due to being colorblind (didn't come close to passing either of the versions of the test they gave me). I chose to fly anyway and eventually had to demonstrate to an FAA safety inspector that I could determine the difference between red and green during a night flight test (it was a pretty involved test). I was issued a waver for my colorblindness and was also given an Air Transport rating. At some point I'd like to get my USCG uninspected vessel licence. It would be a bit ironic if I could spend 20 years with a license to fly for scheduled airlines and not be able to get a sixpack license

Yachtie · 31-07-2011, 01:09

No time to read through previous posts, so here's the simple facts.

Colourblindness isn't black or white.

There are a few different test accepted by all sorts of governing bodies RYA included. But two main, Ishihara Color palate test (test A) and the Farnsworth D-15 color arrangment (test B).

Test A determines if you have color deficiencies or not (you either see the numbers or you don't - Pass/Fail)

Test B is used to determine what colours are deficient, and if the individual can differentiate colours enough to be "fit for Watchkeeping"

Have every student take a Marine Medical including vision test before the set out on the thousands of dollars a marine education can cost.

nigelmercier · 31-07-2011, 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yachtie

Have every student take a Marine Medical including vision test before the set out on the thousands of dollars a marine education can cost.

If good colour vision is a requirement of the qualification in question, then surely a test would be mandatory? Otherwise, I see there is no option other than to ignore it.

holmek · 31-07-2011, 05:23

This is a prime example of too many regulations. I have red/green, have sailed for 40 years and have 50 000 miles of ocean experience, 20 000 of it single handed. Shipping lights can be determined by patterns/collision danger by bearings and bouys by shapes. If the afflicted sailor sails defensively there is no reason to fuss. The day recreational sailors allowed themselves to be regulated is the saddest day in the history of sailing. All my sailing has been done without any skipper's tickets at all. What ever happened to being responsible for one's own welfare? I say do away with regulations and restrictions and allow everyone to be adult and responsible for his/her own welfare. To those who dislike the notion of sailing at night with a possible colourblind skipper in the vicinity, - are YOU not keeping watch?,-are YOU not sailing defensively as you should be? Viva individual freedom. Stick your skipper's tickets where a monkey sticks his nuts. !

Coolruns · 31-07-2011, 06:25

I too have a red/green color deficiency. It is strong enough that I could not pass the lantern test for entrance as a pilot (airplanes) in the US Navy (took the darn test 3 times too).

On the water, I dont have too much trouble with the ATONs and Day Marks. I just use the binoculars and I can usually distinguish.

I have learned that if I use the binoculars at night, I can distinguish the lighted marks too. Took some practice. I have even been able to distinguish lights on pilot vessels (white over red), etc.

There are varying degrees of "color blindness". I believe I have a fairly mild case of it.

For those of you "normal" folk, Discover magazine put together the following article to show you what us color blind folk see:

Discover Magazine Color Blindness Article

**David M** · 31-07-2011, 06:31

If I were the person who made the decisions I would be okay with the milder red-green version of colorblindless for recreational boats but not for commercial vessels where more lives, more tonnage and more environmental damage is at stake.

Sailagain · 31-07-2011, 07:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by holmek

This is a prime example of too many regulations. I say do away with regulations and restrictions and allow everyone to be adult and responsible for his/her own welfare. To those who dislike the notion of sailing at night with a possible colourblind skipper in the vicinity, - are YOU not keeping watch?,-are YOU not sailing defensively as you should be? Viva individual freedom. Stick your skipper's tickets where a monkey sticks his nuts. !

sounds great! But it would probably ruin the OP business as well as all the other sailing classes.

The next time someone comes to sign up for your class/certification - tell the prospective student NUTS to certifications - you don't need a certification - don't sign up for this certification or any class/certification!!! LOL

russcannell · 31-07-2011, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by holmek

This is a prime example of too many regulations. I have red/green, have sailed for 40 years and have 50 000 miles of ocean experience, 20 000 of it single handed. Shipping lights can be determined by patterns/collision danger by bearings and bouys by shapes. If the afflicted sailor sails defensively there is no reason to fuss. The day recreational sailors allowed themselves to be regulated is the saddest day in the history of sailing. All my sailing has been done without any skipper's tickets at all. What ever happened to being responsible for one's own welfare? I say do away with regulations and restrictions and allow everyone to be adult and responsible for his/her own welfare. To those who dislike the notion of sailing at night with a possible colourblind skipper in the vicinity, - are YOU not keeping watch?,-are YOU not sailing defensively as you should be? Viva individual freedom. Stick your skipper's tickets where a monkey sticks his nuts. !

Actually the UK is one of the few countries left that does not require certification to sail or motor on the seas. Something to do with us being an island nation. So everyone is presumed to come with innate boat handling and navigation skills from birth. Unfortunately there are some of us here who originated from distant lands. They are thus lacking in hard wired boaty skills. It is these people who we seek to teach the ways of the sea to..!!

sck5 · 31-07-2011, 15:28

The USA doesnt require any certification either. At least I dont have any and have sailed up and down the east coast, all around the Chesapeake, to the Caribbean and back, Bermuda, etc. etc. I wouldnt be averse to some of the jokers out there on weekends knowing a bit more than they seem to. But would a new government test actually achieve that?

Wolfrgang · 13-12-2016, 10:37

I too and afflicted with color blindness (weakness). As a rule I can distinguish between red and green easily if the colors are bold and the sample is large. Problems occur when the sample is small like a human hair or if color is faint. Traffic lights are simple to distinguish because the red is Always on top for vertical lights and Always on the left if laying horizontal. I heard somewhere that blue are yellow have been added to the traffic lights to also help tell the difference but don't know that for sure. I would be very interested in any product that would actually increase my ability to discriminate between red green especially at night.

DennisDW · 13-12-2016, 11:03

I'm an Optometrist to feed my sailing habit. Many good posts with accurate information here.

"Color blindness" is broken down by which colors and degrees. There are, rarely, people who see no color at all. They are rod monochromates. The have very poor vision as there are no color receptors in the central part of the retina, the fovea and no rods by virtue of normal anatomy. Everyone else's color deficit is variable. It is true that some males see red and green less that females. In fact, most males have some degree of red/ green defect. Total loss of red/ green discrimination is also rare.

It would be odd for one single class to have several students with no ability at all to see red and green. And as has been mentioned, most of those folks make do by other clues.

As an interesting aside, this article and others suggests that red light is not entirely protective of your night vision adaptation.
Night Vision - The Red Myth

Good luck to your students,
Dennis

holmek · 13-12-2016, 20:47

There is a Swedish product called Seakey. It consists of 2 red/green filters and with very little practice helps tremendously in identifying far-off buoys. lights etc. It will not help you pass an eye-test, but will help you on the water.