Many places in the world are strewn with local fishing boats that display no lights. Inter-island cargo boats and others are out there also. 200 miles offshore is still in the realm of encountering them. The Caribbean is littered with them. A dark pilothouse and a very well tuned radar set on close ranges are the keys to locating these vessels and keeping a safe distance from them. I have had way too many crew that seem to want to look only for the lights of other boats and keep the radar on 6 miles. In all my years at see I've never had a near collision with a boat at that range. They have all been in the 1/2 mile or less range like when a 80' wooden boat looms up out of a trough and you see it for the first time. No lights, no crew on watch, no wake them up with a searchlight. Just vector yourself around them and continue on. As Mike says running into one of these vessels will cause you a heap of trouble. Much more than avoiding them. Nancy and I keep a good watch and stepping outside the PH to give a good look if you even think you see something is the modus operandi in Swan Song. I'm pretty good tweaking radar but my eyes have always proven to be better close in for those last couple of hundred yards where the radar is tough to work with wavetops vs. a sitting wooden 25 ft boat. The Earthrace guys violated our, Swan Song's, basic rules, IMHO. Watch, watch and watch again. If Nancy doesn't like what she sees then she is to wake me in a heartbeat. Stop the boat if she feels something isn't correct. The best way to get me in the PH is to hear the engine RPM drop or raise. That's like a shot of ammonia in the nostrils. I'm up and there! If I recall one of the stories the driver said he saw a light and then looked at his GPS to see what light it could be.....er, um........think boat first and if its not then take the time and think navaid. As always YMMV, Cheers Dave & Nancy Swan Song Roughwater 58 Caribbean Cruise '07