Hi CRAB for once me and you are in perfect alignment. Quite why the authorities have never fully recognised that there is no such thing as VMC over the water at night, until we see lights AND depth perception, is beyond me. Unfortunately the minimum equipment requirements don't stack up to what you eloquently describe, is the overriding safety case.
UK CAA did make very positives steps to alleviate this after the Mathew Harding accident. They mandated AP for SP Night including over the land. Unfortunately this got overruled when EU-OPS became the law. Maybe Brexit will give them back the teeth they need.
DB