A Plea For Decent Anchor Lights.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Anchor locker?

If you're suggesting that, I can only assume your anchor locker is different from mine. Other than where the rode passes through, the access to the anchor locker is from the V berth. The opening is still too small to fit a typical anchor ball through and of course, the rode is piled up in it.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I have no place to hoist it to and no place to store it when not in use.

In my part of the world I have never, I repeat never, seen a recreational boat displaying an anchor ball. Law, regulation, or whatever, it's just not done around here. Boaters in my area would not look for an anchor ball and would not know what it meant if they saw one.

Wrong? Perhaps. I suppose the local law enforcement people could make a fortune running around giving failure to display anchor ball tickets, but I suspect they wouldn't hold up in court.

Let's compare the anchor ball regulations to the sound signal regulations. Do you (or anyone here) sound a horn blast when leaving your slip (at 6:00 AM when other people are sleeping on their boats)? Do you sound three blasts before backing into your slip? Do you use sound signals every time you pass or overtake another boat?

Insurance companies are totally ethical and would never try to mitigate a claim????

Try explaining to officials if you happen to cruise to an area that enforces anchor balls that you don't have anywhere to store.

That it is rarely enforced in some areas/countries on pleasure vessels does not mean the COLREGS are not valid.

I think that any prudent mariner would use discression would not use their horn if they knew people were sleeping around them and there was no likehood of collision, but would do so in daylight in a busy area as prescribed. That many boaters do not know the regs is not validation.

Its your choice.

Cheers

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by downunder

............ I think that any prudent mariner would use discression would not use their horn if they knew people were sleeping around them and there was no likehood of collision, but would do so in daylight in a busy area as prescribed. ............

So we should selectively follow the regulations based on circumstances?

PS: AT this point, I'm just stirring the s**t. You have your point of view, I have mine. No discussion is likely to change that.

But - I wonder why the Coast Guard Auxiliary safety inspection includes checking the anchor light but does not check to see if an anchor ball is available? Yep, I wonder.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by rwidman

So we should selectively follow the regulations based on circumstances?

PS: AT this point, I'm just stirring the s**t. You have your point of view, I have mine. No discussion is likely to change that.

But - I wonder why the Coast Guard Auxiliary safety inspection includes checking the anchor light but does not check to see if an anchor ball is available? Yep, I wonder.

I have no idea why the US CGA does not check that, but then some of us actually sail and anchor in other countries where the CGA isn't present.

And again FWIW, in 1986-87, the water police in San Diego were issuing citations right and left for anchor ball violations. I wasn't all that thrilled to be awakened at dawn, anchored off Shelter Island and having arrived at 0400, by a lout in a patrol boat beating on the side of my boat, anchor light blazing away, screaming that I didn't have a black ball showing. So thrilled that I've not returned, so I don't know if that practice is still in effect. But it can happen right here in the good ole USA.

Jim

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I have no idea why the US CGA does not check that, but then some of us actually sail and anchor in other countries where the CGA isn't present.

And again FWIW, in 1986-87, the water police in San Diego were issuing citations right and left for anchor ball violations. I wasn't all that thrilled to be awakened at dawn, anchored off Shelter Island and having arrived at 0400, by a lout in a patrol boat beating on the side of my boat, anchor light blazing away, screaming that I didn't have a black ball showing. So thrilled that I've not returned, so I don't know if that practice is still in effect. But it can happen right here in the good ole USA.

Jim

Actually?

As for the citation, perhaps you looked like a trouble maker.

[downunder]

Jim,

you troublemaker.

It just does not happen in the USA.

[frant]

Ok, here is an analogy to the non flying of day shapes situation and insurance.
You have parked you car and fed the parking meter, you have been detained on your errand by a few minutes and from your vantage point across the road you see a parking officer just checking the expiry time on the ticket displayed on the dashboard which you suspect may now be expired. You rush out from between parked cars on your side of the road to try and save a parking violation ticket. Your car is not quite opposite from where you emerged, perhaps 15 deg from perpendicular. You are hit by a car that has accelerated to cross the intersection on an amber light some 15 metres from where you emerged from between the first and second cars parked on that side of the road. The parking officer is unaware of the "accident" and writes out a ticket. You are taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital and rushed into surgery. Later that day (in the evening) your car is stolen from where you left it illegally parked and abandoned.
Questions?
Do you have to pay the parking fine?
Does your car insurance payout on the car theft?
Does the driver of the cars insurance not have to pay you because the driver may have run a red light?
Is your payout from the driver reduced or completely cancelled because you had the intention to jay walk and you crossed too close to an intersection. Separately consider if payout reduced because you jumped out from between parked cars and the driver didn't have a chance to see you?
Does your ambulance insurance payout for your ambulance trip?
Does your hospital insurance payout for your hospital stay.
The other question is would any of the answers other than the parking ticket question be any different if you were in a free parking zone and just in a rush to be on your way.

[Kettlewell]

Is your payout from the driver reduced or completely cancelled because you had the intention to jay walk and you crossed too close to an intersection.

Except jaywalking is potentially dangerous, while not showing an anchor ball is not. Not one person has been able to dream up some whacko scenario in which an anchor ball makes a pleasure boat safer or those around them safer. In fact, not having an anchor ball showing should make you safe from those who might be tempted to cut too close to an anchored boat.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by frant

Ok, here is an analogy to the non flying of day shapes situation and insurance.
You have parked you car and fed the parking meter, you have been detained on your errand by a few minutes and from your vantage point across the road you see a parking officer just checking the expiry time on the ticket displayed on the dashboard which you suspect may now be expired. You rush out from between parked cars on your side of the road to try and save a parking violation ticket. Your car is not quite opposite from where you emerged, perhaps 15 deg from perpendicular. You are hit by a car that has accelerated to cross the intersection on an amber light some 15 metres from where you emerged from between the first and second cars parked on that side of the road. The parking officer is unaware of the "accident" and writes out a ticket. You are taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital and rushed into surgery. Later that day (in the evening) your car is stolen from where you left it illegally parked and abandoned.
Questions?
Do you have to pay the parking fine?
YES
Does your car insurance payout on the car theft?
YES
Does the driver of the cars insurance not have to pay you because the driver may have run a red light?
THEY PAY YOU AND THEN PURSUE TO DRIVER FOR DAMAGES: A CLAIMS ADJUSTER WOULD CONTACT YOU TO OFFER A SETTLEMENT TO AVOID ANY FURTHER POSSIBLE LITIGATION/DAMAGES
Is your payout from the driver reduced or completely cancelled because you had the intention to jay walk and you crossed too close to an intersection. Separately consider if payout reduced because you jumped out from between parked cars and the driver didn't have a chance to see you?
IF YOU COULD PROVE HE RAN THE AMBER THEN NO: AMBER INDICATES THAT YOU SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND BE PREPARED TO STOP.
Does your ambulance insurance payout for your ambulance trip?
YES
Does your hospital insurance payout for your hospital stay.
YES
The other question is would any of the answers other than the parking ticket question be any different if you were in a free parking zone and just in a rush to be on your way.
NO

i guess the real question is "what does this have to do with anchor balls?" ;-)

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

.............. Not one person has been able to dream up some whacko scenario in which an anchor ball makes a pleasure boat safer or those around them safer. In fact, not having an anchor ball showing should make you safe from those who might be tempted to cut too close to an anchored boat.

Not only that, you might slip and fall while attempting to hoist the anchor ball!

[Kettlewell]

Not only that, you might slip and fall while attempting to hoist the anchor ball!

Yep, we'll need to start a new thread about the proper way to hoist your balls.

[ughmo2000]

Bought for $12.00 at Lowe's, a solar charged light designed for residential sidewalks.

Not only was it bright enough to read at night, I could easily identify my boat when returning at night.

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

...Not one person has been able to dream up some whacko scenario in which an anchor ball makes a pleasure boat safer or those around them safer. ...

It makes you safer from getting screwed by the lawyers in case of a collision with your anchored boat.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Yep, we'll need to start a new thread about the proper way to hoist your balls.

You seem to be focused on the size and position of other people’s balls rather than the big picture that we have international conventions for mariners that many chose to ignore.

Legally, that does put them at risk, whether you will admit it or not.

Some of the experienced cruiser’s here are trying to inform newbies that having, recognizing and using a day signal is of value.

If I happen to drop anchor near a busy approach, waiting for daylight and/or permission to enter... the anchor light/deck lights and day signal will go up to help my fellow mariner to make an informed decision at sunrise.

Why this navigational aid would be controversial to a few disgruntled yachtsmen…. is beyond me

[frant]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

i guess the real question is "what does this have to do with anchor balls?" ;-)

My intention is to have a black marker pen handy at all times. If rudely awakened by black ball police I will jump up, colour my balls black and proceed on deck with full display of black anchor ball (and a spare just to make sure)