A Plea For Decent Anchor Lights.

[JPA Cate]

A little way back, someone asked whether the anchor ball tells you something you might want to know. I'd say, yes, it can. For instance, you are coming into a place where you are allowed to anchor. However, there are many moorings in closer to shore. The moorings have less scope on them than you will need to anchor near them, but safely clear. My anchor ball tells you that I am at anchor, not moored, and you'll need to give my vessel more room because of the greater scope.

Perhaps someone else here can give a better example.

I have actually seen power boats with an anchor ball displayed, usually on a support near the bow, and up about 3 or 4 feet from the deck, so some do use them.

[JPA Cate]

Don,

Get some purple paint, spray it on the lens of the light! Why not? ;-)

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Don,

Get some purple paint, spray it on the lens of the light! Why not? ;-)

It has crossed my mind. I wonder what color that would really look like (bet it wouldn't look purple)?

[noelex 77]

Don you need to tell the cruise ships about not displaying coloured deck lights.

Blue is reasonably unambiguous as far know it can only be mistaken for refuelling. If other boats want to anchor further away because they think you are refuelling thats OK, although judging from some comments in this thread my anchor ball is already working well in this regard.

A light to distinguish your boat is not a bad idea. It means you can pick your boat out from a multitude of others when ashore.
Something to light up the cockpit/boarding area is also useful for security.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Don you need to tell the cruise ships about not displaying coloured deck lights.

One dark night I spent 4 hours getting closer to a multi-colored light wonder, all the time wondering what the hell it could be before finding out it was a big party cruise ship. They were way out in bay like 20+ miles and I wondered what type of "party" they had going.

It turned out to be like a lobster pot float out in the open all by itself, meaning it was magnetic to fiberglass and I sailed right up to it (you know because if there is only 1 pot float for miles your boat will drive right over it).

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Don L

It turned out to be like a lobster pot float out in the open all by itself, meaning it was magnetic to fiberglass and I sailed right up to it (you know because if there is only 1 pot float for miles your boat will drive right over it).

I thought all lobster pot floats where attracted only to bronze props.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Always a puzzle to me that some tend towards the attitude that others are there to make own life easier.......

I would always proceed on the basis that there will always be some unlit boats (and shore obstructions - jetties and rocks etc) when coming anywhere near shore. But if heading into an anchorage then pretty much guaranteed. And if the anchorage is marked on a chart then that is an easy heads up.

Which IMO makes the answer simple - use a spotlight, and own decklights if you have them. Ruining own nightvision? not if you are looking where the beam is!, and when pointed where the boat is headed the fact you can't see astern is not a big deal (and if you do want a quick peek / reminder then simply move your arm!). The trick is not to be moving at warp factor 10.

Have never used radar to enter an anchorage / avoid boats (or anything!) less than 30 foot away - and can't see me ever being comfortable with doing that....even if I did have a radar capable of doing that.

And of course their is the old fallback position - if not comfortable entering somewhere, then don't (night or day), that's what Plan B's are for....I don't see relying on others (in this case to light themselves up) as ever prudent - and in the case of anchorages pretty much doomed for dissapointment!

Of course also prudent to have own light(s) when anchored - just in case someone comes in at night at warp factor 10, under sail and blind or using the power of wishful thinking. And no harm if you hear someone coming in to flick on own decklights / open up a few curtains until they are safely anchored.

I would also suggest that if returning by dink to own boat at night to carry a torch and don't be shy about pointing it at any moving boats (and against others) - they might not all have hot poop radar guidance systems onboard.........

Well said. This says it all.

[Kettlewell]

A little way back, someone asked whether the anchor ball tells you something you might want to know. I'd say, yes, it can. For instance, you are coming into a place where you are allowed to anchor. However, there are many moorings in closer to shore. The moorings have less scope on them than you will need to anchor near them, but safely clear. My anchor ball tells you that I am at anchor, not moored, and you'll need to give my vessel more room because of the greater scope.

Technically, a boat on a mooring is "at anchor," and therefore by law should be showing the ball too! In Marathon, Florida, they enforce the anchor light rules on moored boats too.

But, if you are close enough to be worried whether or not someone is on a mooring or at anchor you should be able to tell easily enough by just looking to see if there is an anchor ball. At least within the USA a mooring ball is required by law to have a blue stripe around its equator.

[noelex 77]

Apologies in advance for the lack of scientific control and consistency with the photographic evidence.

This catamaran has entered the anchorage today. unfortunately it did not anchor behind the shore lights, but this photo gives you some idea of the difference in visibility with a bright deck mounted light.

As well as the much greater visibility against a background of shore lights illuminating the superstructure makes distance judgement much easier than with an isolated single light point.

I do wonder if the light shown provides adequate 360 degree visibility, but combined with say a masthead light it provides far better protection.

[Bash]

While I don't personally find masthead lights hard to see, enough people seem to think so that I supplement my anchor light with a few solar-powered tiki torches.

Makes for a lovely ambiance, if nothing else. And you never have to remember to turn them on.

Regardless of how you're lit up, when I enter an anchorage at night it's with the radar active. That way, the ball is always in my court, at least in the sense that your screw-up doesn't become my screw-up as well.

Where I most appreciate anchor lights is when I get up in the middle of the night to make sure I'm still where I want to be in relation to other boats in the anchorage. At that point, masthead lights are most appreciated. Kudos to all who run them.

[Kettlewell]

Where I most appreciate anchor lights is when I get up in the middle of the night to make sure I'm still where I want to be in relation to other boats in the anchorage.

During a 56-knot chocosana (sudden cold wind off the mountains) down in the San Blas a big Amel dragged anchor and was coming right towards us, but then began circling us under power, which they proceeded to do throughout the storm. It was rather nerve wracking sitting there with the wind screaming, pitch black outside, and this boat circling around and around, but we were completely encircled with reefs--there was no way that guy could go anywhere in the dark. Later he came over and said, "Thank God for your masthead anchor light--it was the only thing that kept us off the reef."

[zeehag]

Technically, a boat on a mooring is "at anchor," and therefore by law should be showing the ball too! In Marathon, Florida, they enforce the anchor light rules on moored boats too.

except for designated anchorages---and mooring fields are designated anchorages. no shape nor lighting necessary in DESIGNATED anchorages(mooring fields...)

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by zeehag

mooring fields are designated anchorages.

Actually Z, that's not true.

In the USA, "Designated anchorages" have to be officially identified and designated by the USCG, and there have been relatively few so designated. A list is here: the part A list of 33 CFR: designated anchorages. Just general garden variety mooring fields that are not on this list are NOT official designated anchorages.


--------------------------------------------

Title 33: Navigation and Navigable Waters
CHAPTER I: COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER I: ANCHORAGES
PART 109: GENERAL
109.10 - Special anchorage areas.
An Act of Congress of April 22, 1940, provides for the designation of special anchorage areas wherein vessels not more than sixty-five feet in length, when at anchor, will not be required to carry or exhibit anchorage lights. Such designation is to be made after investigation, by rule, regulation, or order, the procedure for which will be similar to that followed for anchorage grounds under section 7 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 4, 1915, as referred to in ? 109.05. The areas so designated should be well removed from the fairways and located where general navigation will not endanger or be endangered by unlighted vessels. The authority to designate special anchorage areas was transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Homeland Security by section 902(j) of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-241, 120 Stat 516), and delegated to the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1. The Commandant redelegated the authority to establish anchorage grounds to each Coast Guard District Commander as provided in 33 CFR 1.05-1(e)(1)(i).

[Kettlewell]

except for designated anchorages---and mooring fields are designated anchorages. no shape nor lighting necessary in DESIGNATED anchorages(mooring fields...)

Again, that would make sense, but is not the letter of the law. These rules are only relaxed within "Special Anchorages," which are only in certain places as designated by the USCG, and only on inland waters. The term "Special Anchorage" is a specific area, so delineated in the U.S. Coast Pilot and on U.S. Charts within the USA. Nowhere else in International Rules do the regular anchor shape and light rules get relaxed, except for vessels under 7 meters. There are tons of mooring fields not located in Special Anchorage Areas.

CHAPTER I: COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

SUBCHAPTER I: ANCHORAGES

PART 109: GENERAL

109.10 - Special anchorage areas.

An Act of Congress of April 22, 1940, provides for the designation of special anchorage areas wherein vessels not more than sixty-five feet in length, when at anchor, will not be required to carry or exhibit anchorage lights. Such designation is to be made after investigation, by rule, regulation, or order, the procedure for which will be similar to that followed for anchorage grounds under section 7 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 4, 1915, as referred to in ? 109.05. The areas so designated should be well removed from the fairways and located where general navigation will not endanger or be endangered by unlighted vessels. The authority to designate special anchorage areas was transferred to and vested in the Secretary of Homeland Security by section 902(j) of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-241, 120 Stat 516), and delegated to the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard in Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1. The Commandant redelegated the authority to establish anchorage grounds to each Coast Guard District Commander as provided in 33 CFR 1.05-1(e)(1)(i).

[USCG-2007-27887, 72 FR 45902, Aug. 16, 2007]

[downunder]

Originally Posted by frant

Mr Jedi, I have got no great desire to go back to the Carribean. But are you talking about flying black balls as a safety issue or as a means of avoiding a bunch of pedantic rule mongers from issuing infringement notices. There is a difference. Once upon a time they used to drop balls and fire cannons at Grenwich for time keeping purposes, now you can lookn at an atomic clock on your GPS. Black balls in the rigging are largely a result of ancient maritime signals that have been superceded by such things as digital radar, AIS transponders and other wonders of the 21st century. So yes get a sense of humor and reflect that you may just well be a pedantic stickler for the rules.

Despite all the modern gadgetary which are aids to navigation visual clews and lookout are still or even more appropriate these days with more vessels in our waterways and anchorages.

If you know and understand the COLREGS (many recreational boaters don't) and carry day shapes it is your decision not to use them. That many boaters are unaware of the COLREGS does not make it correct.

To me someone displaying an anchor day shape indicates an understanding of the regs and a level of professionalism and will tick the boxes in the event of an incident.

Its your choice not to display.