Do use Day Shapes

[Training Wheels]

I see lots of boats with anchor balls. Oh wait, maybe those are radar reflectors?

[hugosalt]

Here in NE waters of the US have very rarely seen an anchor ball and not in years.
Been following this thread for a while...and this past Friday, sure enough, around the corner from my mooring in Manhasset Bay spotted this big old salty cruising boat at anchor
displaying his black anchor ball.
Maybe I just have not been paying enough attention...

[markpierce]

Invariably, whenever a fuel barge is anchored in Carquinez Strait in the designated general anchorage between Martinez and Benicia, the black ball is always displayed.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Naturellement, he gives five very loud, short blasts on his horn. I thought it meant "get the f out of my way! Right now!". Only later, did I learn it meant "You are sailing into danger!"

Actually it means "your actions/intentions are unclear" or "I feel you're not taken sufficient action to avoid collision". Colloquially, it's known as the "wake-up!" signal, typically meaning "I'm standing on, waiting for you to manoeuvre - get on with it" or as is the case dealing with mafi/wafi types: "stop f-ing moving about, and let me avoid you."
There is another signal that says "you're standing into danger" - that's morse U (..-) - you might hear that near an oil rig.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Actually it means "your actions/intentions are unclear" or "I feel you're not taken sufficient action to avoid collision". Colloquially, it's known as the "wake-up!" signal, typically meaning "I'm standing on, waiting for you to manoeuvre - get on with it" or as is the case dealing with mafi/wafi types: "stop f-ing moving about, and let me avoid you."
There is another signal that says "you're standing into danger" - that's morse U (..-) - you might hear that near an oil rig.

In the universe I inhabited when applied to small craft it meant 'get out of my way or die you dickhead!!!'

5 blasts is actually covered thus 'When vessels in sight of one another are approaching each other and from any cause either vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of the other, or is in doubt whether sufficient action is being taken by the other to avoid collision, the vessel in doubt shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle'.... and then you should be looking at doing something about it muy pronto.. not just blowing your hooter.....

The size of day shapes used to be covered by Annex I .... diameter of balls, cylinders and the base of cones was .6 metres, vertical distance between each shape was 1.5 metres..... ships of less than 20 metres could be of reduced size but 'commensurate with the size of the vessel'......

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

There is another signal that says "you're standing into danger" - that's morse U (..-) - you might hear that near an oil rig.

Oh I know that one well. I spent several hitches on a drilling rig in the North Sea with the foghorn right next to my bunk. Try sleeping during the day with that blasting every few minutes by your ears then working a 12hr night shift for 2 weeks.

I was so glad when the fog lifted the day before my helicopter home arrived

Keiron

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

In the universe I inhabited when applied to small craft it meant 'get out of my way or die you dickhead!!!'

Once I sounded it purely with the intention of getting as many witnesses as possible in case my full astern movement didn't keep me from crushing a daysailer that made a suicidal turn to cut across my bow as I was approaching a fuel dock, constrained on either side by pilings. So it can have many uses.

[topmast]

When you hear the five blasts maybe examine your own position .It may or mayn't be tolling for thee, At canoe cove near Sidney the clear passage requires quite a dogleg coming north. The large power boat following the sailboat tooted the signal. 5 guys on deck think it's get outa the way. and give the finger. Having failed to turn, the rocks stopped her within a foot or two Quit a show as bow went down,stern went way hi and all met with the anchor winch.