Anchor Ball Needed?

What should be on the Foredeck?

  • 2 semi naked Bimbos (Himbos???!!)

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  • Olympic size swimmingpool

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Yes it is important IMO, and personally I always do it.

It could be argued that it is an unecessary hassle in a defined anchorage, but having once nearly had a collision with a yacht anchored near the side of a channel for fishing, while I was running under poled-out sails, I am very pro. (The bow wave caused by 3kn of tide made it look like he was motoring against the current, and I was the stand-on vessel).
 
There is a choice missing.
The third choice should be "Do you actually use it?"

I have had one for years but never yet seen an appropriate situation to use it - even outside the UK. I made the cone at the same time and I actually used that last year. Mind you it was half a day before I twigged that I'd got it the wrong way up! At least you can't dio that with the ball.
 
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There is no specified size so what ever is convenient to make and stow should be adequate...

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You may wish to note the following, taken from Annexe 1 of the ColRegs.

6. Shapes

(a) Shapes shall be black and of the following sizes:

(i) a ball shall have a diameter of not less than 0.6 metre ;
(ii) a cone shall have a base diameter of not less than 0.6 metre and a height equal to its diameter;
(iii) a cylinder shall have a diameter of at least 0.6 metre and a height of twice its diameter;
(iv) a diamond shape shall consist of two cones as defined in (ii) above having a common base.

(b) The vertical distance between shapes shall be at least 1.5 metres.

(c) In a vessel of less than 20 metres in length shapes of lesser dimensions but commensurate with the size of the vessel may be used and the distance apart may be correspondingly reduced.

My emboldening.
 
I am adding this post to the thread, as it is very important to keep up the numbers on anchor ball and motoring cone threads.
 
Re: Anchor Ball Needed? ... What about NUC and Aground then?

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so you would need to carry TWO round balls!

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Isn't it three for aground?

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Gold star for that student! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

nr_Rule30d2.gif
 
Re: Anchor Ball Needed? ... What about NUC and Aground then?

But look a bit more closely and you are not required to show the 'aground' signals if you're less than 12m long.
 
99% of boats never display an anchorball. Sure there is lots of scaremongering with Colregs, insurance etc. but that still hasn't changed what that 99% really do.
 
I always display an anchor ball when required. I think that people who don't are saying "The rules don't apply to me" It's the thin edge of the wedge. First anchor balls and motoring cones then anchor lights at night. Soon people will be disregarding other regulations and all the colregs will become devalued.

If you are a good seaman you would use them.
 
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99% of boats never display an anchorball. Sure there is lots of scaremongering with Colregs, insurance etc. but that still hasn't changed what that 99% really do.

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I can't agree with your 99%. I'd say that at East Head (Chi) on a busy summer weekend you will find well over 50% showing a ball, even though noone could be in any doubt about the fact that they were anchored. In fact I'd say the proportion showing an anchor light all night is rather lower which I find much more worrying.

Vic
 
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when moored to one of the many publicly provided mooring bouys that are laid in groups of 3-5 in popular lunch stops.

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We are planning a trip to the Haringvliet later in the year and are interested to learn about public mooring buoys. Where are they and can they be used for overnight stops? Haven't seen any further south where we tend to sail.
 
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There is a choice missing.
The third choice should be "Do you actually use it?"

I have had one for years but never yet seen an appropriate situation to use it - even outside the UK. I made the cone at the same time and I actually used that last year. Mind you it was half a day before I twigged that I'd got it the wrong way up! At least you can't dio that with the ball.

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Appropriate situation? anchored is pretty appropriate perhaps, and oddly enough, I do use it, it,s not really difficult to comply. Bill.
 
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99% of boats never display an anchorball. Sure there is lots of scaremongering with Colregs, insurance etc. but that still hasn't changed what that 99% really do.

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Scaremongering! Very responsible, seamanlike, post, Admiral, SORRY admirable. DON,T ASK ME OR MINE TO CREW, sKIPPER!
 
Morgana Says "Yep, that fits with my experience.... I can almost forgive someone for not displaying an anchor ball (although I don't agree with not doing), but to not put an anchor light on is completely unforgiveable... "

Absolutely. The very first time I entered Cowes it was October and very dark. I made the turn to port into the river a bit too early..my fault...and nearly collected an entire row of moored keelboats that were all but invisible. I'm not denying my own culpability in getting it wrong, but if the odd one had been lit i'd have at least smelt a rat. We didn't hit anything or drag any mooring ropes as it happens, but it was a bit of a brown trouser moment. I can understand the keelboats not being lit, but it would have very helpful if they had been.

Tim
 
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Yep, that fits with my experience.... I can almost forgive someone for not displaying an anchor ball (although I don't agree with not doing), but to not put an anchor light on is completely unforgiveable...

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We live aboard, 12yrs, and spend most of the summer normally, at least, anchored.
Without a GOOD anchor light on I COULD NOT turn in, it,s a mystery to me, how anyone could be so stupidly oblivious, to the danger to themselves and their crew and others. But we see it often!!!
 
I was trying to state an observation - so many people don't use anchor balls that it can no longer be used as a meaningful signal - it's like a law that is not upheld, it ain't a law no more. No matter how right or wrong that is, it is a fact that we all live with and use our common sense to deal with.

I actually have an anchor ball, but will only use it when it may not be clear that I'm anchoring eg. somewhere like the Tregier river when the anchorages are effectively in the fairway. To my mind this is the real purpose of an anchor ball, to make it absolutely clear you are at anchor, when there could be cause for confusion. Like others I think an anchor light is far more important than a ball.

What I do find quite amusing is that in a crowded anchorage if one person puts a ball up others tend to follow out of guilt or something; the very situation where it's bleeding obvious that people are anchored.
 
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