Anchor Ball

[dunedin]

As a matter of interest (to me at any rate), does anyone know anything of the history of the ColRegs, ie when they were first introduced and by whom, and how were the various rules decided on?

Presumably Great Britain, as the major maritime power, played a large part in formulating the rules and getting them widely accepted.

Yes … International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea - Wikipedia

 

[dunedin]

About 70% of boats in Newtown Creek were displaying their balls last week. And some of the rest must have been on buoys.

Wow, as that is a busy place there were probably more anchor balls hoisted there that one day than I have seen in the past 3 years in total in Scotland (including over a hundred nights on anchor, even in busy anchorages like Loch Aline).
I can see their point if anchoring in a flowing river or main channel, but most anchorages here are bays and patently obvious that boats at anchor, so only school boats and very occasional private yacht (invariably also with a Scottish courtesy flag hoisted) seen with them. Definitely the exception not the “rule” here.

 

[Biggles Wader]

I was being slightly flippant.

We too carry a spherical ball fender - but it is a bit large, actually very large - it is actually intended as a fender and small fenders are pretty useless. You certainly would not miss it.

But such a large 'anchor' ball is surely ostentatious - intending to send some sort of message....? My anchor is better than yours...



Jonathan

My anchor held well last time I used it.
Was it just a fluke?

 

[sailaboutvic]

So how about this professional charter boat ,
His anchor ball up , but is he obeying the rules ?

 

[sailaboutvic]

A better photo .

 

[franksingleton]

Not disagree with you Frank but you can't say on one hand it's the rules to have an anchor ball up so everyone should use them and on the other hand say it an inconvenience to put up a cone when the rule say you should .
Anyway let the argument go on as for us while we in the inland waters of the Netherlands we shall put up our anchor ball , when we remember .

That is the conundrum. Do Coleegs override good, safe seamanship?

 

[scottie]

But mine is better than yours ???

I’ve swallowed mine!

 

[ProDave]

Okay lets pose this question.

A row of moorings attached to the seabed. the boats moored on those don't need an anchor ball. So if I then drop my hook next to the moorings, what makes it confusing to other mariners that I must hoist the anchor ball yet they are not confused by the boats on moorings?

 

[Roberto]

Okay lets pose this question.

A row of moorings attached to the seabed. the boats moored on those don't need an anchor ball. So if I then drop my hook next to the moorings, what makes it confusing to other mariners that I must hoist the anchor ball yet they are not confused by the boats on moorings?

It might warn others you have 2X - 3X -4X the swinging circle of moored sailboats? Useful indeed in places with reversing tides, example inside Morbihan gulf there are lots of organised mooring areas, before anchoring next to one of them better check who has a white buoy in front of him and who doesn't / or has an anchoring ball

 

[awol]

Is it really so hard?

 

[NorthUp]

Okay lets pose this question.

A row of moorings attached to the seabed. the boats moored on those don't need an anchor ball. So if I then drop my hook next to the moorings, what makes it confusing to other mariners that I must hoist the anchor ball yet they are not confused by the boats on moorings?

Moorings are, or should be, charted.

 

[sailaboutvic]

This is turning out to be a load of balls

Photo taken to day in #44 and 45 although he had a anchor ball up , he wasn't anchored but slowly drifting in very light wind while the clients where swimming and playing with there toys .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Moorings are, or should be, charted.

Where did you get that from ,
There hundreds and thousands that are not

 

[Poignard]

Yes … International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea - Wikipedia

Fascinating reading. Many thanks for that link.

 

[NorthUp]

Where did you get that from ,
There hundreds and thousands that are not

Yes, mine is one of them (not charted)! Lots up in Scotland are though, usually the old HIDB ones, and any laid and paid by officialdom, eg the navy

 

[Neeves]

So a warship (or any ship, on a fleet mooring, that may or may not be marked, does not need an anchor buoy nor anchor light(s) but one at anchor does need, all of these things.

Sometimes laws lack logic.

Jonathan

 

[Poignard]

Moorings are, or should be, charted.

I think it would be difficult to justify the enormous cost of anything so pointless as surveying and charting every small craft mooring in the world; and then having to update charts every time a new mooring was laid or an existing one removed.

 

[NorthUp]

I think it would be difficult to justify the enormous cost of anything so pointless as surveying and charting every small craft mooring in the world; and then having to update charts every time a new mooring was laid or an existing one removed.

From chart 5011:

 

[sailaboutvic]

Yes, mine is one of them (not charted)! Lots up in Scotland are though, usually the old HIDB ones, and any laid and paid by officialdom, eg the navy

Just for reference and I'm not having a go but we cruised from one end of Europe to the other including N Africa country and I can tell you there hundreds of thousand of mooring that are not charted and I'm not only talking private mooring .

 

[NorthUp]

Just for reference and I'm not having a go but we cruised from one end of Europe to the other including N Africa country and I can tell you there hundreds of thousand of mooring that are not charted and I'm not only talking private mooring .

I don't doubt you for a second, it was a reply to Prodave in post 48- I'm well aware that the vast majority are not and never will be charted (or notified to the Crown Estate ?).
It's a forum, I just threw it into the mix! Sorry for missing a smile on the original post