Day Shapes

[dazzyfm]

Probably a bit of a daft question as I know know that day shapes are not widely used by many these days. In all my years of sailing, I was taught to hoist the black ball shape when at anchor during the day. My understanding is that the same rule applies to motor boats, but how do you practically display an anchor ball on a motor vessel. All the shapes at chandlers appear to be designed for hoisting on a halyard.

 

[mm42]

On one boat recently we hoisted the anchor ball by attaching it to a long boat hook and clipping that aloft with some bungies

 

[Portofino]

View attachment 74667
Like this .
View attachment 74668
Made a hardwood clamp for a fwd bow cleat .

 

[dazzyfm]

Great idea, thanks

 

[dazzyfm]

Thanks. Looks like a very professional job. I assumed it had to be high up, never thought of having it on the deck.

 

[jfm]

Anchor balls are widely used in med. it’s Brit boaters who don’t use them . Mine is on a carbon fibre tube that clicks into a socket at the bow but there are many ways to skin this cat

 

[MapisM]

Thanks. Looks like a very professional job. I assumed it had to be high up, never thought of having it on the deck.

Actually, as I understood from a former navy officer, the anchor ball should be hoisted above the point where the anchor chain goes down in the water - i.e. at the tip of the bow, typically.
I don't think that the height matters a lot, as long as it's well visible, of course.
Anyway, as jfm said, you can find different ways to skin this cat on a mobo.
If by chance yours has a raised guard rail at the bow (like mine does, as well as another well known forum boat visible in the background), you can use it as below.
Though that's an arrangement which was more popular among some old school Italian builders - not very common these days.

 

[john_morris_uk]

There’s nothing in IRPCS about having the anchor ball above the chain. Was this ‘ex naval officer’ a long retired engineering officer perhaps?

The rule just says ‘in the fore part where it is best seen’.

Anchored vessels and vessels aground.
(a) A vessel at anchor shall exhibit where it can best be seen:

(i) in the fore part, an all-round white light or one ball;

(ii) at or near the stern and at a lower level that the light prescribed in paragraph (i), an all-round white light.

(b) A vessel of less than 50 metres in length may exhibit an all-round white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule.

 

[Alanij]

I have a short rail-mount flagpole from Force4 at the bow, the ball shape can be clipped to it using a small spring carabiner.

 

[MapisM]

There’s nothing in IRPCS about having the anchor ball above the chain. Was this ‘ex naval officer’ a long retired engineering officer perhaps?
The rule just says ‘in the fore part where it is best seen’.

Well, retired he is, but after a whole life spent in bridges of naval units, his last command being on an air defence destroyer, if that matters.
Though I for one disagree with your hint that the competence of engineering officers ends when they close the e/r door behind them.

Regardless, maybe mentioning the anchor chain was simply his way to explain to a sunday boater like myself the logic why the ball is supposed to be hoisted "in the fore part where it is best seen", considering that the practical difference is as close to nothing as it can be.
In fact, if you don't mind me calling a spade a spade, your comment strikes me as an attempt to dismiss someone else's view by saying exactly the same thing in a semantically more appropriate way, with no added value whatsoever and for reasons that I can't understand.

In a nutshell, Dazzyfm "assumed it had to be high up", and I replied that it's correct to place it at the bow.
Now, remind me what your point is, exactly...

 

[Portofino]

Thanks John M for clarifying the rules .
I did think reading this from MapisM in post #7 that he was saying that because the bollard i use is NOT over the anchor then technically i,am mounting it wrong .The bollards are 1- 1/2 M further aft .
That’s how I read it because he was replying to dazzyfm ,s complimentary comment to my solution .


Quote Originally Posted by dazzyfm

“Thanks. Looks like a very professional job. I assumed it had to be high up, never thought of having it on the deck.”

Then MapisM said ......
“Actually, as I understood from a former navy officer, the anchor ball should be hoisted above the point where the anchor chain goes down in the water - i.e. at the tip of the bow, typically...... “


Mines further back for ease of simplicity as I do not want to spoil the originality look of the bow area by attaching a bracket or drilling a hole to attach a pole / anchor ball - if what a MapisM implied “ above the point where the anchor chain ...” etc .
is correct .

The rules John M kindly posted clearly allows sensible latitude of the fore / aft placement , it’s not a more precise spot implied by MapisM .

So the two posts John M ,s and MapisM,s I interpreted as NOT to “ saying the same thing “ .

 

[BruceK]

Ah, it must be after Gin 'o clock

My boat has a mounting point for one on a post right on the end of that pulpit where the anchor drops down. Maybe it was just a convenient place to put it as my radar arch is a sod to reach without a ladder.

You can just see where the post slot in up front

 

[MapisM]

I did think reading this from MapisM in post #7 that he was saying that because the bollard i use is NOT over the anchor then technically i,am mounting it wrong .The bollards are 1- 1/2 M further aft .

Blimey PF, talk about hair splitting. I'd be curious to hear if anyone else read my comment as
1) simply meant to confirm that the ball doesn't have to be "high up", OR
2) that 1 meter or whatever makes any difference.
Assuming that anyone else is reading this by now done to death debate, that is. :ambivalence:

 

[MrB]

Anchor balls are widely used in med. it’s Brit boaters who don’t use them . Mine is on a carbon fibre tube that clicks into a socket at the bow but there are many ways to skin this cat

#Boatlevitationbadassery :encouragement:

 

[petem]

I think a post asking a BMW owners what purpose indicators serve would get more responses .

 

[jfm]

Strange argument, though fwiw I am on john morris’s side in that the retired officer was simply wrong if he was referring to a rule but perfectly fine if he was merely expressing his preference.

(The rule quoted is, incidentally, yet another example of bad use of unclear English but that’s a separate rant of mine!)

 

[Piers]

Play d'eau has a stainless pole which fits in the jack staff.

 

[East Cardinal]

Ah, it must be after Gin 'o clock

My boat has a mounting point for one on a post right on the end of that pulpit where the anchor drops down. Maybe it was just a convenient place to put it as my radar arch is a sod to reach without a ladder.

You can just see where the post slot in up front

May be a trick of the light, but, looks like your boat is aground Bruce!
Maybe 3 balls need to be displayed��

 

[john_morris_uk]

Well, retired he is, but after a whole life spent in bridges of naval units, his last command being on an air defence destroyer, if that matters.
Though I for one disagree with your hint that the competence of engineering officers ends when they close the e/r door behind them.

Regardless, maybe mentioning the anchor chain was simply his way to explain to a sunday boater like myself the logic why the ball is supposed to be hoisted "in the fore part where it is best seen", considering that the practical difference is as close to nothing as it can be.
In fact, if you don't mind me calling a spade a spade, your comment strikes me as an attempt to dismiss someone else's view by saying exactly the same thing in a semantically more appropriate way, with no added value whatsoever and for reasons that I can't understand.

In a nutshell, Dazzyfm "assumed it had to be high up", and I replied that it's correct to place it at the bow.
Now, remind me what your point is, exactly...

Who am I to cross swords with a former Commander of a Destroyer.

However your assertion that he said, 'the anchor ball should be over the chain' is open to misinterpretation. If he was interpreting IRPCS to say that it's normally in the f'ward part of the vessel, then fair enough, but why didn't he say that? The trouble is that the printed word (on the screen) makes it look like its gospel and the RULE and I was merely pointing out that it isn't the rule...

I certainly was't trying to pick hairs and I suspect that if he and you and I were in a conversation about where to put the anchor ball, then no misunderstanding would have taken place.

And the answer is, "up the front end, where it is visible..."

And having spent the thick end of twenty two years serving with RN ratings and officers, I have nothing but the greatest of respect for most of those who are commissioned. However, the first and last IRPCS test that an engineering officer (or many other branches) does is when he or she is in training. After that, they leave all that sort of stuff to the great unwashed on the bridge. No slur intended against RN officers in general but the vast majority who are Weapons Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Supply Officers Pilots, Observers, Drs and Dentists and Padres etc have no hands on knowledge of IRPCS...

 

[East Cardinal]

"After that, they leave all that sort of stuff to the great unwashed on the bridge."


Surely you mean the "Executive" branch, John!!