Do you use a motor cone when motor sailing?

Quite apart from the Colregs motoring cones and anchor balls are required by the bylaws of Chichester harbour so vey common to see them there. Those who are residents always use them, only visitors now and then who don't.
 
I once got stopped by the Wasserschutzpolitzei - the wind was about 3 knots, and I'd just hoisted the main, when I heard the loudhailer behind me admonishing me for having no cone. 'It's just down below,' I said, lying through my teeth. Foretunately they'd disappeared by the time I came back up.
 
Spot the motoring cones. (All of them were motoring)

All pics taken within minutes. In the end got fed up as I had got better things to do. But the hypocrisy of some yachtsmen is staggering in that they will have a go at 'speeders' wash makers and other stinkie based crimes and then ignore a basic tenet of col regs because it is too much bother.

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Has this one got a cone up? No.

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This pair should be good. Or, maybe not.

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How about this one?

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Can't be bothered here.

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Nor here,

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No.

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And no again.

Oh well, it's only a very long and narrow stretch of water teeming with yachts. MOBO's and racing dinghies, so it probably doesn't matter much.

Incidentally, the far shore is where I was famously anchored once and was nearly run down by a very fast yacht, whose skipper shouted at me to "Have a care".

I think my anchor ball must of been hidden by the steam from the cup of tea I was quietly sipping while reading the paper.
 
Quite apart from the Colregs motoring cones and anchor balls are required by the bylaws of Chichester harbour so vey common to see them there. Those who are residents always use them, only visitors now and then who don't.

...not necessarily disagreeing - but in all the times I went out last summer I never once saw a motoring cone in Chichester Harbour - and it's the only place I sail... saw loads of anchor balls though.....

I've taken note of your comment about the bylaws though, so suppose I'd better try and get hold of one.. problem is I single hand most of the time and it's a right old faff to get it up and down..... :o
 
No I don't usually but will try to when it is busy (New Year Res). Isn't often busy round here though :)

I hoisted it when I went into Ostend for the first time but got a few " Ooooo look at you" comments from other forumites. I suppose motoring into a harbour with no sails up was a bit of a clue to other seafarers :rolleyes: Didn't bother the second time.

If you havnt got any sails up you dont need the cone
 
This thread has been a revelation. I've been quite mistaken about the Colregs all these years.
I thought they were obligatory! How can I have been so dense?

Now I understand! The Colregs are OPTIONAL!

It's keeping the main up under power that's obligatory, along with a sprayhood large enough to shut off half the view ahead.
Let's be sensible; you can't be expected to drop the main; leaving the cockpit after you've left flat water is too risky; you would have to climb around that sprayhood! And as for going to the foredeck, with a cone, in open water? - Downright irresponsible!

So why do the Colregs exist? Well, when there has actually been a collision, a court must have some recognised basis for determining who should pay up, or go to jail, for causing the damage, injury or death: otherwise insurance companies would be forever squabbling and wasting the court's time!

So that's alright then: don't need to bother with balls, cones, port or starboard, and all that stuff. Just need to be telepathic to read the other skipper's mind, or psychic in case it's not turned on.
And stay lucky!!
 
It's in the col regs, that's why, but I suppose it's ok to choose which regs to abide by, isn't it?;)

Seems to me that is exactly what more & more people are doing.
All we need is to get a bad reputation for seamanship & the do-gooders will have the perfect
reason for bringing in a Licensing system. Then what ? On the spot fines ?
 
No. But if there's anyone around who might end up in the same area of water, I'll make a clear 20 degree movement to indicate my intentions, so a collision confusion cannot arise and so I'm going out of my way to give way.

It is however there as clear as day in the Colregs, rule 25e, so I know I'm technically in the wrong here. It's just such a faff.

At night however, I will put on the steaming light as soon as the engine goes on. (In fact, I sometimes leave it on for periods when the engine goes off again too, but that's another story...)
 
When I heard the Gendarme on the VHF asking another yacht obviously motoring with the mainsail up (there was no wind and he was doing 5kts+ just as I was), what his motive power was, I nipped downstairs pretty quick to get my cone!
 
anchor ball...just so you know what one looks like!

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No pic's of us using a cone since we use it so rarely. We tend to sail or motor, if on passage might motorsail in which case it will come out,
 
Extrapolating the number of cone users from the proportion I actually see using them out on the water, EVERY single cone user in the UK must have posted on this thread.

The mainsail-only theory is a fallacy. I often sail on mainsail alone because of the nature of my rig. Anyone who chooses to presume right of way over me because of it is putting himself at serious risk.

I would say that use of anchor balls is around 30-50% but motor sailing cones under 1 in 1000.
 
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