Colin,
according to Belgian acquaintances made last couple of weeks, the Belge authorities require you to show a cone on a sailing vessel regardless of sail or not, if you happen to be motoring. Summat to do with keeping locks open....
Not in the colregs, but if thats what they want!!
But in that case motor boats will have to have one as well, because even though my boat has masts and sails, according to the MCA, she is a motorboat, because my masts are too short???
Just thought some more about this, it's ridiculous! Who says what is a motor boat and a yacht, seen lots of motor boats with steadying sails, the more I think about it, the more stupid it gets!
I reckon there's nothing wrong at all. A large bat-like creature seems to have ben caught up in the forward rigging. OR, the skipper is expecting incredibly bad weather very soon and has rigged a tiny (black) storm sail.
The conditions are clearly extreme /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and the vessel is motorsailing (all canvas down and proceeding under engine and bare poles).