Anchor ball displayed

Make it easy to display an anchor ball - I have one black, ball fender. I keep it for the bow and use it as a fender. At anchor it takes 30 seconds to move it to the bow rail. It is bigger than the minimum size of 0.6m but that doesn't matter. Comnplies with all the regulations and is multiuser.

This strikes me as a regulation that is not enforced for recreational boats because it provides little or no safety benefit.

In 40 years I have never had a LEO or the CG mention the daytime ball. Nor had a friend say it happened to them. Has anyone? (In the US only - I know it's enforced in Europe)

Can anyone provide details on a court or insurance case where the failure of a recreational boat to display the daytime ball made a difference?

For anchor lights - Rule 30(a) says the light has to be in the forward part. But for presumably everyone on this board rule 30(b) applies

"(b) A vessel of less than 50 meters 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."

Some state LEO (especially in Florida) insist that the anchor light needs to be at the top of the mast even though on a sailboat this is most certainly NOT where the light "can best be seen". A masthead light on a tall mast can be mistaken for a star or a light on a tower ashore.

Comodave said:

OK, how many here have vessels less than 23’?

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Mine is.

ssobol said:

Mine is.

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Just barely...

Had one and used it on the trawler. Don't have one and no place to adequately display one on this boat (see avatar). So like EVERYBODY hereabouts, I ignore the rule.

The black ball meaning anchored, moored or aground, display is international law (COLREGS Rule 30) not just US. Same for the black triangle flag required on sail boats that are motor-sailing to denote that they are under power boat rules (COLREGS Rule 25). In 60 years of sailing and power boat operations I have never seen either display on any pleasure boat.

ProMaritime said:

The black ball meaning anchored, moored or aground, display is international law (COLREGS Rule 30) not just US. Same for the black triangle flag required on sail boats that are motor-sailing to denote that they are under power boat rules (COLREGS Rule 25). In 60 years of sailing and power boat operations I have never seen either display on any pleasure boat.

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Well they are out there...there are some right here that display them regularly...granted not many but not seeing them mean they aren't out there.

Most of the time, US boaters are anchoring in waters that fall under inland and not international rules.


Plus...aground is 3 balls in a vertical row as far as I know



d) A vessel aground shall exhibit the lights prescribed in Rule 30(a) or (b) and in addition, if practicable, where they can best be seen; (i) two all-round red lights in a vertical line;
(ii) three balls in a vertical line.


and it's not a flag for sailboats...it's a steaming cone (dayshape) and I used to fly one of those too.


(e) A vessel proceeding under sail when also being propelled by machinery shall exhibit forward where it can best be seen a conical shape, apex downwards. ‹‹ A vessel of less than 12 meters in length is not required to exhibit this shape, but may do so. ››

Come sailing in the UK and you'll see inverted cones (not flags) used all the time. Not only is the inverted cone for sail boats under power a col reg requirement it is also enforced by various harbour masters with a fine. The inverted cone is very useful when boats still have their sails up and are using the motor. Those experts at col regs will no doubt know that a sailing boat under power obeys the same col regs as a power boat and does not have the priority accorded to boats using sails only. Invaluable in a crowded, busy harbour.

You will also see the black anchor balls in common use over here. Again useful in crowded anchorages, but perhaps not quite as useful as the inverted cone. Again some harbour master may choose to fine you if you don't have one (local bylaws).

I know of one anchored sailing yacht that was hit in daylight, was sued for not displaying the ball and lost in court. We always display an anchor ball and light when at anchor on both power & sailing vessels.

JOHN CLAYMAN said:

I know of one anchored sailing yacht that was hit in daylight, was sued for not displaying the ball and lost in court. We always display an anchor ball and light when at anchor on both power & sailing vessels.

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That is why I don’t understand why people don’t display the ball, it is cheap and easy to do. And if there is a collision your insurance company will appreciate it...

CarlF said:

This strikes me as a regulation that is not enforced for recreational boats because it provides little or no safety benefit.

In 40 years I have never had a LEO or the CG mention the daytime ball. Nor had a friend say it happened to them. Has anyone? (In the US only - I know it's enforced in Europe)

Can anyone provide details on a court or insurance case where the failure of a recreational boat to display the daytime ball made a difference?

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A few years back I read an article in one of the boating magazines (Sea, BoatUS, or such) that described the situation of a vessel striking a group of seven(?) boats all at anchor in the daytime, some with the dayshape and others without. The insurance did not pay (or paid a reduced amount) for the damages done to the boats failing to fly the dayshapes.

While LE may not actively enforce it, following the regulation makes good sense from a liability perspective, IMO.


Someone earlier mentioned sound signals being misunderstood, which reminded me of a funny story. I was helping as crew for an acquaintance, with decades of experience, on a test-run of the new outboards on his power cat a couple years ago. On the return to the marina, a Washington State Ferry had just departed the terminal and was approaching our port side, about to pass us, so the ferry sounded two blasts. I was waiting for the skipper I was helping to return the signal when he turned to me and said, "The ferry captain saw me slow down so he was thanking me."

It is unfortunate that almost no one understands sound signals. Most people just wave at you. However we sound them when we feel they are needed even if the other person doesn’t understand the signal. That way I have upheld the nav rules and they are supposed to understand the signals. So my liability will probably be less, hopefully.

I bought the 12" ball. I'll stick on a 2' staff in the pulpit flag pole socket.
I'm trying to develop and maintain high operating standards.
Maybe that will keep me out of trouble sometime...
That approach worked in flying for me...

Anchor ball

I’ll be honest ... I can’t recall EVER seeing one in 50 years of boating in the PNW. I’m sure that I have, but it just didn’t register. This seems like one more CYA requirement. If a skipper needs this to realize that a vessel is indeed anchored, he probably shouldn’t be at the helm. I might, however, just hoist one from now on because of the litigiousness waters we must all now navigate. Common sense is not as common as one might presume.

Knot Fast said:

I bought the 12" ball. I'll stick on a 2' staff in the pulpit flag pole socket.
I'm trying to develop and maintain high operating standards.
Maybe that will keep me out of trouble sometime...
That approach worked in flying for me...

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Your regs call for 0.6 meter, not sure why metric but that is near 2 feet, why did you get a 1 foot ball

Yes the regs do call for .6 meter or just under 24” in diameter. I ordered some 24” black beachballs that cost under $5 each. I am going to secure a S/S D ring to one and give that a try. Bought a couple spares in case the D ring comes off the beachball.

"Product Overview
The internationally recognized signal for a boat at anchor, this black ball is 11-7/8" in diameter, made of PVC, weighs just 1 pound and folds flat for storage. For vessels less than 15 meters in length."

This is from the West Marine web site. I bought a 30 cm ball 2 years ago for my 28' trailer trawler but had forgotten why 30 cm and not larger.

Walked into the West Marine in St. Augustine looking to buy one. Their web site stated the had the Plastimo 30 cm (11 7/8") ball in stock. Bright eyed kid/employee approached and I asked for an anchor ball. He asked back "does it attach to the anchor? Second eager kid/employee asked "you want an anchor in the shape of a ball?" Located the manager who said contrary to their website it was a special order item. Okay, enough with West Marine that day. Ordered it on the internet. I don't recall West Marine being the source of regulations at the time but it is what I ran across this morning.

The specified size is 0.6 meters / 2 feet, but on smaller boats, they allow it to be reduced relative to the size of the boat. So for many boats on here, the cheap 1-ish foot folding balls are fine.

Comodave, where do you display yours?
BD

I have a flagpole on the tip of the bow rail. It has clips to attach the flag so I just use one of the clips to attach the ball to the flag pole. The nav rules say put the ball in the forward part of the boat.

rslifkin said:

The specified size is 0.6 meters / 2 feet, but on smaller boats, they allow it to be reduced relative to the size of the boat. So for many boats on here, the cheap 1-ish foot folding balls are fine.

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Where in the nav rules does it say you can use a smaller ball? The only reference I could find says .6 meter. It may be hidden somewhere I didn’t see but the only place I saw a size it said .6 meter.

Mark Laurnen said:

I’ll be honest ... I can’t recall EVER seeing one in 50 years of boating in the PNW. I’m sure that I have, but it just didn’t register. This seems like one more CYA requirement. If a skipper needs this to realize that a vessel is indeed anchored, he probably shouldn’t be at the helm. I might, however, just hoist one from now on because of the litigiousness waters we must all now navigate. Common sense is not as common as one might presume.

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My guess is you weren't looking carefully like most recreational boaters. Many in my classes never recall seeing many important things required in captain licensing.

Ever weave through/past an anchorage of tug/barge combos where some were anchored and some were not? You would appreciate anchor balls then.

No, they are no more a CYA than any rule. With enough experience you would know why.

Shouldn't be at the helm? I guess I am one of them.... vessels that are anchored in a good current and decent wind may have their anchor chain on the hidden side and your decision to maneuver around them and other traffic might be based on if they are anchored or not....I have had plenty of instances where anchor balls are useful. The current makes a bow wake similar to slow ahead underway.

I will bet my on the water common sense and using all available means and tools to stay safe over most recreational boaters. I vote for using anchor balls....plus it IS a regulation.

Comodave said:

Where in the nav rules does it say you can use a smaller ball? The only reference I could find says .6 meter. It may be hidden somewhere I didn’t see but the only place I saw a size it said .6 meter.

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Annex 1

6. Shapes. Return to the top of the page

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

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

(b) The vertical distance between shapes shall be at least 1.5 meter‹s›.

(c) In a vessel of less than 20 meters 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.

Ok, I missed the reduced size part, thanks.

Comodave said:

I have a flagpole on the tip of the bow rail. It has clips to attach the flag so I just use one of the clips to attach the ball to the flag pole. The nav rules say put the ball in the forward part of the boat.

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Thanks. I do have a small flag pole on the bow, but it's holding my TF burgee! I don't want to obscure that for ANY reason!

I'll look into doing something similar. Thanks for the tip.
BD

psneeld said:

My guess is you weren't looking carefully like most recreational boaters. Many in my classes never recall seeing many important things required in captain licensing.

Ever weave through/past an anchorage of tug/barge combos where some were anchored and some were not? You would appreciate anchor balls then.

No, they are no more a CYA than any rule. With enough experience you would know why.

Shouldn't be at the helm? I guess I am one of them.... vessels that are anchored in a good current and decent wind may have their anchor chain on the hidden side and your decision to maneuver around them and other traffic might be based on if they are anchored or not....I have had plenty of instances where anchor balls are useful. The current makes a bow wake similar to slow ahead underway.

I will bet my on the water common sense and using all available means and tools to stay safe over most recreational boaters. I vote for using anchor balls....plus it IS a regulation.

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I have to acknowledge, while I was certainly aware of the use of dayshapes, I never had done that and I wouldn't know the difference between them. But when my captains were piloting through Mobile and up the rivers they were constantly checking for them on work boats around us. They definitely used them as part of the information they were using for decision making.

I had to laugh at one comment - "I guess you are restricted maneuvering when you've got a diamond between your two balls!"
BD

In my 30 plus years of boating and anchoring out darned near every weekend plus vacations, etc., I can't recall ever seeing more than one or two anchor balls displayed.
That covers cruising anchorages and looking at thousands of boats.

(c) In a vessel of less than 20 meters 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.

I guess that leaves out the tennis ball I just spray painted black.

rsn48 said:

(c) In a vessel of less than 20 meters 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.

I guess that leaves out the tennis ball I just spray painted black.

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It would probably be ok on a dinghy...