Do You Always Show an Anchor Light When Anchored?

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Has anybody else seen red anchor lights?

Only around working girls

[GaryMayo]

Our lake had an accident recently where a powerboat, at dusk, pealed the whole top off a Catalina 27. Pealed it clean off! 8 people sent to the hospital ( I will interpret for our English friends) {sent to hospital} and three people stayed over a week. Lucky no one was killed.

I will be going out decorated like an Xmas tree if that is what it takes to be seen. I think the small LED solar yard lights on the stanchions is a great idea, except for the bugs they attract.

[jackdale]

This case might be of interest:

This case arose out of a collision at night between two pleasure craft, one of which was at anchor. At the time of the collision the anchored vessel was not displaying the all-round white light required by the Collision Regulations. The accused was the owner/operator of the anchored vessel. The accused said that he only learned the anchor light was not working the night of the collision and attempted but was not able to repair it. He left an interior bathroom light illuminated in place of an anchor light. The Court found that the accused had not used due diligence in that the accused could have returned to a dock rather than stay anchored without a proper light. The accused was convicted.

The full finding - CanLII - 2008 BCPC 52 (CanLII)

[zeehag]

ahnchor light is white. some folks use blue funky lights in cockpit. they are not visible for any distance but do prevent panga hits....no red ones. ever. red is a nav light not an anchor light.

[Nostrodamus]

Originally Posted by [I

GaryMayo;964992]Our lake had an accident recently where a powerboat, at dusk, pealed the whole top off a Catalina 27. Pealed it clean off! 8 people sent to the hospital ( I will interpret for our English friends) {sent to hospital} and three people stayed over a week. Lucky no one was killed[/I].

I know what you mean about hospitals. They were lucky to still be alive after a week in one.

I will be going out decorated like an Xmas tree if that is what it takes to be seen. I think the small LED solar yard lights on the stanchions is a great idea, except for the bugs they attract.

A good point about bugs. Now if those bug electrocuting lights also come in white and also prevent anyone unwanted human visitors at night.

[barnakiel]

We show the top light. Then we leave a light in the cockpit too - just to make sure the latecomer has a light at their eye's height.

True top mast anchor light are not all that great in many instances.

b.

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Nostrodamus

What about an anchor ball. As has been mentioned most boats that anchor during the night do seem to have at least the mast head light and usually more but seeing a cruising boat at anchor in daylight with an anchor ball seems to be pretty rare. Having said that the boat near to me hung a big round fender in a dark sock from his jib lines. I presume this his his version of an anchor ball but I may be wrong.

We have one but have never used it. We either have anchored in designated anchorages or out in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. It was always curious why a black ball up a halyard said "anchored" . If a boat is anchored or just not moving- I still need to avoid them. I never looked up its origin. What am I missing?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

We have one but have never used it. We either have anchored in designated anchorages or out in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. It was always curious why a black ball up a halyard said "anchored" . If a boat is anchored or just not moving- I still need to avoid them. I never looked up its origin. What am I missing?

I quite agree that the actual need for the anchor ball is hard to see, but the rule exists, logical or not for small boats like us. So, we have for the past couple of years been hoisting the damn thing. Isn't a big issue, and if one is unfortunate enough to be hit during daylight whilst at anchor it gives you the high legal ground.

On occasion I have forgotten to strike it when moving about, and have wondered what the official view of moving while displaying the ball might be?

Cheers,

Jim

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Nostrodamus

So why don't you have to show one when moored up to a buoy.

We re currently in a town bay which has a scattered mixture of mooring buoys and places to anchor. I will have my anchor light on tonight but you won't see one on any of the boats swinging round the buoys even though they are smaller and harder to see.

I have thought about solar lights but most have insufficient brightness required and a lot do not last through the night.

I suggest you get a copy of rules of the road or other suitable training book as you might select for receiving a coast guard credential or other similar documents. In there you will learn all about anchor lights, mooring fields, nav lights, fog signals, horn signaling, rights of way, identification of vessels at night, navigation aids, charting, dead reconing and much other useful data to keep you safe and to help you avoid the fickle finger salute.

[Nostrodamus]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I suggest you get a copy of rules of the road or other suitable training book as you might select for receiving a coast guard credential or other similar documents. In there you will learn all about anchor lights, mooring fields, nav lights, fog signals, horn signaling, rights of way, identification of vessels at night, navigation aids, charting, dead reconing and much other useful data to keep you safe and to help you avoid the fickle finger salute.

Across here in Europe it may be slightly different.
The designated anchoring spots are more for larger ships.
As i mentioned I was anchored the othr night behind a harbour wall a stones throw from the town. All around were mooring buoys and not one boat on them was lit in any way.
In the last year or so in cruising from the UK down to Spain I have yet to see and anchor ball and don't get me onto motoring cones, especially when a yacht is moving without sails...

[sww914]

Yes, always. I don't want to get run into, it interrupts my sleep.

[markpierce]

There seems to be confusion here about "special" and "general" anchorages in the USA. Rule 30(g) says "A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special anchorage area designated by the Secretary, shall not be required to exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule." While there is a score or so designated anchorage areas in the San Francisco Bay Area, I'm aware of only one special anchorage: Richardson Bay. So, just because you are in a designated anchorage, it's unlikely you're exempt from showing an anchor light/shape.

[mdvick]

Originally Posted by Bash

I always use an anchor light, even in a designated anchorage where one is not required. When you get up to check your anchor in the middle of the night, you'll appreciate that the other boats are lit up--makes it much easier to determine whether there has been any relative change. Why not return those other boats the same favor?

(BTW: We may be using terminology differently here. To me, "marina" is a place where you tie up to a slip and where anchoring is not permitted.)

+++11! Absolutely - Positively!!

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by Nostrodamus

What about an anchor ball. As has been mentioned most boats that anchor during the night do seem to have at least the mast head light and usually more but seeing a cruising boat at anchor in daylight with an anchor ball seems to be pretty rare. Having said that the boat near to me hung a big round fender in a dark sock from his jib lines. I presume this his his version of an anchor ball but I may be wrong.

That is an interesting point... ALL vessels are required to display an anchor ball shape during daylight hours (Rule 30), but you seldom see uninspected vessels doing it. Also most marine law enforcements agencies don't enforce the rules on recreational, unispected vessels.

I carr one and when anchored in areas where there is a lot of traffic, use it.

Here is my opinion on navigational lighting, including anchor lights.

First, the Rules were written for standardization. Meaning that when you see a certain light you assume it is correct, because that the law, just like recognising a stop signs shape.

By changing your navigation lights to what you believe is better or more visible will more than likely confuse the viewer...

For instance someone turning on a strobe light instead of an anchor light, causing the viewer to think there is an emergency... or my favorite, running Navigation lights in combination with a tricolor, causing the viewer to assume there are two boats instead of one.

With new modern LED lights, no one should anchor without an anchor light. My light is 63 feet off the water and is brightly visible in a 360 degree arch (It is an OCRA Green)

No one would confuse it with a star, because it brighter and no one would miss it because you can see the light from almost 2 miles away and up to within 15 feet of the vessel.

Especially in areas where there are nighttime fisherman, I augment the anchor light with solar lights along the rails.

The final thing to remember is most maritime accident investigations are decided on applicable rules... If you are required to do something and don't, you will be held liable...

In the USA or Canada, that might mean getting ticketed, sued or in the most extreme cases going to jail.

For cruisers in foreign countries like Mexico, where Napoleonic Law is practiced, you will be thrown in jail first and they won’t care if you thought something was a better idea than when International Laws required an anchor light.

Fair winds

[zeehag]

HERE IN MEXICO i have seen many cruisers without anchor ights, even with mexican authorities passing regularly. the only thing to watch out for here is the pangeros and their speeding thru the anchorages which used to be their fishing grounds. they do NOT look up--cockpit lighting IS a decent and reasonable replacement here for the silly light at top of mast no one is able to see against the backdrop of city lights of puerto vallarta , bucerias, mazatlan, and other cities with anchorages near.
i have seen NO ONE detained nor even looked at twice for failing to use anchor lights in mexico.