Do you use a Daytime Black ball at Anchor?

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by StuM

How on earth do you get that from the Rule as quoted?

There is NOTHING there to support your contention.


The only mention of a "vessel less than 50 m" is:



"A vessel of less than 50 m 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."


i.e. one light instead of two. No mention of not displaying the ball.

Thank you, I misunderstood the grammatical context of the ‘or’.

OK, ball is required then. I suppose we could start using the one on our boat even though no one else does here (NZ), as habit forming for whenever we get somewhere they’re enforced.

Same for life jackets in the dinghy and all the other things that get ignored. Sigh.

On another topic, very cool underwater anchor hatch on that super yacht. Much prettier than hanging even a SS anchor off that bow.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I read it the other way. From my Guide Pocket Book to IRPCS



"The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore or aground"



So a vessel attached to a mooring bouy must be underway. After all what about a modern drill platform that uses dynamic mooring to remain stationary.

Dynamic mooring is just fancy jargon for using thrusters to maintain a fixed location over the seabed that is too deep to anchor in.

I expect the folks doing it would be happy to be considered at anchor but we won’t really know until there’s a collision and the matter is adjudicated.

[El Pinguino]

'Dynamically Positioned' - or DP - ships may or may not be stationary over the seabed... drill ships and dive support ships typically are.... things like 'side stone droppers' used for armouring pipelines often in quite shallow water are not.


They all show the R-W-R or the equivalent day marks for a "vessel restricted in their ability to manoeuvre".... plus sidelights if appropriate.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Dynamic mooring is just fancy jargon for using thrusters to maintain a fixed location over the seabed that is too deep to anchor in.

I expect the folks doing it would be happy to be considered at anchor but we won’t really know until there’s a collision and the matter is adjudicated.

Rigs on DP will be showing RAM when drilling, when just holding position they are classed as a vessel underway, same goes for any other DP vessel....

Same same for the vessels i work on, if we are just maintaining position (even when loading/unloading cargo) we are classed as a vessel underway, if on the other hand we are involved in operations that restrict manoeuvrability then obviously RAM, can't say i have heard of anyone who would be happy to be considered at anchor, except here that is.....

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by fxykty

OK, ball is required then. I suppose we could start using the one on our boat even though no one else does here (NZ), as habit forming for whenever we get somewhere they’re enforced.

Some of us in NZ do

[Exile]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Rigs on DP will be showing RAM when drilling, when just holding position they are classed as a vessel underway, same goes for any other DP vessel....

Same same for the vessels i work on, if we are just maintaining position (even when loading/unloading cargo) we are classed as a vessel underway, if on the other hand we are involved in operations that restrict manoeuvrability then obviously RAM, can't say i have heard of anyone who would be happy to be considered at anchor, except here that is.....

Or perhaps a "vessel underway not making way." Yes, that's also part of the Rules but can't remember where. And I mainly just posted this to see if Simi60 was still onboard.

[truthman]

I always like to consider the purpose of a rule. I believe the Idea is that vessels under way will see the black ball against the sky and know that the anchored vessel is not moving and is not a collision threat.
If someone does hit you while at anchor, you can say you were following ALL rules if you were displaying the black ball.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Please don't take offense or be on the defense if I have the pretense to take license with our dialog.

I hope you will not be a skeptic and will consider us an unshakable good neighbors and recognize my sense of humor and please do not over analyze when I endeavor to apologize.


Cheerio.

None taken and the sense of humour quite similar from my experience of visits to the USA. However, whilst playing pool with a group of redneck lumber jacks in Whistler one night I offered them a "fag". Christ, there was nearly a bar brawl until we were able to explain that "fag" is a colloquial English word for cigarette.

However, I cringe when the spell checker on the forum tells me off for using the word "colour"

I also struggle when diving in the US with cylinders Cu feet of air and depths in feet for deco tables. All very confusing. The metric system is just so much easier.

However, you guys need to sort the port and starboard marker colours out. Perhaps have a states wide painting weekend, changing green to red and red to green. Shouldn't take too long and be all sorted by Monday morning.

As for nuts and bolts, I can't find 5/16 nuts for my Trojan batteries locally

[kmacdonald]

43 pages and 638 posts on anchor balls? I know it's been a long winter but...........................

[Adelie]

640 posts with your post and mine.

Any COLREGS question will get beat into the ground here. I thought you’d have noticed that by now.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Pete7

None taken and the sense of humour quite similar from my experience of visits to the USA. However, whilst playing pool with a group of redneck lumber jacks in Whistler one night I offered them a "fag". Christ, there was nearly a bar brawl until we were able to explain that "fag" is a colloquial English word for cigarette. [emoji2]

However, I cringe when the spell checker on the forum tells me off for using the word "colour"

I also struggle when diving in the US with cylinders Cu feet of air and depths in feet for deco tables. All very confusing. The metric system is just so much easier.

However, you guys need to sort the port and starboard marker colours out. Perhaps have a states wide painting weekend, changing green to red and red to green. Shouldn't take too long and be all sorted by Monday morning.

As for nuts and bolts, I can't find 5/16 nuts for my Trojan batteries locally

You do know Whistler is in Canada - Canada is not the US.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by StuM

If you are "med moored" in a harbour/marina are you anchored or moored?


How about at anchor in a bay with shorelines run to convenient rocks/trees etc?

Ha, good questions. Ah, a bit of both and the perhaps at times the best of both.
IMHO.

If you secure at anchor, you are moored.

If you secure to land [or a dock, quay], you are moored.

If you "Med or Tahitian" moor your vessel is positioned to lie normal to the dock, wharf or quay; most typically it seems being at anchor on your bow [either secured to a permanent anchor or secured with use of your dropped temporary anchor] which securing then invokes the status of being moored at the bow, and simultaneously moored at your stern. All though some vessels chose to position so as to lie normal with bow secured towards dock or wharf in harbor and at anchor on the stern; to each their own. Vessels that don't back well would seem to favor bow entry, especially under adverse conditions.

It seems in the Nordic inland waters to be quite popular to be secured at anchor on your stern and to moor to land at your bow and to deploy a convenient ladder from the pulpit / bowsprit to ease access to land.

Hmmm, I am wondering if there are specific terms or phrases that denote a distinction between the stern towards land, or the bow towards land mooring configurations. Please advise, would love to learn the proper nautical terminology.

I'm gonna get me some black balls for my boats. I'll endeavor to hoist them before hoisting the Gin pennant. Although I suspect the Gin pennant will be the day signal that is most noticed and which invokes keener response and action. It's fun to be the boat that has many dinghies tied up to it.

[Apollo366]

Earlier it was mentioned that West Marine had smallish black anchoring balls, the y do not the only ones in their catalog are 24" in Dia. about 0.6 meter, and cost $139 US.

They may be sold elsewhere at fisherman's stores for much less, and maybe smaller.

If I'm at an anchorage that uses them I'll paint an old radar reflector black & use it.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Pete7

None taken and the sense of humour quite similar from my experience of visits to the USA. . . .

However, you guys need to sort the port and starboard marker colours out. Perhaps have a states wide painting weekend, changing green to red and red to green. Shouldn't take too long and be all sorted by Monday morning.

Well at least the color / colour of the anchor ball is not an issue as to added confusion. Black is black.

But as to markers being Green Red or Red Green, it makes no difference to about 8% of American men who are colorblind. A lesser proportion of ladies are colorblind, but the ladies are the genetic carriers.

Traffic signals and navigation markers all are just indistinguishable muddy shades of green. Begs the question: What color or colour is a stop sign? The unique shape is the key attribute and the wording helps if you know the language.

See pictures below to gain experience of what it's like to be red / green color blind.

The American Football games between the Buffalo Bills & New York Jets are truly tortuous for red / green colorblind viewers. Reference picture of the two teams below and then link to the video here to see in action what the colorblind audience sees.

https://twitter.com/i/status/664999107870625792


Hmmm, how do the mariners from countries that drive on the port side of the road manage to navigate a vessel port side to port side, I would think their instinctual inclination would be to desire to steer to arrange starboard to starboard when passing head on. I suppose that is how you might notice a newbie sailor from those countries.

I know I have to be extra vigilant when driving in such left side drive countries to not inadvertently pull to the right [a.k.a. my proper] side of the road, and when turning at an intersection, or as to traversing a roundabout; it being especially great fun to go the incorrect direction at a roundabout [or circus] - doing such freaks my British clients out when I visit and drive for them in London. They be like: Stop the car! We are changing drivers, now. And of course, I then pull over to park on the right side, instead of the left side to exchange positions, amplifying the error. Once I did such purposefully and all in jest mind you. Never do I get to not hear about that incident. Need to pick up the COLREGs for Yank drivers booklet at the car hire. I recall the first time I rented a car in England and the clerk asked whether I desired a stick shift or an automatic. I thought about it, thinking through how I might perform using an unaccustomed hand to work the shifter and then I thought about the pedals and was left wondering if the clutch would be operated with the right foot instead of the left foot and if the accelerator and the brake pedals were also ass backwards. Terrifying to consider that. I said I'll take the automatic please. But then asked how the pedals were positioned just to clarify my perception. During High School, I took the driver's training class with a car that was equipped for quadriplegic persons where one used your right hand to work the accelerator and brake pedals and steered with your left hand, but also could work the pedals with your feet. It was great experience to also learn to drive like a couple of my school mates who were Vietnamese and had been paralyzed from war injuries.

And sometimes when I am in England it feels like I'm going up the down staircase when I am walking about town or in hallways - "Oopsie daisy! Sorry, . . . Pardon me, . . . Excuse me." Instinctively giving way the wrong way. Definitely making a mess of things when transiting the crowded Underground stations. And I have learned that my head has to be placed on a swivel before walking across a road. In Montana it is customary for cars to stop to allow a pedestrian that is showing any intent to cross, so as to allow the pedestrian to cross safely, not so much in England. I have learned to not just step out when traffic is head my way as the drivers definitely are not habitual or disinclined towards yielding; well sometimes they will at zebra markings but certainly not in the middle of a block.

Oh, and you can count on it that I will always try to enter the wrong door of the car whether I am the driver or the passenger. But I do know the difference between the boot and the bonnet.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

43 pages and 638 posts on anchor balls? I know it's been a long winter but...........................

Dang I forgot to hoist my black ball!

Well once the anchorage thaws, I'll be sure to display such. Wouldn't want an ice boater to run into my moored vessel.