A Plea For Decent Anchor Lights.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by rwidman

OK. I do have uninsured boater insurance. I suspect many boaters in my area do not have any insurance at all. That probably goes for most of the world as well.

You need to read CF more because then you would know those boats are insured, they are self-insured

this thread has become a bunch of 1-legged sailors in an ass kicking contest

[wtmf]

why not put your boats name in LED in different places on your boat?

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by Don L

You need to read CF more because then you would know those boats are insured, they are self-insured

Self-insured just means no insurance.

Insurance- coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Dennis.G

Self-insured just means no insurance.

Exactly.

[Timd_chapman]

Originally Posted by rwidman

You make a good point but your plea will reach only a couple dozen of the thousands, perhaps millions of boaters out there who anchor overnight. As long as the anchored boat's lights meet the legal requirements of the country where the boat is anchored, the responsibility of not hitting it is pretty much on the boater who is moving (assuming the anchored boat isn't anchored in the middle of a channel).

Three sailboats are anchored more or less permanently down river from my marina, perhaps 1/4 mile away. One has a nice bright LED anchor light, one has what is probably a legal anchor light, and one has one of the solar lights sold at Wal-Mart that's intended for marking walkways stuck to a vertical piece with duct tape (the boat has no mast). It's also anchored with cinder blocks on a rope and is moving ever so slowly downstream.

In my area, nobody seems to monitor anchor lights or even boat registration. A few times I've been away from home and anchored and had other boats anchor near me with no anchor lights whatsoever. I converted my anchor light to LED and it's pretty bright but I've never had the opportunity to inspect it at a distance from a dingy or another boat.

I plan my trips to anchor well before dusk. Not only so I can see what I m doing, but in case there's no room in the anchorage and I have to find another place to anchor. I understand that everyone cannot do this, but it makes it much easier and I believe, safer. If I need more travel time I leave earlier to give me more daylight time underway.

The next time I get the chance I will try to get an idea of how visible my anchor light and boat is in the dark from a low vantage point.

I don't think the COLREGS are nation specific, they're same for the whole globe.
I really don't understand why people seem to take pride in having the dimmest anchor light possible. If they've got issues with power consumption then the riding light is probably the least of their worries.
I swing an LED riding light in the fore triangle which is almost always the brightest in the anchorage and it consumes 1Ah per night. I always have it out for three reasons.
1. So I and others can see the boat,
2. So I don't get sued by anyone who hits me, (no specific nationalities mentioned here)!
3. So my insurance is valid.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The display of anchor balls varies significantly from country to country. In some parts of the world they are seen rarely, in other areas its unusual to see a crusing boat without one.
Personally I always display one, but I am not bothered if other yachts choose not to do so.(in contrast to my view on anchor lights). It is usually unambiguous if a yacht is anchored, or not.

On these threads there is always a long discussion on legal requirements.
The law does only specify minimium standards and I think many yachtsmen feel unduly smug and content compiling with these standards without properly considering that exceeding these legal demands can bring worthwhile gains in safety.

Absolutely. When I'm anchored I have garden lights on the stanchions around the stern. They make the cockpit pleasant and add additional lights to the boat that, while not described in any rules, clearly show the shape of the stern of a boat.

One night in December I was waiting well back of a bascule bridge until its opening time, and a Coast Guard boat actually came aside and asked me what I was doing. I told them I was waiting for the opening. They said, "Back here?" Well, all sorts of boats could get under the bridge between openings, and the minimum running lights can be remarkably hard to see in the dark against the background lights on land. One of the boats could have its running lights out and not realize it. At night I prefer not to wait close to the bridge. I would rather not be close to them in the dark when they come through.

That made sense to them and they left.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Dennis.G

Self-insured just means no insurance.

Insurance- coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

I thought obtaining insurance was mostly about protecting self against loss, whether caused by another, events or own actions.

Seems that some folks think the world should insure them.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I thought obtaining insurance was mostly about protecting self against loss, whether caused by another, events or own actions.

Seems that some folks think the world should insure them.

Insurance protects both parties involved in an incident. I don't know how it is in England, but here in the States, in most states all motorists are required to carry liability insurance. In Pinellas County the sheriffs have computer cameras that sit on their dashboard, automatically read license plates, and highlight for the officers any car whose insurance has lapsed, or if the license has been suspended. You no longer have to be pulled out for the police to know that you no longer have insurance (you have to have it to get your license tags here). Although technically you're supposed to carry your insurance card with the car, it's obsolete.

You won't be able to bunk your boat in any marina I know of without proof of liability insurance on your boat.

[zeehag]

the good thing about marinas in west fla is they do take a deposit instead of liability insurance.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by rwidman

In my part of the world I have never, I repeat never, seen a recreational boat displaying an anchor ball. Law, regulation, or whatever, it's just not done around here. Boaters in my area would not look for an anchor ball and would not know what it meant if they saw one.

Not everything is done worldwide as it is in your part of the world.

This boat just anchored next to us and I had to smile when I saw what they were quick to display:

[SimonV]

One thing, seeing a black balled boat moving backwards through the anchorage would I think raise suspicion. But then they may be in reverse and forgot to drop the ball.

[sailorboy1]

are you in violation of the rules if you have your ball up while dragging across the bay

[Timd_chapman]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Not everything is done worldwide as it is in your part of the world.

This boat just anchored next to us and I had to smile when I saw what they were quick to display:

You will find a lot of UK and Dutch boats with anchor balls as they're commonly used there, also large commercial vessels almost always display one.
I've been hanging one up for almost 30 years now so would find it hard to break the habit; also gives me something to hang the anchor light off.

[Timd_chapman]

Originally Posted by Timd_chapman

You will find a lot of UK and Dutch boats with anchor balls as they're commonly used there, also large commercial vessels almost always display one.
I've been hanging one up for almost 30 years now so would find it hard to break the habit; also gives me something to hang the anchor light off.

Would also add its one of the few bits of kit on the boat that's never packed up on me

[Kettlewell]

Or, you could do like all the inspected fishing vessels do in New England--permanently mount the day shapes for being in the act of fishing and show them wherever you go. Just mount the ball up the mast, and if anyone complains, tell them you are about to anchor, or you just pulled the anchor up--seems to work for the fishing boats.