Anchor Balls

[Kettlewell]

I've been boarded and inspected by the Coast Guard four or five times, including offshore, and the Mexican Navy, the Florida marine patrol, and local sheriffs! One of the joys of cruising extensively for many years. The CG was only interested in my overboard discharge stickers, upt to date flares, lifejacket count, and CG documentation papers. The marine patrol and police just my CG documentation or boat registration. The Mexican Navy was most interested in our CG documentation and where we had been and where we were going. The only supposed moving violation ever mentioned was once in Florida in the ICW after we had been continuously waked by large sportfishing boats thundering up the narrow channel. The police boat ignored all of them and pulled me over for excess speed on a sailboat motoring at 6 knots in a 5mph zone, shortly after we had been passed by numerous large powerboats doing 30 or more. They let me off with a warning. Once in awhile we have called the CG to report an instance of serious dangerous speed or behavior. Like the time we took green water over our 38-foot boat in the ICW that soaked the interior due to a wake. Their response was "has anyone been injured or is your boat in imminent danger?" Otherwise they will do nothing. It would be a serious miscarriage of justice if marine authorities started ticketing people for no anchor balls when people are doing actual dangerous stuff on the water that might get someone killed.

[MicHughV]

Havta agree with Kettlewell here. Having been boarded countless times by various authorities, I have never been asked to show anchor balls, motoring cones, etc. My worst ever " infraction" was having an out of date fire extinguisher....still fully charged, but a week or so beyond the stamped date. They seemed to be more interested in stowaways hiding in my engine room than anything else.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Havta agree with Kettlewell here. Having been boarded countless times by various authorities, I have never been asked to show anchor balls, motoring cones, etc. My worst ever " infraction" was having an out of date fire extinguisher....still fully charged, but a week or so beyond the stamped date. They seemed to be more interested in stowaways hiding in my engine room than anything else.

I wonder what on earth it is you have to do to have been boarded "countless" times.

I have lived on boats for 25 years, sailed many tens of thousands of miles on east and west coasts of the USA and from Grenada to Nova Scotia, and done many deliveries outside those regions. NEVER have I been boarded in the USA, once in the Bahamas, and, That's it... I must look honest.

I would point out that NOTHING in the rules requires you to CARRY an anchor ball. Or any other dayshape. Just as you do not have to have functioning lights if you are not sailing at night. You just have to USE them when required.

I have no idea how many US states have incorporated the COLREGS into their statues by reference, and I really do not care... I know I am not going to talk anybody into using an anchor ball if they think it is silly... and none of you will talk me out of it.

I just wonder... if you feel the overwhelming need to justify why you don't use it, maybe that says something?

[carstenb]

Interestingly, after 40,000nm and 8 years over a fair bit of the globe-

we have been boarded once in the US - Westchester County boat police stopped us on the Hudson river after noticing our Danish Flag on the stern. They work with CBP and checked our papers. They did not want to check anything else saying,,You ocean going boats carry so much equipment that I haven't any idea what is - I'm sure you are safety compliant.

Stopped by the French Navy in Polynesia - checked our papers said have a nice day

Otherwise we've never been boarded or even had a visit on board by a customs agent. Every country has just waved us in.

We do have (and use) an anchor ball and inverted cone but then we both have certification and I have a commercial certificate so we really have to

[noelex 77]

The enforcement of the use of day shapes is very country specific. As a long distance cruiser the best policy is to always adhere to the international collision regulations, irrespective of the local enforcement, or lack there of.

Conforming to regulations can be particularly important in the rare situation of a serious event, such as injury or death. If a jet ski, tender, or local boat, slams into your hull, killing the operator while you are at anchor in a foreign country you don’t want part of blame shifted to your vessel because you failed to display an appropriate and legally required day shape.

These can be serious charges that may incur jail time for even partial blame. Local authorities have a habit of being sympathetic with local residents. Conforming to the letter of maritime law (rather than what is tolerated in your home location) is I think is sensible, especially when an anchor ball is so easy to deploy.

[s/v Jedi]

I have a story about how weird litigation can be: a cruiser arrives in Bequia and decides to wait until the next morning for checking in.

That night, in the dark, a completely drunk local crashes his jet ski into the yacht and kills himself.

Investigation showed the yacht was correctly showing the anchor light but they were still found liable. The reason was that they shouldn’t have been there at all, as they were not checked into the country.

[MicHughV]

Couldn't say why I have been boarded so many times by CG and others ( customs, drug police, etc) both during the day and night.
It was never an issue, the boarding party was always very business like, efficient and prompt.
Maybe it was my unkempt 'ole beard , ratty t-shirt, shorts and straw hat I always wear that provoked their attention

[wsmurdoch]

I found another picture of us with our anchor ball up. This time it's at Big Majors Spot in the Bahamas. The riding sail is up so we must have been expecting a bit of wind.

[gbillman]

It's not about safety. It's about legal ramifications regarding insurance and liability.

[TPG]

I know there's a joke for this somewhere.....

[hukilaumike]

The only boats I've seen displaying anchor balls in my area (LIS) are superyachts. This beauty was anchored outside of Branford, CT this past July. Haida 1929. We were aboard a friend's 20 foot center console runabout and were heading back in at sunset. I thought it would be a good idea to go up to the boat and ask if they had any Grey Poupon. We decided the crew looked too young to get the joke.

[merrydolphin]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

^^^^I disagree.

For one, people who see it will make the assumption that you are anchored, and that makes it easier for others to anchor in your anchorage, which we all have to share or go far afield.

If you survive the situation where your boat is hit while flying an anchor ball, and the person who has done all the damage is taken by you to a marine court, it will affect favorably the portion of blame which is assigned to you.

We personally have a friend, whose boat was struck at night, and what kept her out of jail, was that other people could testify that she flew the anchor ball in the daytime, and the vessel was correctly lit at night, actually had 2 lights, one lower down that illuminates the cockpit, and the all round white in the forward part of the rigging on her classic timber yacht. Her legal hassle, due to the parents of the two deceased lads in the motor boat that struck her, was considerable. From my point of view, something I would not want at all to undergo. Since then, we have been meticulous about our displaying ours.

Ann

What you say makes sense. However, the chance of the average PWC driver knowing that any “day signal” even exists is pretty slim, let alone what they mean. I must admit, I don’t usually use one. I do have one of those folding ones on board though. So if I ever “feel” the need, it’s there.

[Goodxcharly]

Never heard of them till now. Interesting.
I’ll have to take a closer look next time out.
I do have a anchor light. )
In fact there is a couple freighters anchored out n the bay. I’ll grab my binocs and check.

[Mike Crothers]

Have you ever wondered if a boat was anchored? How did you figure it out? You looked to see if they had an anchor line, maybe a half inch of white line which could be hard to see. How nice it is to see a black anchor ball and know for sure!


So lawyers aside, rules aside, I use an anchor ball as a courtesy to my fellow boaters and if they don't know what it is for they can always ask.



The fact that using a ball could save my ass in a courtroom is icing on the cake.

[David Mathis]

We routinely use an anchor ball, one of the plastic ones that are two piece and stow flat. The only problem with our powerboat is it has no rigging from which to fly the ball. I called the Coast Guard to ask for a solution and was told to do the best we can to hang it as high as practical so we hang it from the bow rail when we have wind and from the antenna if conditions are calm. Occasionally, someone will ask what it is. Perhaps it should be mentioned in the boating safety courses.