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jackdale · 02-01-2010, 22:18

Can anyone tell me anywhere that rules 25(e) and 30(a) are observed or enforced?

I have never seen an inverted cone and only a couple of anchor balls which aside from commercial vessels were on megayachts.

Thanks

Jack

Philosophical · 02-01-2010, 22:29

Ditto for 5 years sailing the Maine coast and 10 years sailing the California/Mexico coast. Never seen either on a recreational vessal.

jackdale · 02-01-2010, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosophical

Ditto for 5 years sailing the Maine coast and 10 years sailing the California/Mexico coast. Never seen either on a recreational vessal.

Do you carry either one? Just asking. None of the boats I sail have them.

Tempest245 · 02-01-2010, 22:39

I spotted an inverted cone on a schooner on the LI sound, last year...I'm sure it was an inspected vessel......never on recreation boats.

I see the Balls all the time in NY harbor, on the big commercial ships....never on recreational vessels..

duncan_ellison · 03-01-2010, 03:18

I tried to buy both cone or ball last year in CT, RI, ME and mostly no one knew what the heck I talking about (!).

Usual response was "oh yes, those things, used to carry them, but there was no demand".

I carry both now (imported from England), but I've never seen either flown on any recreational vessel in LI / BI Sound, not even on my own vessel (ooops !)

Duncan

Sandyh · 03-01-2010, 03:26

Don't see them on recreational vessels down here either!

G'day

Albro359 · 03-01-2010, 03:57

We have balls but rarely use them !

s/v Moondancer · 03-01-2010, 04:10

Not enforced in the US where nobody would know what they were but we anchor with a ball at my wife's insistance...she is a USCG Capt. and feels that she would be held to the higher standard in any legal dispute. We will get the cone when we cross the Atlantic.

In the Caribbean at least a third of the cruisers anchor without lights!

sailorboy1 · 03-01-2010, 05:43

My boat came with a ball. Last year when I went to anchor it for the first time I found the thing all wrapped around the anchor chain so I took it off and stowewd it below.

markpj23 · 03-01-2010, 05:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

Not enforced in the US where nobody would know what they were but we anchor with a ball at my wife's insistance...she is a USCG Capt. and feels that she would be held to the higher standard in any legal dispute. ......

And that's exactly why I display the ball when at anchor.

Roaring Girl · 03-01-2010, 06:12

Blimey! In the UK, Portugal, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy we always use a light and always use a ball. If nothing else, your insurance won't cover you if you don't Also there is activity in the anchorages at night, and I would hate either to be crashed into or indeed crash into someone else. Not all nights are light: we went into Portoferraio in a heavy thunderstorm last year, and used lightening flashes to help orient ourselves. Other people's anchor lights were crucial.

The motoring cone is not much used in the UK or indeed in portugal - it's quite a good signal of a school boat in fact (along with everyone in lifejackets, and the white-knuckle grip on the wheel whilst coming alongside). In the Med we have seen it used extensively, particularly in France and Italy. Perhaps this is because the winds can be very fickle, and a lot of boats putter along with the sails up, ready to turn the motor off if there is a usable breeze. We have copied a number of other boats we've seen and now hoist the cone on a flag halyard from the mizzen spreader. It's tied off to the shrouds when not in use and can be hoisted or dropped very easily from the cockpit.

The point being that different places may view the use of dayshapes/lights differently.

svHyLyte · 03-01-2010, 08:13

One can be perfectly legal very inexpensively.

And:

See MariSafe - Boating products and services designed to make you safe, smart and secure

and MariSafe - Boating products and services designed to make you safe, smart and secure

The foregoing can be stored flat under the Navigator's seat or elsewhere until needed.

FWIW...

Reality Check · 03-01-2010, 08:41

I often see the ball on large MV's at anchor but never on private sailboats. I have a ball in the seat at the Nav Station and have used it twice when in a poorly noted anchorage with high traffic. Most of the mooring and anchorages in the Virgin Islands are reasonable noted on charts and in coves where thru traffic is generally not a problem.

As has been stated before, more than half the boat use no anchor lights. This does not bother me as much as the commercial carriers who run No Running lights or the Wrong Running lights in this area. Last week a commercial carrier came into Fat Hogs Bay, Tortola with Bright Green/ Yellow/ white/ Red and Blue lights all around the pilot house... the only lights visible on the boat except for a 360 white light at the rear... some 150 feet back and 40 feet lower.