Do you use a Daytime Black ball at Anchor?

[sy_gilana]

This old bone refuses to go away.
I always have my ball up at anchor. In fact my anchor light hangs off it.
I always fly my inverted cone when motor sailing when in sight of other vessels.
Saying "nobody else does" only undermines Colregs, by which we live, every day, all day.
I also have flown Ball-Diamond-Ball with flag Delta, and other vessels made my maneuver to come alongside stern to, without engine, much easier.

[C420sailor]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I'm going to ask you and the others claiming to follow the law (COLREGs).

The COLREGs require you to sound a long blast of the horn when leaving a slip and three shorts when in "reverse propulsion" (backing out of a slip).

Do you do this?

Do you do this if it's six o'clock in the morning and other people are sleeping on their boats?

Be honest, now.

Don’t forget the horn blasts when crossing within a HALF MILE or overtaking another vessel.

I need to start selling air horn cans to these guys. They must maintain a locker full.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Anders

Not much for them to enforce in the UK with no registration, no mandatory license, no mandatory equipment, legal to empty toilet in tidal waters etc.

Indeed! Land of the free . . .

[ChrisJHC]

Re sound signals - I assume you’re referring to Rule 34?
If so, you should go back and read it again.

You are only required to sound those signals “when manoeuvring as authorised or required by these Rules”.
For example, if you’re the give-way vessel (and power), then you should sound the signal if you are required to change course or operate astern propulsion.

I assume the rationale is that a large cargo ship may change course slightly but sufficiently to avoid the stand-on vessel, however that may not be immediately obvious to the eye. Hence it is backed up by the sound signal.

The Rule would not normally apply just because you’re backing out of a slip or changing course.

Local rules, of course, may apply.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I'm going to ask you and the others claiming to follow the law (COLREGs).

The COLREGs require you to sound a long blast of the horn when leaving a slip and three shorts when in "reverse propulsion" (backing out of a slip).

Colregs (the IRPCS) do not require this - this is an Inland Rule. The Canadian rules have one similar for PDvessels over 12m:

34(k)In the Canadian waters of a roadstead, harbour, river, lake or inland waterway, a power-driven vessel of 12 metres or more in length that is leaving a dock or berth shall give a signal of one prolonged blast unless
(i) the vessel is a ferry making a scheduled departure from a dock or berth from which more than six daily scheduled departures are made,

(ii) the visibility is not less than 3 miles, and

(iii) the master of the ferry has used all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if the signal is needed for a safe departure and has determined that it is not.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Don’t forget the horn blasts when crossing within a HALF MILE or overtaking another vessel.

I need to start selling air horn cans to these guys. They must maintain a locker full.

In most places you don't signal to overtake except in narrow channels. Inland is a different story. But in the US it's a crap-shoot if anyone follows the signal rules at all. After running the Ditch from Norfolk to Morehead and not once getting an overtaking signal, was more than a little surprised when we got one in Charleston harbor - one of the harbor ferry/cruise boats. It was way off, but I responded as is required by the rule. I have a pump-up can, but am thinking of mounting a loud-hailer and using the VHF's horn function, as the little can is only good for 5 short blasts. And I find I need to use that particular signal more often than once, particularly in US waters

[C420sailor]

Most of us yanks would be like ‘why is this guy honking at me?’

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Of course. In common use both sides of the Atlantic. Is worldwide accepted regulations, no exceptions. If you don’t abide then hope nothing happens because a collision will put blame on the anchored boat that has failed to show the mandatory signals.

Pictured in post 830 seems too small. Then why not hoist a black tennis ball?

[sailingabe41ds]

Thirty years of sailing in the Channel Islands in So California and I do not remember anyone putting any ball red, white, blue...or black in any anchorage, anchor lights at night...yes.
Horns coming out of a slip ..forward, backwards, sideways...rarely do I hear any horn. Those little air horn cost money and I am on a strict budget. However, if they come out fast and cross my path....I horn them to death ( not sure if that is in the COLREG rules or not, but it is in my rule book).

Abe

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Ron - that was my point as well, the rule is open to interpretation and if an enforcement officer wants to assess a fine for an infraction then they will be able to do so due to the "fuzziness" in the rule. An anchorage could be an area where other boats are anchoring or where the local chart shows an "anchor" symbol.

The Rule is not Fuzzy, your understanding of it is.
Suggest you invest in a book like this or many others, so you can get a better understanding in layman's terms

https://images.app.goo.gl/3epWGJQxy6D6JV5C9

[kmacdonald]

I've never used one or seen one in use but then again I don't even use an anchor light at night very often.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

The Rule is not Fuzzy, your understanding of it is.
Suggest you invest in a book like this or many others, so you can get a better understanding in layman's terms

https://images.app.goo.gl/3epWGJQxy6D6JV5C9

The rule is "fuzzy". There is no accepted definition of "near", nor is there a definition of "anchorage".

This makes it "fuzzy", subject to different interpretations.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Most of us yanks would be like ‘why is this guy honking at me?’

I was heading up the river to my marina and a mike or so out. I wanted to overtake a sailboat so I hailed him on the radio. No response. It tried a couple more times with no response.

So I sounded my horn with the appropriate two blasts. I go no response from him so I went ahead and passed him.

A few days later I was at the marina and talking to a guy. He mentioned that I had "blown my horn at him" a couple days ago. I thought about explaining it to him, but decided to just let it go.

The average boater (and many of us expect sailboaters to know the rules) has no idea what any horn signals mean and will often respond with a one finger salute.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by rwidman

A few days later I was at the marina and talking to a guy. He mentioned that I had "blown my horn at him" a couple days ago. I thought about explaining it to him, but decided to just let it go.

I think you missed a great opportunity to educate a fellow boater, maybe a newbie. And I don't mean lecture, just a quick explanation of the rule, and what was indicated by your signal. Some people will be happy to remain ignorant, but I think most simply don't know what they don't know - and given the opportunity are willing to learn from an old hand.

[BigBoater917]

Even with a properly displayed anchor ball and deck lights on you still get situations like this.

http://imgur.com/gallery/Tf0SASX