Anchor Balls & Anchor Lights

[tcm]

it is to show that the skipper is taking an exam...

[tcm]

yep, every time.

I saw an maib or something report of some pwc driving in to a boat and the facts come first. One of the facts was that the boat had no anchor ball.

[Gludy]

So if you are anchored without a ball and then hit by another boat - they can claim that they thought you were underway and they had right of way and this may even invalidate your insurance claim - correct?

I wonder how many MoBos even have balls?

[mjf]

There was a case where a judge found for a vessel that was in collision with a yacht. Strickly speaking the vessel was at fault but the yacht had radar and was not able to use it - nothing wrong with the gear, just that no one O/B could use it.

Bit more complex than that of course but thats the meat.

Yacht at fault.


Similarly if you are contravening the lights and signal rules then what do you expect if you have to defend yourself?

[Nick_H]

I can understand the relevance for boats anchored in deep water close to shipping channels, but fail to see that having an anchor ball up is going to make a smidgen of difference to whether someone ploughs into you whilst at anchor in Newtown Creek or any other sheltered anchorage where I would consider dropping the hook. If they can't see the boat they're unlikely to spot the ball.

[Gludy]

Yes - but I am not talking about if they can see you or not - I agree they would hit you either way but with a ball up you are also legally covered and they cannot even raise the issue. If you have no ball up they could claim you were not following the rules and hence make the issue mirky and in the eys of the law, to some extent your own fault.

[duncan]

taking things to their logical extremes of conclusion (as your threads always seem too.............)

anchored without ball could be considered drifting (on the end of a piece of string?) and a hitting one of those isn't exactly a hit with the MAIB or regulations either is it?

[Gludy]

I do not understand you?

Anchored without a ball is not telling others you are anchored and so they could consider you making way - hence they may assume in a certain situation you are the give way vessel and hence not give way and hit you. That is what I am saying.

Its true that as they realise you are not taking avoiding action they should then take avoiding action but the issue makes for murky water hence its best to put the ball up and comply with regs.

[mystique]

Why even have the discussion, it takes 30 seconds to put up the ball & turn the anchor light on...

[Magnum]

We always display an anchor ball, mainly to ensure we are covered in the event of a collision.