As you may have seen, some boats approach a black ball set high up when they're at anchor. We see it a lot on large boats, yachts, but among boaters, few comply with this regulation.
Moreover, since the introduction of Division 240 (2008), which sets out the safety rules applicable to pleasure boating at sea on vessels up to 24 m in length, this anchor ball is no longer part of the mandatory equipment to be carried on board.
Then you have to ask yourself, "Establishing a ball when you're at anchor in the daytime: Is it still mandatory?"
RIPAM intervenes
Article 240-2.09 relating to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (RIPAM) states that " Pleasure craft are required to comply with the provisions made applicable, depending on the ship's characteristics, by Decree 77-733 of 6 July 1977 publishing the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, done at London on 20 October 1972. "
In short, ships, even pleasure craft, must comply with these regulations. Therefore, if the characteristics of the vessel require that an anchor ball be carried by the RIPAM, it must be on board in application of article 240-2.09.
What exactly does RIPAM say?
According to RIPAM, Rule No. 30, it is stipulated that ".. that a vessel at anchor of less than 50 metres in length shall show, in the most visible place, a white light visible over the whole horizon or a ball.
Vessels less than 7 metres in length, when at anchor, are not required to show the lights or mark (ball), unless they are at anchor in a narrow channel, approach or anchorage, at proximité? from these locations, or on routes normally used by other vessels. "
How to establish his ball?
On a sailboat, installing a mooring ball is done by hoisting it in front of the mast (often suspended by a halyard under the forestay). But on a motorboat, it is much more complicated. Depending on the boat, a solution will have to be found so that the ball is set up forward and visible. So complicated that most boaters do not need to install it..
What if you don't have your ball?
Apart from the fact that you may find yourself confronted with a zealous policeman who is entitled to impose a fine (it's rare, but it happens...), the mooring ball indicates that your boat is at a standstill, not manoeuvring and with no one on watch.
On the insurance side, it can also play tricks. A yachtsman who had disembarked saw his boat at anchor being hit by another vessel. His insurance company declared the vessel at the anchorage responsible because it did not have an anchor ball. He should then have kept an active lookout as stipulated in RIPAM for vessels under way... Will you also hoist your ball at the next anchorage?
