T&T: Anchor Light

[KevinR]

> -----Original Message-----
> I was in the town marina in Marathon yesterday and noted they have a rule that moored
> vessels must show an anchor light at night. What is this all about? Is this a change in
> the rules or is a Fl or just a local rule. 

Tom,

When an issue like this comes up, the proper thing to do is go look up the rules to see what
they say. Inland Rule 30 (there is no corresponding provision in the International COLREGS)
says:

	(g) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special 
          anchorage area designated by the Secretary, shall not be required to 
          exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule.

The special anchorage areas referenced in that rule are listed in Chapter 2 of the Coast Pilot.
Coast Pilot #4 (Cape Henry to Key West) can be downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/b2uzc3   A
review of the special anchorage areas in Coast Pilot #4 show that there are no special anchorage
areas in the Keys, and very few at all in the 7th Coast Guard district. This is a far cry from
the north east where special anchorage areas are all over the place (almost at every yacht club
and marina).

Special anchorage areas, where they exist, are also designated on all NOAA charts. I also seem
to remember that the Keys are considered International waters, so Inland Rule 30 wouldn't apply
anyway.

With all that said, the answer to your question is that no, this is no change to the rules, just
a case where the Marathon folks actually knew what the rules were!

Kevin 
www.BoatMoves.com