“Total Balls up”
A vessel at anchor less than 50mts in length would display one black ball from a prominent position by day or a white all round white at night. This shows other vessels that they should keep clear.
Now
I come to the ‘Balls Up’. A vessel not under command, that’s to say, unable to be controlled ie no steerage, no power etc would need to display two black balls. Hence, when a ship was at sea and they lost steerage or power and so were unable to command what the vessel did the sailors would say ‘that’s a Balls Up’ meaning they would need to hoist two black balls to warn other vessels. Now…….. If a vessel runs aground, by day they are required to display three black balls and this would be referred to by the sailors as a complete or total Balls Up.
Written by Lindsey