three toots to exit berth

[markpierce]

When exiting my home berth, I'm going in reverse. I'm legally required to sound three short (one-second) sounds when doing so. Since my horn is very loud, I've rarely done so. Thankfully, my first son gave my a replica White Star Line, high-pitched whistle for Christmas. Believe I'll use it from now on when exiting the berth. Will still use a loud, prolonged horn signal when leaving the marina when low tides block vision over the breakwater.

 

[Al]

I fully understand the legality. It is the appearance that provokes a chuckle.

 

[GFC]

I'm with Al. I've never heard anyone around here sounding signals prior to going into gear.


If someone did that I would expect to see them in their white slacks, white shirt, white buck shoes and blue blazer. Oh, and their captain's hat.

 

[AlaskaProf]

When exiting my home berth, I'm going in reverse. I'm legally required to sound three short (one-second) sounds ..... Thankfully, my first son gave my a replica White Star Line, high-pitched whistle for Christmas. Believe I'll use it from now on when exiting the berth.

For some years in my childhood we lived right behind the destroyer base in San Diego - National City, actually - and one of those sounds in my inner being is of a DD going astern: three whoops on the steam siren followed by a BLAAT on the horn.

I like your solution; now to find the correct device. Got one of those wooden train-whistle toys; gonna try that first.

Thanks.

 

[Comodave]

Whenever we give the proper sound signals, people just wave to us.

 

[AusCan]

If anyone started using a loud horn when exiting their berth in our marina, I'm sure the horn would mysteriously go missing.

 

[menzies]

I give a loud single blast when leaving our lock - just just to annoy the lock guy (our harbourmaster)! My horn is kinda loud.

 

[psneeld]

I believe the 3 short is only if warning another vessel that you are operating astern propulsion when vessels are in sight of one another. So if no one is coming, not required. If totally a blind spot, then I would guess appropriate.

A prolonged is the signal for leaving a dock or berth.

However, as a small boat..... I follow the lead of LE vessels in populated marinas where neighbors can be annoyed.

If I was an 80 footer or passenger vessel and it was tight, then my actions might change. I would definitely do security calksif I thought it was a big enough deal, and based on what most commercial traffic does, this seems to be the norm.

Yes, I can say I have heard plenty of ferries do whistles too......

 

[HiDHo]

Three flashes on the steam siren and one long on the horn, I remember it well. To the crew of the destroyer it’s known as “ haze grey and underway “ !

 

[Donna]

Nobody ever does this at my marina.

 

[Robin]

Nobody ever does this at my marina.

Clearly the origin of the old saying 'they don't give a hoot!':lol:

 

[twistedtree]

It's funny how regulations like this are so sporadically followed, and often felt inappropriate. Who puts up a day shape when moored? Who uses sound signals when passing or overtaking? From what I've seen, professionally manned boats do these things more often than not, and non-professionals more often not. Imagine if nobody except truckers use turn signals, and if most drivers didn't even understand what they meant, and if people were afraid to use them because they might bother or offend someone? That's how we behave as boaters. We are such irrational creatures.

 

[TONTOROSS]

When I read the "title" I jumped to "three farts" for leaving the bed!!

 

[koliver]

Visibility is the criterion.
If you have it and there is nobody there who needs to know what you are doing, then no tooting required.
If you don't have it, or if there is a boat or boats who may be affected by your movement, give the signal.
In my home port, where most exiting boats are unseen, within their shelters, 3 toots are a regular and welcome noise. At all other YC marinas, where visibility is wide open, tooting simply doesn't happen.

 

[ancora]

"Sounds" pretentious to me (pun intended.)

 

[Nomad Willy]

Visibility is the criterion.
If you have it and there is nobody there who needs to know what you are doing, then no tooting required.
If you don't have it, or if there is a boat or boats who may be affected by your movement, give the signal.
In my home port, where most exiting boats are unseen, within their shelters, 3 toots are a regular and welcome noise. At all other YC marinas, where visibility is wide open, tooting simply doesn't happen.

Good point Keith,
See and avoid is expected by everybody.
However one can always walk to the end of the boat just before moving out and see if there’s anybody comming. Or move out two feet and look.
Tooting like ships and tugs is silly and indeed pretentious as ancora stated.

 

[Robin]

It's funny how regulations like this are so sporadically followed, and often felt inappropriate. Who puts up a day shape when moored? Who uses sound signals when passing or overtaking? From what I've seen, professionally manned boats do these things more often than not, and non-professionals more often not. Imagine if nobody except truckers use turn signals, and if most drivers didn't even understand what they meant, and if people were afraid to use them because they might bother or offend someone? That's how we behave as boaters. We are such irrational creatures.

You mean like drivers in Florida?

 

[Al]

Summation:


If someone did that I would expect to see them in their white slacks, white shirt, white buck shoes and blue blazer. Oh, and their captain's hat.


Whenever we give the proper sound signals, people just wave to us.:lol:



I give a loud single blast when leaving our lock - just just to annoy the lock guy (our harbourmaster)! My horn is kinda loud.



Clearly the origin of the old saying 'they don't give a hoot!'

 

[Airstream345]

Our horn sounds like a 71 Chevy Impala. If we sounded leaving the berth someone might thing it's coming from the marina parking lot.

My wife said "gotta fix that" the very first time we sounded the horn in fog.

 

[bayview]

Around here a loud long blast is liable to get you a wave, from one finger.

 

[diver dave]

Back in the mid-90's a bunch of family members joined us for the Ft. Laud. air show. It was great, but towards the end of the air show, a cold front moved thru with heavy seas and wind. This then caused about 500 boats, at once, to enter the Hillsboro inlet.
We were approaching when I lost the SB engine, so had very little ability to turn to port. I was frantically putting on a spare engine belt, and had someone (my brother) at the helm. I look up and see a USGC aux vessel at 20 deg relative, backing into our path. All the well seasoned dudes on board that vessel gave me some well deserved lip about not veering to port. Quickly thinking, I then retorted that I didn't hear their 3 toots. They got real quiet. I got the belt on and merged with traffic.

 

[wwestman]

I always (or at least try) to give the proper sound signals. Usually to no avail. But when I testify in the hearing I want to be the one who says " I followed the rules." It would at least give me a little advantage before the judge.

If you do it all the time you are correct, if you don't and something happens you are wrong no matter what.

 

[twistedtree]

You mean like drivers in Florida?

Or Mass, or Rhode Island, or......

 

[twistedtree]

Or Mass, or Rhode Island, or......

BTW, in Mass

- Using your turn signals is considered a sign of weakness.

- Right-of-way is determined by who gets there first.

- Red lights and stop signs are merely suggestions.

 

[C lectric]

In my previous marina sounds signals were needed and required, not for leaving the berth, but for a sharp, blind turn into the entry/exit passage. If not used you were likely to be nose to nose with some one going the other way and there was no room for passing.

There are places and circumstances that a blast is needed.

 

[Comodave]

Westman is correct. Most people do not sound signals, but if you are involved in a collision having made the proper sound signals will certainly help your case. Most people do not even understand what the signals mean but that does not relieve them from the responsibility of sounding the proper signals

 

[McGillicuddy]

I don’t give the backing sound signal often but there have been berths where my visibility was restricted or, more importantly, my vessel was obscured to other vessels proceeding up a channel, where I used sound signals in an abundance of caution.

I also use VHF radio when in a navigable channel rather than whistles to announce my intentions to commercial traffic. (One or two whistle passes).

I don’t care if people think I’m a dork for this. I like to be sure there is no misunderstanding of my intentions and in 50 years of boating have never had a collision. I intend to keep it that way.

 

[HiDHo]

 

[kchace]

I always use the one prolonged blast when getting underway from my mooring field as it is right next to a pretty busy channel and some blind spots. Maybe a lot of the weekend boaters don't know what's going on, but at least it gets their attention that a large boat is about to move out into the "flow".

 

[aboatman]

It's funny how regulations like this are so sporadically followed, and often felt inappropriate. Who puts up a day shape when moored? Who uses sound signals when passing or overtaking? From what I've seen, professionally manned boats do these things more often than not, and non-professionals more often not. Imagine if nobody except truckers use turn signals, and if most drivers didn't even understand what they meant, and if people were afraid to use them because they might bother or offend someone? That's how we behave as boaters. We are such irrational creatures.

It seems the regulations are written with large ships in mind but apply (officially) to all of us. Day shape when moored (or anchored)? I can't remember ever seeing a recreational boat doing that. I bought one a couple years ago but haven't used it yet (no good place to display it). It wouldn't surprise me to find out that many DNR officers don't know what it is.

Horn signals when backing or leaving a slip? I've been places where passenger ferries do this at all hours, and I've heard military boats doing this, but it's pretty rare to hear recreational boats do this. Under the right circumstances I will sound the horn when leaving a slip or marina but only if there's reduced visibility. From my flybridge I can usually see if there is any traffic.

I use the radio for passing situations when possible. If there's no contact (usually a sailboat), I will use the horn.