Ship s bell

Do you have a ship s bell mounted ? is the jewelry or important accessory ?

Norbert

Not necessarily so, however Collision Regs Rule 35 which deals with Sound signals in restricted visibility which specifies "bell sounds". Rule 35 (g) and (h) specify the signal, but vessels of less than 12 metres shall not be obligated to give bell signal but if she does not shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes. The other aspect is that under Canadian Small Vessel manditory carrage regulations there is no mention of bell only the need have either a sound signalling device or appliance. If you are larger than 12 metres you need both a horn and bell.
Bell or gong is required to have 110dB at a distance of 1 metre as well a diamter of not less than 300mm for vessels 20m or more and not less than 200mm for vessels of 12m but less than 20m
Like most of the pleasure craft family we seem to miss the point of sound signals as our devices, horns, do not have the Dbs or when at anchor or "aground" feel that we are safe.
Hope that this answers your question, get one with a really great sound, not a tinny one. Bill

I keep a ship's bell mounted at all times...it tells me when someone is reaching into the ice chest!

Ray

where is the best place for the bell?

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Norbert

Unable to decide where best to mount the bell that came with my boat, I contacted the USCG. Their response was not to bother!!! I still have the email response pinned in my log book. The bell is still in the locker.

12m = 39.36 ft If you have 40 footer or better the bell regs do apply to you. Mine is mounted just outside the cabin entrance to the left of the ladder going to the upper deck. The only time I have used it for real was one very foggy morning on the upper Chesapeake when my GPS failed because of what turned out to be a faulty solder connection. We could see nothing but gray in the world except one buoy, which we hovered around to mark our place while I rigged up an alternate power source for the GPS. My better half manned the bell.

As I indicated earlier, even though we have a 47ft vessel the USCG stated we did not need to mount the bell --"just leave it in the locker"!! Seemed logical to me since I figure the bell is next to useless - not even heavy enough to work as an anchor!!

supertramp said:

where is the best place for the bell?

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Norbert

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We keep our bell on the mast accessible from the flybridge.

Ray

Bell is no longer required under 20m in the US (and I am not sure if so above 20 either). We have ours on the aft deck and use it to ring large parties to dinner. Nice to have as a back up if anchored in the fog, which we have used it for one time when my air compressor went ffft, in combo with the little hand held air horn.

I never have.
I hope soon you will be able to change back the name of your country!!

No bell. Not needed, not wanted.

A few years ago I was having my annual Coast Guard Auxilliary inspection done and was told i needed a way to mak a sound other than my horn. I did not have a bell. i now keep a whistle hanging at the lower station
John
390 Mainship

Yes, located just outside the aft salon door. Mostly for decoration, it's the only shiny thing on the boat!

Have one that was installed by the PO. Nice decoration, never used it. Have an electric air horn, a whistle and a couple hand held horns on board.

Although many references sill cite a bell...the USCG requirements brochure has dropped te bell for vessels from 12-20 meters.

For those that get USCGAUX inspections realize that their checklist for a decal is not what is required by law... exactly...and sometimes well intentioned Aux members throw their opinions out whether right or wrong...so don't take the comments as gospel.

Giggitoni said:

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We keep our bell on the mast accessible from the flybridge.

Ray

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No bell, but have a flag with the same sentiments as Ray's.



http://www.gadsdenandculpeper.com/gadsdenflags1.html?cmp=googleadwords

markpierce said:

No bell, but have a flag with the same sentiments as Ray's.

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That's right! Just leave us alone...with as much freedom and liberty as a politician will allow.

Ray

For some reason, the state of NH never removed the requirement for a bell on power boats 26' and over. I haven't heard of any other state that does this, but I haven't looked at all of them, either. Interestingly, I've been unable to find any NH statute which defines the size or tonal quality of the bell, nor requires that it be mounted. I have mine in its original box down below, just in case I'm ever boarded in NH waters.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee!!

When I launched Tidahapah a launching present from my mother(bless her soul) was agood quality brass ships bell. This is engraved with Designer , builder and launch date.
I have it mounted in the wheelhouse as it is not used in thhe real world but there is a previso "He who rings the bell in jest, buys the beer for all the rest" a standard merchant navy trueism
Cheers
Benn

PS I attempted to upload a photo but apparently TIF files are catered for,

On my boat the bell is known as the "Fun Alarm". When someone rings it we are having fun, when it starts to ring on it's own we are really having fun.
I like the "Ring in Jest" line, I may have to adopt that.

Don

Upper left in the photo. Strictly cosmetic, though my grandson loves to fool with it when he's aboard.

We have the original one that came with the old girl. Mounted near the aft deck. Love it!!

We have a bronze bell (on the boat when we bought it) which is mounted right outside the main cabin door where it is easily reachable from the helm. Our hailer/intercom has a loud electronic bell that can be broadcast from the PA horn under the flying bridge overhang.

We have never had occasion to use either one.

A ship's bell has for many generations been thought of as the soul of the ship. With that thought in mind, as we were in the process of buying Beachcomber my dad died. He'd been a skipper of many boats over many years and it saddened both of us that he would never be able to take a trip on our boat.

We bought a bell and had it engraved with the boat's name and an additional line...."In memory of Edward F. Sullivan". It's mounted near the entrance to the salon and we ring it frequently, just to make sure dad's on board before we head out. Here are a couple of pics of the bell before we mounted it on the boat.





It may not be required by the USCG, but it's a required piece of equipment on Beachcomber.

Ours is original to the boat and is mounted on the radar arch and still dawns the manufacturer's name "SENATOR" on it. We use it to measure the size of the wakes that come our direction. A "3 Bonger" is the biggest single boat wake. Head seas also ring it quite often, but only one ring at a time.

GFC said:

A ship's bell has for many generations been thought of as the soul of the ship. With that thought in mind, as we were in the process of buying Beachcomber my dad died. He'd been a skipper of many boats over many years and it saddened both of us that he would never be able to take a trip on our boat.

We bought a bell and had it engraved with the boat's name and an additional line...."In memory of Edward F. Sullivan". It's mounted near the entrance to the salon and we ring it frequently, just to make sure dad's on board before we head out. Here are a couple of pics of the bell before we mounted it on the boat.

It may not be required by the USCG, but it's a required piece of equipment on Beachcomber.

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That's the best reason I've ever heard for mounting and ringing a bell. I like it.

Giggitoni said:

I keep a ship's bell mounted at all times...it tells me when someone is reaching into the ice chest!

Ray

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Maybe that's why I passed out on your boat and woke up with a headache!

"I can't remember who's on the flybridge, but his face rings a bell."

supertramp said:

Do you have a ship s bell mounted ? is the jewelry or important accessory ?

Norbert

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Tortuga's bell is mounted in the salon. PO told us that if its rough enough for the bell to ring, it's too rough for the crew and better head for shelter. So far it rang once on a blustery day at the mouth of the Fraser; he was spot on!

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Mine is more ceremonial than anything else. My bell was dedicated to my dad after he died Feb. 2011. I splashed the boat that summer. He so much wanted to ride on my Sea Ray. So I flew my mom to the PNW to dedicate a small bell engraved with my dad's name and birth and death day. I always ring it 3 times while leaving port to honor my hero.

I also framed this pic and it is on my boat. This was one of the last pictures taken of him before he died.