What kind of a horn do you have or need

Saved money by dropping the teak-deck option and getting a Kahlenberg.

Found the IMO requirements on a different site:

http://www.jastramtechnologies.com/kahlenburg/kahlenberg-imo.htm

I just picked up a Grover Products horn at a sale for ten bucks. It had dirt dobber nest inside ,took it apart and cleaned it up put it back together and tried it out at home with my shop compressor ,loud low tone .It's 24 " long with 6" bell tapering down to 3/4" tube. It's a truck horn and it's their trombone series. I like the sound . I'm working on how I want to hook it up. I was thinking of a small 110 compressor with 1-1/2 gallon tank.I'm not sure if this will give me enough volume.What do you guy's think? Having air on the boat can be handy.

My original dual 12v, 2003, gave out last year. I replaced it with a dual 12v West Marine. I surprised how loud and the nice tone of it. Very different from the numerous electric horns I have owned before. I thought about air but don't want to give up the space for compressor, tank and so on. I have owned the air horns which just use a small compressor but the ones I have had a shrill tone.

I've had some bad luck with electric Ungaro horns. They are suppose to be quality but my experience is that they require constant maintenance due to moisture intrusion. They are mounted at about a 30 degree downward angle and still require periodic disassembly, drying out, sanding points, WD40 and reassembly.

Aquabelle said:

AusCan: while Australian state regulations don't specifically require an electric or air horn, all DO require a vessel to have a sound signalling device on board: could be a bell, a whistle, a horn...but you do need something that will make a noise. At least in NSW, it has to be good for 2nm hearing.

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I've never seen fog here other than up in the hills, and with such little boat traffic I don't feel the need for a horn. Actually - I can't ever recall a boat of any type sounding a horn in these parts.

I do have a whistle on all lifejackets though, and a ships bell, although you may need a good ear to hear either at 2 nm.

LaBomba said:

AFI does claim to have the loudest electric at about 128 db I believe.

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I have AFI twins and I think they are plenty loud enough. When I blow them, my wife reports immediately to the galley to prepare a snack.

SeaHorse II said:

I have AFI twins and I think they are plenty loud enough. When I blow them, my wife reports immediately to the galley to prepare a snack.

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I better have a closer look at my horns then. I didn't know about this function. Something must be wrong with them.

Was this perhaps an upgrade?

FlyWright said:

Was this perhaps an upgrade?

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Yes. At cruise it was awfully hard for her to hear me snap my fingers.

If you'd like a loud deep and pleasant toned air horn without spending a ton, you might consider a Fiamm Fultone II. $170 on eBay. Ours sounds great - never heard anything even close on a boat our size.

I have both the weasel- squeaker portaboe (for the Whaler) and a set of proper two-tone electric horns onboard.....

HOWEVER...

In the planning stages are some powerful air horns. I want to see ragbaggers cringe in terror at the sound

Pau Hana said:

...

In the planning stages are some powerful air horns. I want to see ragbaggers cringe in terror at the sound

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The last time I gratuitously blew the Coot's horns, the waving schoolchildren alongside the Petaluma River responded with glee.

Yes...well you should have seen the look of disappointment when I followed you and blew my measly little horn. Now I know why!

Pau Hana said:

I have both the weasel- squeaker portaboe (for the Whaler) and a set of proper two-tone electric horns onboard.....

HOWEVER...

In the planning stages are some powerful air horns. I want to see ragbaggers cringe in terror at the sound

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Explains my situation well. Two tone electric horns I have, nobody can hear them at any distance though. I had 149 of these facing me in a tight channel last Saturday.

Pau Hana said:

I have both the weasel- squeaker portaboe (for the Whaler) and a set of proper two-tone electric horns onboard.....

HOWEVER...

In the planning stages are some powerful air horns. I want to see ragbaggers cringe in terror at the sound

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CPseudonym said:

Explains my situation well. Two tone electric horns I have, nobody can hear them at any distance though. I had 149 of these facing me in a tight channel last Saturday.

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"....out of missiles, going to guns...."

Our dual bell electric horn on stbd side of bridge is deep and loud. Believe it's the orig... 1977.

I give her tiny touch each time engines are started to move boat, for assurance she's ready to sound off... if needed.


Also carry portable air horn in our Tolly with 2 canisters. Air horn on dash of tow behind runabout.

I use horn when legally required, or due to warnings needed to close proximity vessels, and occasionally for brief beep salute to friends on land/beach/dock.

Aboard Tolly, a loud portable hailer is always at the ready.

Art, about time you sounded off.

markpierce said:

Art, about time you sounded off.

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Mark - I'm usually the silent type... hard to get a word out of me... I usually like to let the horns do my talking!

There's nothing more friendly, horn wise, than a prolonged blast saying "here I am."

My set-up is simple: Seadog 12V Single Trumpet Horn. Used it once to scare my wife while she was at the bow... only did that once...