do you use a prologned signal exiting berth/marina?

There's one set of rules that covers everything from the QE II to a seven foot dinghy with a 2 HP motor The rules are antiquated and ignored by many. In my area, the only time I hear ship horns is when it's foggy. The commercial ships contact each other by radio and use the terms "one whistle" and "two whistles".

Imagine a busy public boat ramp. Can you imagine each boater sounding three blasts of a horn as be backs off the trailer into the water?

So while we're on the subject of "rules", I imagine most of us use an anchor light while anchored at night, but how many of us display an anchor ball when anchored in the daytime?

Our marina has a narrow S shaped fairway to navigate. It's only wide and deep enough for one boat at a time. The standard here is to NOT sound your horn while in the shed before backing out. A horn blasted in the 3-walled, covered shed would wake the dead. We do, however, sound a one-second blast at the blind turns, especially the last right exiting the marina near the restaurant public docks. I suspect half of the blasts are to say hi or bye to our friends and loved ones at the bar!!

Living in Friday Harbor for many years, I have seen the ferries use the "warp and woof" blasts, and none at all. I could never find the reason why - or why not.

We use a long blast when leaving a slip if there are other boats on the move, or if it's a large enough marina we can't see if there are any boats moving (or getting ready to move). We're especially aware of this when in an unfamiliar marina.

Our last marina was small enough we could easily see, thus didn't "need" to use the signal. But as a few have pointed out, I've always worried that should something happen, not having signaled intent could be a liability issue.

Last thing is we have a refillable air horn that uses a small pump to compress air. Works great, and can be pumped/filled very quickly (and lasts for many blasts).

Yup, our labyrinth of a marina keeps out the riff raff (not that you're riff raff, Edelweiss!), along with the wind and the current. It can be blowing 25 kts on the water, but it's always dead calm in the fairway thanks to the protection of our trees and sheds. Every docking is in no wind, slack current conditions. I hate it.

And the trees and wildlife behind every slip kinda sucks, too. Blue herons, egrets, otters, turtles, fish...it's almost too much to take, but we suffer through it.

rwidman said:

?.. but how many of us display an anchor ball when anchored in the daytime?

Click to expand...

I use a ball at anchor during the day. I look at it this way...if I'm hit by another boat while I'm at anchor I'll be part of the blame whether I deserve it or not. With the ball I'll be less at fault....theoretically! I don't want a starving attorney to have too much fun with me

Ray, you're probably the only boater on the West Coast to display the anchor day shape.

Perhaps I'm the only one on the East that does , along with a steamuing cone when power sailing our 90/90.

The only loud signal I give is that I yell out at the top of my voice "Get out of the way I'm goin cruisin"

Benn

I doubt 90% of the recreational boaters in the USA have any idea what the specific horn signals mean. 98% wouldn't know what ananchor ball or steaming cone is.

I have no anchor ball or steaming cone and no place to hang either. If I see a boat and see a wake behind it, I assume it's underway. If I see one with an anchor rode leading from the bow into the water, I assume it's anchored.

They don't use the passing or overtaking signals either, they just hit WOT and zoom on by.

"I doubt 90% of the recreational boaters in the USA have any idea what the specific horn signals mean. 98% wouldn't know what ananchor ball or steaming cone is."

TRUE , but their Liar for Hire will.

Good insurance is not just paying some company big bucks..

FF

Knowing the horn signals made my transit of the East River and NYC harbor much easier. Not all commercial traffic used them, but many did. Their intentions were much more clear to me from the horns than sorting out all of the radio chatter.

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