See ya on the two, whose two?

Moonstruck said:

I think of it as syllables. Pass or meeting you you on my starboard side---2 syllables---2 whistles.

Passing you or meeting you on my port side---1 syllable---1 whistle.

Not the way it is stated in the rules just an easy way to remember I learned years ago.

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That's how I remember it too. Our boating safety instructor taught us that way and it works for me.

Dave

magicbus said:

That's how I remember it too. Our boating safety instructor taught us that way and it works for me.

Dave

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only for inland rules though...unless it gets complicated again...

Moonstruck said:

How do it know?

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Eenie, meenie, miny, moe; pick a button ...

markpierce said:

Eenie, meenie, miny, moe; pick a button ...

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And when you push them all at the same time?

Where's the ejection seat button and the self destruct button?

ben2go said:

Where's the ejection seat button and the self destruct button?

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Haven't thought that far ahead.

So who displays a black ball when anchored in the daytime?

Marin said:

In the years we've been boating out here (PNW) I can't recall ever hearing anyone give a passing or meeting call of any kind on 16. .......

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On the Atlantic ICW in my area, calling on channel 16 for overtaking is common for the larger boats, at least the ones where the operator has been boating a while. Not so much the sportfish or the guy with the brand new 40' sportcruiser who has the money but not the experience.

On my cruise from SC to FL and back just about every boat that wanted to overtake me called and arranged a pass on channel 16. I didn't overtake anybody.

Meeting is a different story, usually it's just keep to starboard. If it's a wide open area and port seems better based on the position of the boats, there's still no verbal or other communication, just the position and angle of th boats.

Smaller boats, bow riders and center consoles don't follow the rules. They just go where they want to and dart between the larger boats. A horn signal results in a "finger" signal.

All towboat traffic switches to 16 from 13 west of Galveston in the ICW. Go ahead and argue that it's illegal, improper, etc. all you want, but that's how it's done, and the USCG hears it every day and participates as well.

Keith said:

All towboat traffic switches to 16 from 13 west of Galveston in the ICW. Go ahead and argue that it's illegal, improper, etc. all you want, but that's how it's done, and the USCG hears it every day and participates as well.

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When the commercial boats and ships around here issue a sécurité call, they do it on channel 16 and then repeat it on channel 13.

Don't the rules require boats (even commercial boats) to at least monitor channel 16 at all times?

rwidman said:

Don't the rules require boats (even commercial boats) to at least monitor channel 16 at all times?

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Correct, they usually do a dual watch. Even with this, I have found few will answer 16. They prefer to talk on 13.

Moonstruck said:

Correct, they usually do a dual watch. Even with this, I have found few will answer 16. They prefer to talk on 13.

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I guess when you're the 500 lb gorilla, you can do (or not do) anything you want to. There don't seem to be any radio police around here.

A year or so ago I was approaching a tug pushing a barge on the ICW north of Charleston. I called multiple times on channel 16, but got no answer. I waited for a wide spot in the ICW and just flew on past him (at 10 knots or so).

On the Gulf Coast it's always channel 16. The biggest problem sometimes is the heavy Cajun accent.

Bob

markpierce said:

Note whistle controller to the right of the searchlight's joystick:

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Nice little Kahlenberg panel - I see it costs a whole boat unit! If I'd laid out the panel, though, I think I would have arranged the "Alt. Stbd.", "Alt.Port", and "Astern" buttons differently.

refugio said:

Nice little Kahlenberg panel - I see it costs a whole boat unit! If I'd laid out the panel, though, I think I would have arranged the "Alt. Stbd.", "Alt.Port", and "Astern" buttons differently.

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My whole Kahlenberg-horn set-up costs several BOAT$$. Decided to splurge after deciding to drop teak-deck option.

The buttons' arrangement is logical to me: most frequently used are on the left.

Makes me feel silly having learned flag signals as a child. Navy father, figures.

BobH said:

On the Gulf Coast it's always channel 16. The biggest problem sometimes is the heavy Cajun accent.

Bob

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In Louisiana it's the opposite, all the radio traffic between tows on the inland waters is on 13, usually they switch back to 16 east of New Orleans. I'm don't recall what they use on the Miss. River.
Steve W

refugio said:

Nice little Kahlenberg panel - I see it costs a whole boat unit! If I'd laid out the panel, though, I think I would have arranged the "Alt. Stbd.", "Alt.Port", and "Astern" buttons differently.

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I don't see a button for "leaving a slip".

So how many folks here sound their horn when leaving their slip? How about if it's 5:00 AM and others may be sleeping?

And how many sound three blasts when backing into their slip?

rwidman said:

I don't see a button for "leaving a slip".

So how many folks here sound their horn when leaving their slip? How about if it's 5:00 AM and others may be sleeping?

And how many sound three blasts when backing into their slip?

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Probably the same number that show an anchor ball.....

The button for leaving the slip is the upper second to the left one.... just push it off after it sounds once...

According to my observations, I would suggest that many boaters would be better suited to use the "General Alarm"or "Danger" buttons when leaving their slip.

Dave

rwidman said:

I don't see a button for "leaving a slip".

So how many folks here sound their horn when leaving their slip? How about if it's 5:00 AM and others may be sleeping?

And how many sound three blasts when backing into their slip?

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There's nothing like automatic stuff on a boat to keep you on top of things.-----Hopefully it won't be a sand dune.

rwidman said:

...Don't the rules require boats (even commercial boats) to at least monitor channel 16 at all times?

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The regulations are pretty confusing.

Radio Watchkeeping Regulations

What do you suppose the scope is on his anchor rode? Danforth?

Black Ball? LOL not so much. See people anchored all the time on the delta and no black balls. (restrained myself from pervey comment).

I was at dinner on the San Francisco city front on the bay last night, at pier one and a half, and heard one long blast followed by the three toot "astern propulsion" signal, as a huge tour boat backed out of a slip right outside the restaurant. Never heard the three blast signal before. Heard five a few times, luckily not directed at me!

rwidman said:

So how many folks here sound their horn when leaving their slip? How about if it's 5:00 AM and others may be sleeping?

And how many sound three blasts when backing into their slip?

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Around here anyone sounding their horn in the marina for any reason other than to signal an emergency--- and I've never heard that happen---- at any time of day or night gets yelled at to shut the hell up. And if they pesist in doing it the Port people get so many complaints that they will come down to the horn blower and 'splain why he ought to not do that anymore.

There was a fellow with a converted Canadian Navy crew boat--- about 60 feet or so--- who blew his horn every time he was about to come through the breakwater entrance. Then one day I noticed he wasn't doing it anymore. I'd had a few conversations with him from time to time so the next time I saw him I asked him why he wasn't using his horn outside the breakwater anymore. Answer--- so many complaints to the Port office they had asked him to stop. So he did.

Horns are simply not used up here, as I've mentioned before. Outside of the ferries, which only use their horns during the day, never after sunset, we can go a whole year and not hear a horn when we are out on the water in the San Juans or in BC unless it's foggy. We test ours maybe once or twice a year when we remember to just to make sure they still work. And it's not just the recreational boaters that don't use their horns. I can't recall ever hearing a commercial vessel--- tanker, container ship, bulk ship, tug and barge, etc.--- use their horn in the shipping lanes around here, even when one is overtaking another. They seem to be doing everything by radio and VTS.

The only time we hear horns is on the 4th of July at the end of a fireworks display in Bellingham or out in the islands. And there are sometimes a few toots at midnight New Year's Eve, too. But outside of fog, that's it.

My observation, and one that's been pretty much reinforced in this thread is that there are "rules", but they are very widely ignored or unknown by most pleasure boaters and even some commercial boats and ships.

It's fine that we know what the "rules" are, but for all practical purposes, we have to assume that other boaters around us won't be following the rules and won't know the meanings of the black ball or "whistle signals".

We even see examples posted where the authorities have even instructed boaters not to use the required signals.

For our own safety and that of others, it might be best to swallow our pride and use the more universally understood terms of "port" and "starboard" unless we are dealing with a professional operator.

my cut is to use the proper whistle signal...horn or radio...if you don't get the right response...at least you followed the rules.

if you aren't going to do it the right way, it's a free for all anyway...only a few recs do it right and staying out of the way of commercial guys is easy enough..if not they will respond properly if called or not at all.

psneeld said:

my cut is to use the proper whistle signal...horn or radio...if you don't get the right response...at least you followed the rules.

if you aren't going to do it the right way, it's a free for all anyway...only a few recs do it right and staying out of the way of commercial guys is easy enough..if not they will respond properly if called or not at all.

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It's the not at all part I worry about. On a trip from Newport to Bermuda, I saw some lights on the horizon that were on constant bearing with us. I woke our captain who tried to raise the vessel, which was clearly on a crossing/collision course. Eventually, it appeared he would cross well ahead of us. After an hour or so, a very drunk "captain" got on the radio and told us that he was, indeed, a tow vessel (lights not properly displayed) and that he had a huge barge on 100 meters or so of cable behind him with no lights on it (did I mention it was starless and pitch black?). We roused the crew and tacked off for several miles. The tow vessel finally put a searchlight on the barge, which looked particularly lethal, as close as we were on a blustery night in the Atlantic). I do think this is the exception, rather than the rule, for commercial skippers, but things like this have happened to me more than once and the consequences of them getting it wrong can be pretty disastrous.

How does stuff like this happen?

ben2go said:

How does stuff like this happen?

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Around here, someone beaches a boat at high tide and forgets to move it as the tide goes out.

Personally, I wouldn't beach my boat except to save it from sinking, but other people do it all the time.