Radio Vessel Designations..?

[Hermano Samuel]

Hey folks,

Context:
So, M/V = Motor Vessel, S/V = Sailing Vessel, F/V = Fishing Vessel, etc..

Query:
Is "motor-sailor" and actual designation (with USCG or general boating community), i.e. "M/S", or something like it? Or does one simply use M/V, even when one is traveling under sail only?

(Other than my initial posting in the welcome thread, this is my first post... for forgive me if I'm doing this wrong. Constructive criticism is welcome in this regard.)

Thanks in advance,
Hermano Samuel (Sam)

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Not sure, but your M/V sounds correct to me...

 

[Comodave]

You are doing fine. I never use any designations like those when on the radio.

 

[jgwinks]

Those designations get misused a lot anyway. By one definition a "motor vessel" is a commercial craft over 65 feet. "Motor yacht" is more correct. And a "sailing vessel" doesn't have an engine, at least not one running. Use of that term is only correct when making passing agreement with a power driven vessel and you really don't have an engine running. A lot of sailors don't seem to know that. I only use a designator when calling a lock, bridge, or commercial vessel. And I use "pleasure craft" or just "PC".

 

[twistedtree]

I agree with all the above. There is no requirement that I'm aware of for use of those terms, so I see them as informative only. I think it's generally useful to convey that you are a motor vessel, sailing vessel, or fishing vessel when it impact (or might impact) your priority for navigation rules. But even that is iffy. A sailing vessel only has priority when exclusively under sail. And a fishing vessel only has priority when when it actually has gear in the water that restricts it's mobility. Bubba fishing with a line in the water criss-crossing a channel does NOT have priority as a fishing vessel, though many seem to think they do.


As a motor-sailer, I would probably announce the boat as a motor vessel unless exclusively under sail and claiming priority as a sailing vessel.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

By definition a 36 foot Albin Trawler could be called a yacht. I hate that word when used to describe my boat. In my mind it has connotations of a paid crew in uniforms, sipping champagne on the aft deck,spotless brightwork, blue blazers with scrollwork on the pocket, $$$$.

Definitely not any boat of mine.

pete

 

[jgwinks]

As a former sailor who spent years teaching rules of the road it really bugs me when other sailors call themselves "sailing vessel" when they are obviously motoring. In effect they're asking for a benefit they don't qualify for. In the financial world they call that "fraud". Same thing in reverse when they have their steaming (masthead) light on and no engine running. They often have the anchor light on too, they just turn everything on.

 

[jgwinks]

By definition a 36 foot Albin Trawler could be called a yacht. I hate that word when used to describe my boat. In my mind it has connotations of a paid crew in uniforms, sipping champagne on the aft deck,spotless brightwork, blue blazers with scrollwork on the pocket, $$$$.

Definitely not any boat of mine.

pete

Mine either, but it is the correct term. It does sound uppity though.

 

[ksanders]

The use of a designation before your boats namer can be very useful, wether it is correct protocol or not.

Imagine...

"harbormaster harbormaster my kids inheritance on 16"

or

"harbormaster harbormaster this is MV MY KIDS INHERITANCE on 16"

Remember many boat names do not sound like boat names and purring a designation in front of the name makes it clear.

 

[psneeld]

If I was on a motorsailer, I would use sailing vessel.

It is mostly a description on the radio for another vessel to recognize me. Because a motorsailer is a hybrid with a tall(er) mast, from a distance how many other boaters are going to see a mast and NOT think sailing vessel?

Most sailboats have motors so really what's the difference? Guess you could use the term Sail Auxiliary.... that should confuse a bunch...

If under sail only, the designator for Rules of the Road is a sail up and no steaming cone. If motoring, you put up a steaming cone dayshape.

At night the lights say the same but in the dark usually ONLY the lights determine what you are, not a general "look". If you are sailing and showing the correct nav lights and use the term "motor vessel/yacht" you are just confusing the reality.

The term "yacht" in this case is to take it one step further in specific nomenclature. Bridges are required to not impede commercial traffic in many situations but not necessarily open for pleasure traffic. So using the correct term of motor yacht versus motor vessel is not about being pretentious, it's about being a captain that helps the system without adding a bit more confusion.

Call your boat what you want on land, but on a marine VHF...

 

[Portage_Bay]

When hailing a commercial vessel I will use the designator yacht. It's one word, clearly understood and lets the commercial vessel know they are dealing with a recreational boat. I state the channel # I've hailed them on. Give my relative to them location. All the while keeping it short. No need to follow the protocol to repeat names 3 times. No chit-chat, just business, plain and simple.

I will never use the words tug or trawler when hailing commercial traffic. Marketing terms have no place when making passing arrangements. The commercial cap may waste time trying to sort out a real tug or trawler from the recreational traffic. Further it makes no more sense than identifying my boat as a sun deck for example.

Like Pete said I don't really like calling my boat a yacht. But it makes things simpler so I do.

When hailing a fellow recreational boater I might depending upon the situation use a more descriptive designator.

 

[DDW]

If I was on a motorsailer, I would use sailing vessel.

It is mostly a description on the radio for another vessel to recognize me.

^^ This. Most of the time when you are hailing, you aren't asking for privilege, just recognition. If you are a sailing auxiliary, with sails up but the motor running ("being propelled by machinery"), and hail another boat calling yourself a motor vessel or motor yacht, there is very likely going to be confusion.

If you are asking for privilege, it is easy to say so. In 60 years of boating, mostly sailing, I don't think I have ever asked for privilege. Even in very crowded waters, there is usually plenty of space for everyone, just alter course a couple of degrees and continue. It isn't as though you are in a hurry, you are after all on a boat.

 

[Hermano Samuel]

Thanks a bunch to everyone who responded. Some simple but really useful points were offered, like what the purpose of the hail might be, i.e, privilege vs visual recognition, etc. Seems there doesn't need to be a permanent answer, just use what PROPERLY applies at the time. Cheers.

 

[psneeld]

Thanks a bunch to everyone who responded. Some simple but really useful points were offered, like what the purpose of the hail might be, i.e, privilege vs visual recognition, etc. Seems there doesn't need to be a permanent answer, just use what PROPERLY applies at the time. Cheers.

Not sure that is the right answer though.

Sure isn't my experience.