When to start blowing your fog horn
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Every weekend afternoon in the summer, we would leave Angel Island heading to Berkley. We would have to enter and cross the thick fog bank that comes into the Bay making its way up to San Pablo. We would start blasting the horn just before entering the fog (one prolonged blast every two minutes). We would listen intently for tankers making their way in or out of the Richmond Chevron tank farm, or for freighters heading up the Delta. We only had a close call once. We heard the sound of engines in the fog and then this big ass tanker comes out of nowhere about a hundred yards ahead of us. No horn, no bell, nothing. Moving way too fast for conditions.
Frankly though, I was usually more worried about not running smack into the Berkley Pier which sticks out about three thousand feet into the bay. Sometimes I would focus so much on navigating that I would forget about the horn. Usually we would be under jib alone so that I could change course before hitting something. What a relief it was to finally come out of the fog*bank, sometimes right where I thought I would be, sometimes not, and I would*think, holy s--t, how'd I get here.
*Anyway, I think when to start sounding your horn is a judgment call. I dont think there is anything in the regs that stipulate distance.
Also, vessels over 100 meters are required to have a horn, a bell, and a gong.*** *KJ
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-- Edited by KJ on Tuesday 6th of September 2011 05:17:27 PM
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