signal horns

[fgarriso]

I find that very few people know proper whistle signals.

 

[Lepke]

I use an air horn from a ship scrapped in Alang. When I toot everybody listens.

 

[OldDan1943]

Horn signals. Oh joy, another separate thread.

You are totally correct, me included.
Softly singing, "No body knows......"
Ocean
passing port or starboard (telling)
approaching bow to bow
approaching bow to stern
ICW
passing port or starboard (telling)
approaching bow to bow
approaching bow to stern
Great Lakes
passing port or starboard (asking permission)
approaching bow to bow
approaching bow to stern
and only god knows what's next
ICW crossing rivers and through lakes
River to ocean

Screw it, use the VHF LOL
If in doubt, circle to starboard until sorted out via the radio.
If being approached, make your course changes obvious..... or slow down make course changes astern....
Sail boat races..... best advice, stay out of the race.

 

[psneeld]

ICW is inland rules ....so it is still a request/reply signal with a required return signal before executing.

Not that it really often happens that way...

 

[kchace]

ICW is inland rules ....so it is still a request/reply signal with a required return signal before executing.

Not that it really often happens that way...

I'e never received a proper reply.

 

[psneeld]

I do if I use the radio.....not perfect but some get it.

Horn....no wzy...well maybe.....better odds if commercial.

 

[Jay N]

WESTERLY has:


[FONT=&quot]A dual-trumpet horn (Buell-Strombos) main, and single-trumpet horn (AFI Product) echo. A regulated CO2 bottle is mounted in the engine room and provides 90 lbs of gas to both horns.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The dual-trumpet main horn makes me sound like a 65 footer, and the echo horn makes me sound like a tug boat picking it's way through a narrow channel before the days of radar.
[/FONT]

 

[O C Diver]

WESTERLY has:


[FONT=&quot]A dual-trumpet horn (Buell-Strombos) main, and single-trumpet horn (AFI Product) echo. A regulated CO2 bottle is mounted in the engine room and provides 90 lbs of gas to both horns.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The dual-trumpet main horn makes me sound like a 65 footer, and the echo horn makes me sound like a tug boat picking it's way through a narrow channel before the days of radar.
[/FONT]

Did you install the CO2 system, or did it come with the boat? CO2 is a pretty dangerous gas to be plumbed through your living space to the horn, as it's odorless, colorless, and extremely lethal in small concentrations for extended periods of time. Hope you turn the tank valve off when not in use, especially when sleeping on the boat. It's also important to check for system leaks as a line could have a slow leak in a living area. A good test is to shut the tank off and then see if there is still pressure in the line the next day. An absence of any audible sound might indicate a leak down of the system over night.

Ted

 

[Jay N]

Hi Ted.


Thanks for comments. I installed the CO2 system in the present boat. My experience with this type of horn system goes back to . . . 1958!


Not to say I don't pay attention. In WESTERLY, the tank is in the engine room, the supply line to the horns doesn't pass through any sleeping area. The tank is turned off when in the berth, but remains on when cruising. The system pressure is constantly monitored at the same time as engine & other systems.


CO2 systems were/are standard equipment in tugs for fire suppression, I'm sure you have come across them in your charter boat business. Crews (including myself) were always trained to deal with CO2.


Appreciate your post. Jay

 

[HiDHo]

During one of the many surveys I’ve had done the horn would not work. The surveyor told me it’s one of the most prevalent hits on surveys. I happened to have a hand held horn that take a screw on gas cylinder. It worked and fill the requirement on the survey. I have always kept one aboard since that survey. It’s also not a bad idea for a backup just in case, they cost little and store easily.

 

[Simi 60]

Ours sounds like someone choking a duck.

Needed it last weekend when coming up through some narrow channels and came across 20 or more tinnies with guys casting nets out for banana prawns.
No choice but to go through them as they were blocking the whole channel

Horn didn't get their attention but a few choice expletives from the Portuguese bridge got them looking over their shoulder and rapidly moving out of the way as we barged on through.

Definitely need an upgrade.

 

[psneeld]

My experience is most move from fear, not the horn.


Blow anything you like, no matter how loud, and they don't move till they have to.


Even then some resist.

 

[O C Diver]

My experience is most move from fear, not the horn.


Blow anything you like, no matter how loud, and they don't move till they have to.


Even then some resist.

Yes, the horn is more about getting them to recognize that something is coming at them. Whether they attempt to avoid natural selection is another issue.

Ted

 

[Codger2]

My experience is most move from fear, not the horn.

That's probably true but in my opinion ( & experience) a very loud horn really gets my attention and causes me to move whether I am in the right or not!

 

[rslifkin]

That's probably true but in my opinion ( & experience) a very loud horn really gets my attention and causes me to move whether I am in the right or not!

That's certainly the attitude I take with cars. A horn should be loud and attention-grabbing enough to make anyone close by jump a little and do a quick "ok, what's wrong?" check to figure out if they should be reacting to something.

 

[Mako]

I had the multiple Kahlenberg air horns. Took them apart and sent out to be chromed. After assembly they sounded like sick ducks.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

I too wanted larger horns, like a locomotive. Til my friend the Physiological Dr, told me I was Compensating

 

[HiDHo]

There is some thought that exzoberant displays are to compensate for some physical attributes .

 

[OldDan1943]

There is some thought that exzoberant displays are to compensate for some physical attributes .

The truth be told, I wanted louder horns for 2 reasons.
To be heard and to compensate that one leg is much shorter than the other 2 legs.

 

[markpierce]

...
And blasting it is a nightly affair these days. I'm not sure where the idea originated, but we in the marina have taken up blasting our horns every evening at 7:00 in support of our hard working health heroes. We have all varieties of horns, including a conch, making a lot of noise!

On St. Nicholas (patron saint of sailors) Day in Piraeus Harbor (near Athens, Greece) heard all the ships make simultaneous, very prolonged blasts of horns.

 

[HiDHo]

OldDanl1943, it’s thought of by some that folks who drive Corvettes and those who drive vechiles with loud exhaust may have the same affliction.

 

[OldDan1943]

OldDanl1943, it’s thought of by some that folks who drive Corvettes and those who drive vechiles with loud exhaust may have the same affliction.

Yea, I agree. I drive a hybrid, a Lincoln hybrid sedan.
It is a genuine old-fart's car and I am a genuine old-fart too.

 

[Simi 60]

.

And blasting it is a nightly affair these days. I'm not sure where the idea originated, but we in the marina have taken up blasting our horns every evening at 7:00 in support of our hard working health heroes. We have all varieties of horns, including a conch, making a lot of noise!

Poor buggers are probably trying to get some hard earned rest and some silly bastard is blowing his horn, shattering their peace thinking he's showing them appreciation.

 

[markpierce]

I too wanted larger horns, like a locomotive. Til my friend the Physiological Dr, told me I was Compensating

Don't many/most high-degree mental-health therapists also seek help with their mental needs? So, don't the rest of the population without mental issues question mentally-issued experts?

 

[rslifkin]

Don't many/most high-degree mental-health therapists also seek help with their mental needs? So, don't the rest of the population without mental issues question mentally-issued experts?

I've always thought that you have to be a bit screwed up to be able to fix other people that are screwed up.

 

[Barrie]

I had a 12 volt tweet tweet horn that finally died due to a wasp nest inside. (true). i bought a new huge long trumpet truck horn at a flee market. Found who did the airhorn installation at our local hockey arena who then fixed me up with all the necessary gear to install air lines and two buttons, one for each helm.
I then bought a super quiet 110 volt air compressor and attached a 5 gallon volume tank for air storage. never run out of air. the air compressor runs off my house battery.. Takes no time to recharge.
Bonus is i have a complete air system for using my air tools and pumping up floaty toys.
We have near us a lock with a "Blow horn before rounding bend" sign. Love that spot. My wife runs down and hides it is so loud.
Good luck and have fun with it.
Barrie

 

[denverd0n]

I find the people I need them for the most, ignore them the most.

Ain't THAT the truth!

 

[OldDan1943]

If one has a loud Hatteras-like horn, sure the other boater can ignore it but at what cost.

Remember the wimpy VW horns of the 50s? With the insulation of today's cars that horn would not be heard at all and I doubt if they would be heard nor attract attention in a desperate marine situation.

Yes there are USCG horn specs, based on the length, but they are minimal Db ratings. Nothing says the horn can be over spec.

 

[psneeld]

Over spec still doesn't mean the "other guy" has a clue why you are blowing your whistle (horn).

Sure.... loud might be "shock and awe"..... but if you are trying to get another recreational boater to comply with the rules......good luck..

The guy that does know the rules...you probably didn't need to blow for and was easy to work with on the radio.

 

[dutch-barge]

I connected an MP# player to my 40 watt loud hailer.
that does the trick