Proper VHF hailing?

Firehoser, excellent! Clear and concise is important and even more important is being understood. It drives me crazy listening to the CG give a warning. They are taught to be fast, so fast that they are very difficult to understand. I have spoken to a couple of sector commanders about having them slow down but alas it didn’t help. A lot of boaters are getting up there in age and don’t hear as well as a 20 year old and when they speak so rapidly they are not understandable. What good is a warning if nobody can understand it. Better to take 10 seconds more and have it understandable.

And don’t get me started on “over and out”. Over means I am done talking and waiting on you to talk. Out means we are finished. How can I be waiting on you to speak if we are finished speaking???

Something that surprised me coming to the big boat world from the world of aviation was the lack of common radio procedures being used by many/most boaters. It's like folks bought a big boat but didn't learn how to communicate the language. Many don't even know about Vessel Traffic check-in or radio monitoring protocols.

Someone should do a simple, common sense lesson of maritime radio comm procedures on YouTube for the newbie to big (slow) boating. Scott, you'd be the perfect guy for the job!!!

FlyWright said:

It's like folks bought a big boat but didn't learn how to communicate the language.

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You said it! More evidence in support of mandatory boater education and licensing, IMO.

In the USA, no license or test is required to own or use a marine band VHF transceiver. It's not at all surprising then that many boaters do not know the procedures or language that is expected.

10-4 good buddy!

The only thing that bothers me on VHF channel 16 are those requesting a radio check. The USCG usually responds with a "no-no."

markpierce said:

The only thing that bothers me on VHF channel 16 are those requesting a radio check. The USCG usually responds with a "no-no."

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Victoria Coast Guard (Canada) is real quick to remind on the "radio check" is not on VHF16.

Around here, USCG doesn't usually care if someone calls for a radio check on 16, provided it's a quiet day and they're quick about it. But if more start to think "hey, good idea" and do the same, then they'll give the speech.

FlyWright said:

It's like folks bought a big boat but didn't learn how to communicate the language.

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Communicate? Watch some of the boating channels on YouTube. Most don’t even know what dock lines are, what fenders do, what the throttle does, what’s the proper pickup truck to purchase...

I’ve often asked “would these people buy a Cessna and just ‘go flying’”?

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Victoria Coast Guard (Canada) is real quick to remind on the "radio check" is not on VHF16.

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Same with CG station Puget Sound (Seattle).