Adding an air horn

All,
Thinking about adding an air horn to the boat and need advise.


First, what is a good reliable brand?


When hooked up, assume you wire the horn switch that goes to a solenoid that triggers the air switch, correct? So once wired, I don't have to run a special like to the lower helm?


And are there any volume adjustments that one could make, perhaps less for backing out of a Marina than on the open water?


And can I assume that these are generally more reliable than the electric ones, that just aren't loud enough.


Thx for the help!

Do you already have compressed air on your boat?

We added a Kahlenburg to a 45' aluminum work boat a few recent years ago, no regrets there, built like the idiomatic brick lavatory. But this vessel already had a compressor and air tank. I may poke around and see if I can find the model. No tweaking the volume on that one though lol.

As I understand it they make various ones generating their own air even with wireless controllers. Check them out.

Most recreational air horns have their own mini compressor, about the same size as a beer can, and use the same power feed as the existing elec horn. The wires go to the compressor instead of the elec horn. You would need to add a small hole for the air tube.

Now Kahlenburgs are AIR HORNS! Suitable for small coaster tanker or locomotive. If you have existing compressed air then yes, a simple solenoid would work.

We removed the old electric horn that had been reduced by time and repeated water infiltration to sounding very much like a lowing calf locked in a closet and then installed the model S-OA single horn and plumbed it to the existing compressed air system with a valve kit and a controller for timed fog signal. I believe we reused the existing toggle switch for normal horn use. Even the single horn (vs dual or triple) was plenty, plenty loud for our application cruising amid islands on Lake Superior.

Here's the page showing complete air-driven kits for vessels under 65 feet. https://www.kahlenberg.com/products/marine-signaling/yachting-yacht-horns.html

I can say without reservation that this (dual horn) is what I would install if I was at all unhappy with the existing horn on my vessel. For my plans I would probably go with the fog signal controller too unless I was already happy with my loud hailer.

2 and 3 tone horns aren't necessarily louder than a single, but they're much more distinctive sounding and IMO, they just sound better. It's tough to beat the melody of a good 3+ tone horn.

rslifkin said:

2 and 3 tone horns aren't necessarily louder than a single, but they're much more distinctive sounding and IMO, they just sound better. It's tough to beat the melody of a good 3+ tone horn.

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Yep.

Their dual horn for yachts: https://www.kahlenberg.com/pub/media/productattach/d/-/d-0ae_2.mp3

Their triple: https://www.kahlenberg.com/pub/media/productattach/t/-/t-0ae_1.mp3

Or, if you want to be really fancy:

https://www.kahlenberg.com/pub/media/productattach/y/a/yankees-02m-musical-air-horn.mp3

https://www.kahlenberg.com/model-02m-musical-air-horn.html

Our boat came with a 3-horn Beueler horn system. I say system because it is designed to operate on compressed CO2, no compressor nexessary. It is VERY loud. We got the boat seven years ago, have cruised extensively, and have not consumed the whole of a gas bottle. The bottle is in a mount undern3ath the upper helm.

Wow, lots of good ideas.....


And love the Kahlenberg one for $28,000, everyone should have one.

I fabricated one on a boat using the propane tank that was up on deck. I used this solenoid. The pressure needs to circumvent your pressure regulator. Even still, the pressure in a propane tank varies quite a bit depending on temperature. It will be louder on hot days (just like people).

Another question....
What's available to have these air horns work as a fog horn that honk automatically?

Seevee, the horns on the stbd side of my flybridge are already air horns, installed by the factory. The air compressor is behind the seat.

porman said:

Seevee, the horns on the stbd side of my flybridge are already air horns, installed by the factory. The air compressor is behind the seat.

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Sounds good. I've got electric ones there and they are poor at best. Could easily add a compressor.



Does yours have a fog horn option... so it will sound automatically?

As long as the horns are triggered by an electric solenoid, a Fogmate or the Kahlenberg controller (or anything else that can electrically trigger horns on a timer) will work for a fog signal.

Or for the truely over the top:

https://youtu.be/2VZCRWKgh1E

My boat has an older dual tone air horn, I don't remember the brand. The compressor was originally an A/C powered unit that was in poor condition. I removed it and put a 12V compressor with an integrated tank and pressure switch, hooked it up to the same line as the old A/C one.

Amazon- VIAIR Compressor

It powers the air horn just fine, the original solenoid actuates the horn, and the same DC circuit that powers the solenoid also now powers the compressor.

Kahlenberg sells a simple twin toggle switch timer controller where you select off, underway, not underway (and sail or power.) I imagine this unit would work for any application not just their own, the electronic principle is fairly simple (other than choosing 12v or 24 volt model.) On one of my express cruisers I installed a simple fog signal controller underneath my panel in-line with the horn switch that was controlled by pressing that existing horn switch in a couple of simple predetermined patterns that would activate or then deactivate the automatic underway signal. This was nice since I didn’t need to mount any new switches etc.

Edit: that was the Fogmate unit previously mentioned above.

Seevee, my air horns don't have the fog horn option, but my VHF radio does. It's a little anemic though.

catalinajack said:

Our boat came with a 3-horn Beueler horn system. I say system because it is designed to operate on compressed CO2, no compressor nexessary.

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I like that idea of running off a compressed bottle. However it would be really cool if you hooked it up to a propane bottle instead, with a tiny piezo starter.

Send us some photos when you’re done, Jack!

Thought about replacing our electric strangled duck horn with something better but, reality is we have only used it 3 times in 5+ years of every day boating.

Not high on our priority list.

But if I did, it would be one of the numerous under $50 air horns on eBay
Worked fine in vehicles I have had, see no reason they won't on a boat.

Blue Sky came with a single horn Kahlenberg, presumably installed in 1995 when she was built. About four years ago we replaced the compressor as it was only capable by then of producing a strange and grotesque sound. The new compressor made a world of difference. (Blue Sky has the complete system, solenoid, compressor, horn). It is a good system and 12V.
The only thing I would change is to go for at least dual horns if not triple horns. They make a huge improvement to the sound.

Does your marine radio have a horn option, my Icom does so I just added a speaker outside. Its a nice option to have if you are lazy as you can choose the "fog" option and your horn will blow the correct sequence and timing until you turn it off. I have found a few folks have this option but they didn't know it.

rsn48 said:

Does your marine radio have a horn option, my Icom does so I just added a speaker outside. Its a nice option to have if you are lazy as you can choose the "fog" option and your horn will blow the correct sequence and timing until you turn it off. I have found a few folks have this option but they didn't know it.

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My Uniden has the same option with the external speaker. Not even close to an air horn but you could simply use the leads to drive a solenoid if you really wanted the volume. Radar works for me.

I let the word out among my friends that I waas looking for a couple air hornes from an 18 wheeler. I ended up with three or four. I tried them on compressed air and found two that sounded good together. I bought an air compressor which runs on 12 volts and has about a three gallon resevoir. Good for about two minutes of steady "horning" . They are really loud, I mean REALLY, REALLY!!

I have a little electric one for in the marina, etc.

The compressor comes on automatically when pressure gets low, the solinoid is wired to both upper and lower stations. Total cost a few hundred.

I cut a couple two inch holes in the front of the flybridge, below the windscreen. I took the horns apart and fed the "bugle" end into the holes and mounted all the hardware under the flybridge facing (whatever it is called).

pete

rsn48 said:

Does your marine radio have a horn option, my Icom does so I just added a speaker outside. Its a nice option to have if you are lazy as you can choose the "fog" option and your horn will blow the correct sequence and timing until you turn it off. I have found a few folks have this option but they didn't know it.

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I have that option... pretty anemic. In fog, I really want to be heard.

A few years ago, I installed some Texas Train Horns (chimes). Model 46115. Comes with 3 horns, relay and a 12vDC compressor. I love them. They are load, but get the attention if you need them.

https://www.airhornsoftexas.com/collections/train-air-horns

Pete, that’s a good point about also having a very small second horn for signaling in quiet canals or maneuvering around marinas. Sorta like a signaling whistle like the tugs use in the Miami River.

Buel is another option for real air horns. Lots of options for length and number of trumpets etc. I have installed several and used 120v aluminum tank compressors. This gives me the option of using the same compressor for a hookah rig to dive under the boat. Mine have been installed on my Albin for around 10 years and still work perfectly and look great. I believe the Buel brand is somewhat cheaper than Kahlenberg.

adding an air horn

Here are my notes from when i installed one two years ago.
Pair of used truck air horns on Kijiji - $60
MAKITA Quiet Series portable Air Compressor, Electric, 1 Gal. $250.
Air reservoir tank, 11-Gallon $100
Two air push buttons (one for each helm) and 50 feet air plastic air tubing plus hardware- $300
Easy to install. inflate kids rafts a bonus.
Turns your little boat into a REALLY BIG BOAT !

I installed a Nathan P2 Airchime on my boat. Kept the anemic electric horn by using a selector switch so could pick my poison. Wife and dog don’t let me use the air horn. Way too loud. Now when I’m out with the guys it is another matter.

Brent Hodges said:

Buel is another option for real air horns. Lots of options for length and number of trumpets etc. I have installed several and used 120v aluminum tank compressors. This gives me the option of using the same compressor for a hookah rig to dive under the boat. Mine have been installed on my Albin for around 10 years and still work perfectly and look great. I believe the Buel brand is somewhat cheaper than Kahlenberg.

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For people that care about such things, Buell air horns are still made in the same
Lyons, IL plant that they have been for the last 110 years.

I had a pair on my last boat and I had them straightened and rechromed during a
refit (after Billy Zane stepped on them - another story), and they looked like new.
They sounded great, too.