Honking ferries in NYC

psneeld said:

... I rarley hear sound signals at all along the ICW except for radio passing by cruisers. Even the USCG and LE guys don't do it.

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At the moment I'm thinking about traveling to other busy cities, just to show that this now enforced regulation is not in effect in most of the harbors and cities where people live really close to such a busy ferry station with small private ferries.

When you watch my video you can even guess that there is no need at this ferry station to use the horns... because the security situation doesn't change in any way!

Wolf said:

At the moment I'm thinking about traveling to other busy cities, just to show that this now enforced regulation is not in effect in most of the harbors and cities where people live really close to such a busy ferry station with small private ferries.

When you watch my video you can even guess that there is no need at this ferry station to use the horns... because the security situation doesn't change in any way!

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Of all the things (noise just being one of them) that could improve NYC...you are going to concentrate on honking ferries??????

Wow...you must have superman hearing....

psneeld said:

Of all the things (noise just being one of them) that could improve NYC...you are going to concentrate on honking ferries??????

Wow...you must have superman hearing....

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Actually it's pretty quiet in our area, since the ferries started honking...

RickB said:

Naval Shiphandler's Guide pp 154 - 155

"It is always prudent to have sound signals as a backup if radio communication fails."

"Three very short blasts tells the tug to increase to full speed in the direction it is already going."

NAVAL SHIPHANDLER'S GUIDE | U.S. Naval Institute

It's difficult to make headway going astern.

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Could you be so nice to explain to me what "radio communication" exactly means? With whom should the captain communicate?

along with the signals,the ferries are required to make a secuirite call,as well as all other commercials vessels in new York harbor,when they get underway.It states the name of the vessel,its current location,and its intended destination.this is how it goes"securite,securite,this is the ferryboat Andrew barberi,departing St. George ferry terminal in route to Whitehall ferry terminal" As to the quote about tugboats,i cannot comment,but the commercial shipping must obey Coast Guard rules,not naval,so that might be the answer.

Wolf said:

Could you be so nice to explain to me what "radio communication" exactly means? With whom should the captain communicate?

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When tugs are working together in a shiphandling operation they normally communicate movements by radio. The pilot tells the tugs which way to push or pull and how much, the tugs coordinate their movements by radio. The reference simply states the fact that it is prudent to have whistle signals as a backup to radio communication.

That same reasoning applies to any and all maneuvering situations, sound signals must be known and used to communicate vessel movements and intentions. Practically, if radio communication is not or cannot be accomplished then sound signals are the only alternative and are required. It ain't rocket science.

It is not complicated and it is not a rule or procedure restricted to naval vessels ... the citation just happened to be best illustrated in the document provided.

The citation was provided for the benefit of a weekend boater who felt qualified to criticize the actions of professional mariners performing a very critical barge handling operation.

sorry,i did nt realize that the conversation had morphed to tugs.I thought we were still talking about the ferry system.

tinped said:

sorry,i did nt realize that the conversation had morphed to tugs.I thought we were still talking about the ferry system.

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It didn't morph anywhere, we were talking about sound signals.

RickB said:

It didn't morph anywhere, we were talking about sound signals.

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The OP's origiinal thread title was "Honking Ferries in NYC."

Ferries "honk" in NYC because the rules say that marine vessels will use sound signals. That is probably why sound signals instantly became the core of the discussion. Ferries really have nothing to do with it, they just happen to be the type of marine vessels close enough to the OP to annoy him because they follow the rules.

RickB said:

That is probably why sound signals instantly became the core of the discussion. Ferries really have nothing to do with it, they just happen to be the type of marine vessels close enough to the OP to annoy him because they follow the rules.

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Could be, but if true, why didn't the OP mention Horns, trains, planes and the like. No, he is definitely fed up with the noise ferries make, hence the title of his post.

Greetings,
Damn noisy fairies....

RT Firefly said:

Damn noisy fairies....

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Is that where that high pitched whining noise is coming from?

Greetings,
Mr. Rick B. I think the origin of the high pitched whining noise is on the west coast of NA somewhere.....

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. Rick B. I think the origin of the high pitched whining noise is on the west coast of NA somewhere.....

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Here's a "Honking Fairy" for ya ...

A sneeze in Tinkerbell, the movie - YouTube

Whining noise? We used to say here that if a loud whining noise continued from a 747 arriving from the UK after the engines were closed down, it was likely carrying English immigrants.
The OP lives near a working harbour with all its features,noise incl, to be reasonably expected. Nice if it stopped, doubt it will.