How to warn some other boat?

[boatman61]

Its not just power boats though... once going into the lagoon at Faro, Portugal... it can be tricky with shifting sandbars so you stand 2+ miles off till the entrance is roughly 350 before heading in.. sand banks change depth every week...
Anyway we were on our way in when I spotted this sailboat trying to cut across the bars... called on VHF.. no answer... shouted and waved... the same lack of response... then they hit bottom and started bouncing as the current pushed them further onto the bar.. I hung around half expecting to go into rescue mode as they began to list over to near 45*... then luckily they hit a hole and turned the boat back the way they'd come... last I saw as I went through the entrance was them heading for the sanctuary (and maybe repairs) of Villamora

[senormechanico]

I used to have a neighbor who had a Bayliner power boat.
Not big, just a daytime, waterski, cuddy cabin type thing.
His thing was to go from Seattle to the San Juans.
He used car type maps to get there.
His answer to charts?
"They're EXPENSIVE! I just keep the boat in the Blue part!

He also was a fireman who cleaned his tile lined fireplace chimney with chains.



Steve

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Bash

For a significant number of boaters, especially powerboaters, everything they learned about boating came from their experience driving a car. They will have no idea that nautical whistle signals amount to anything other than what a taxi driver means when he honks his horn.

Oh? Sailboaters use horns to communicate much less frequently than power boaters although many in each class are ignorant. (Just how common are permanently-installed horns are there on sailboats as compared to powerboats?) I've got a several-times-required-loud horn and even then the occasional boater acts unaware. (My passengers demand I not blow the horns unless they're inside the boat.)

[mrohr]

To answer the original post: Yes, for those of you who still carry signal flags on board.
Remember they were designed to signal other craft, , not just to "dress ship". There is a combination of flags that mean: "You are standing into Danger".Probably someone who is enamored with useless information could google this so as to be able to signal another similarly enlightened skipper that has their spyglass at the ready.
If Bash had done his home work,he may have be able to improvise and hoist up an inverted letter D in which case the clueless skipper of the offending power boat would have realized that he was towing his dingy upside down. If however, he was greeted with with that rude salute ,he could hoist : " ** 2".

Apparently, the pace of life was slower before instant messaging and possibly more fun.

[Lancerbye]

Boaters who would need to be warned of a danger that they should have known about by using their charts, are not going to understand any of the boating regular systems of signals, and as someone previously stated, will only be a distraction if they happen to spot or hear you. Sometimes all you can do is be ready to assist, watch and pass the popcorn.

[transformer]

Originally Posted by mrohr

To answer the original post: Yes, for those of you who still carry signal flags on board.
Remember they were designed to signal other craft, , not just to "dress ship". There is a combination of flags that mean: "You are standing into Danger".
.

and you are suppose to hoist/signal those flags in the country where "cruisers" do not have to have even basic licence/certificate of competency and they are suppose to "read" this....




and even if they by any chance can,what you think their answer will be. this one....




or this one....

[MarkJ]

You need multiple S flags for "kiss"

[David M]

You can use a repeater for duplicate letters and numbers...

[Group9]

Originally Posted by David M

I have noticed the same a number of times. Use a whistle signal and people think you are angry at them.

I was standing on our private dock in a small cove in our community in Annapolis and I saw a large powerboat, coming in to pass over a concrete covered drainage pipe that extended out into the cove that was often exposed at low tide. It was high tide, but I really didn't think he could clear it.

I started yelling and waving my arms for him to bear off and he just kept coming, missing the pipe and concrete by what had to be inches, and then yelled at me from the flybridge, "These are public waters, you can't tell me I can't come in here."

I just said, "You're right. Sorry." and walked off.

[transformer]

Originally Posted by David M

You can use a repeater for duplicate letters and numbers...

Thanks David, I know that, but this program does not use repaters.

Nautical flags - International Code Flags : GREETING CARD

[David M]

I was answering Mark's post.

On military and a number of other ships the Third Repeater hoisted by itself is used to signify that the master is away from the ship. This is also why it is nicknamed the "party flag".

[carstenb]

The international signals for "you are standing into danger" are:

Sound on the horn: dot dot dash

Signal flag: uniform. (U)

Obviously, the above assumes that the arsehole on the other boat has a maritime education and undertands (very) basic colregs.

If not, well that is why insurance was invented

If sailing, a power boat or a sailboat on open waters, you really should know the basic signals.

But of course, a shot across the bow with a large caliber gun usually will get their attention. In some countries, however, they will shoot back

[Bash]

Originally Posted by mrohr

If Bash had done his home work,he may have be able to improvise and hoist up an inverted letter D in which case the clueless skipper of the offending power boat would have realized that he was towing his dingy upside down. If however, he was greeted with with that rude salute ,he could hoist : " ** 2".

Funny. You should check a flag chart and scope out the Delta flag. It's impossible to invert.

I prefer flying my Cruisers Forum burgee. Charlie Foxtrot. Look that one up.

[transformer]

or if there is no mast, you can youse this "exercise"....

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by mrohr

To answer the original post: Yes, for those of you who still carry signal flags on board.
Remember they were designed to signal other craft, , not just to "dress ship". There is a combination of flags that mean: "You are standing into Danger".Probably someone who is enamored with useless information could google this so as to be able to signal another similarly enlightened skipper that has their spyglass at the ready.
If Bash had done his home work,he may have be able to improvise and hoist up an inverted letter D in which case the clueless skipper of the offending power boat would have realized that he was towing his dingy upside down. If however, he was greeted with with that rude salute ,he could hoist : " ** 2".

Apparently, the pace of life was slower before instant messaging and possibly more fun.

Actually, signal flags are not "useless" information as this thread proves. Information rarely today, perhaps, but not useless