Any Marine Horn Recommendations ?

[DevoDave]

Looking to install a marine horn into a Seawind 1160 catamaran.

My options are the longish 'trumpet' horns mounted up on the solar targa, or perhaps a smaller panel mounted one up f'ward.

Anyone have any comment?

[Kettlewell]

I mounted one of the Ongaro mini compacts on my boat as a replacement for an old horn. Didn't want the trumpets sticking out to catch lines. Nice tone, but not super loud. Probably loud enough for normal situations like opening bridges, letting someone know you are passing, but maybe not for emergencies. I also keep a hand-held air horn in the cockpit just in case.

[GordMay]

Or, perhaps as is quite common on sailboats; you could use a hand-held horn.

"... If this is the first marine horn you have ever bought, you might try a cheaper one and just see how you like it. You could always upgrade later on if you wanted."

➥ Marine Horn | Marine Air Horn | Marine Horns

I wonder who makes those horns for Afi and Ongaro etc?
➥ http://www.marinco.com/productline/horns

[Eleven]

Voozella's. Those straight trumpets that added so much to the world cup football. They need a sort of trumpet blow but are rated at 110 decibells and weigh a couple of ounces of rot/rust proof plastic. I've nicked the grandsons.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Voozella's. Those straight trumpets that added so much to the world cup football...

Vuvuzela ?

[Eleven]

Oh Gord, relax!
But you are right again, as ever.

[Hudson Force]

For our East Coast US cruising horns are almost never heard. I haven't heard a horn used for a bridge opening since about 1980. Almost 99.6% of all passing incounters are covered on the VHF with the comment of a One or two whistle pass, but nobody's out there using a horn. You must have it for compliance and emergengy, but this is best accomplished with an air horn in the can. I'm on my third air horn in the can that has corroded away without use over the last thirty years. No way I'm hard wiring in some device that has no function! Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[DevoDave]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

No way I'm hard wiring in some device that has no function

Possibly good advice. The only reason I am considering it is that I am whacking in a new engine instrument panel and I had space for extra switches.

If they aren't used, I may not bother.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Oh Gord, relax!

Originally Posted by CaptForce

... You must have it for compliance and emergency, but this is best accomplished with an air horn in the can...

Relax? RELAX? RELAX? This is the CF, where we get it right. How could I possibly relax?

OK; I agree with you both.

[Kettlewell]

You're right that most bridge openings are accomplished without the use of horns these days, but they are still very useful for signalling in the fog (do a lot of that in New England), backing out of a blind slip in a marina, in passing situations where the folks maybe don't have a radio or aren't paying attention, and alerting someone who's anchor is dragging. Never thought I'd want a hard-wired one, but my boat came with one on top of the pilothouse and I have found it surprisingly useful at times. It is always right there when you need it--no need to hunt around or change air cans just at the wrong moment. And, I have had to use the horn to wake up a bridge tender or two that wasn't paying attention, and to summon a locktender who wasn't on the radio because he was out painting.

[DevoDave]

Okay, I umm'd and aah'd on this one all day. Truth is, the new panel I have planned out looks good with the horn switch there, and if I take it out and stretch out the positions of everything there is too much dead space.

What the hell.. I'll whack in one of the small jobs up forward.

Anyone used one of these?
http://www.bla.com.au/index.php?fn=p...3fefd5accd6575

Small.. panel mount, and 111dB!

[Eleven]

Then place it out of sight line to the cockpit. It needs to be loud, you don't need to be deafened.
Don't be one of those guys that loves to blow their own trumpet.

[erict]

Different places have different customs. Here in Seattle, sailboats and larger power boats need five bridges to open when going between the Sound and Lake Washington. Everyone uses horns and I have never contacted our bridge operators by VHF.

[S&S]

The cream of the crop:

Sound Signaling Equipment, Marine Airhorns, Yacht Air Horns - Kahlenberg Industries, Inc.

[stillbuilding]

Well, Judging by the responses, not everyone has a burning need for a horn. Must not have any fog in some area I guess. Having sailed from Melbourne and now HK, I cannot imagine sailing without a regulation horn. Legalities aside, it just seems to be an essential if sailing in populated areas.
I harbour the fond ambition of sailing in Japan in next few years and expect it to be a pre-requisite.
Standard Horizon advertise an electronic loud hailer/horn, Marco (Italian Company) do similar commercial range. Really happy to have the manufacturer reference above though - thanks for that.