COLREG 35

[kev_rm]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I don't think you have spent much time in the Pacific North West. Fog is often widespread and consistent and frequently dense enough to prevent one from seeing another boat a single length away.

You must have an awfully long boat. Or maybe it's white?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Oh?

https://www.kahlenberg.com/signal-co...del-m-522.html

I did mention those in a later post, but from what I can find, they're well over $1000. That's a crazy price for a horn controller.



I also managed to find a unit from Signal Mate that supports the short long short signal. A bit over $300 for that one, but the user interface on it looks a bit clunky, nowhere near as nice as the Kahlenberg.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by kev_rm

You must have an awfully long boat. Or maybe it's white?

You must have no appreciation of fog potential. Fog along the Ohio River in Ohio was too thick to see the hood ornament on our car.

Dense fog in Nova Scotia too. We passed navigation marks we could not see that the radar showed at less than 50 feet. We were so glad to have the broadband, bell and signals. We sailed blind daily and found the air clear when we traveled up any of the long narrow inlets for night anchoring. Canadian boats sounded no signals.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Logically, a vessel should sound its horn when visibility is limited within its horn's range. Otherwise, why are minimum ranges of vessels' horn specified?

There are no detailed specifications for sound signals aboard small recreational vessels (such as decibels at a given range) only for larger vessels.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

You must have no appreciation of fog potential. Fog along the Ohio River in Ohio was too thick to see the hood ornament on our car.



Dense fog in Nova Scotia too. We passed navigation marks we could not see that the radar showed at less than 50 feet. We were so glad to have the broadband, bell and signals. We sailed blind daily and found the air clear when we traveled up any of the long narrow inlets for night anchoring. Canadian boats sounded no signals.

True, Ive been in fog so dense several times that I could barely see the bow of the boat. All times aboard recreational vessels under 50'. A couple of times in New England and once in Florida!

[BigBoater917]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

There are no detailed specifications for sound signals aboard small recreational vessels (such as decibels at a given range) only for larger vessels.

You can find this information in the annexes. For sound signal devices its annex III. It specifies vessels under 20 meters a sound between 180-2100 hz and audible at 1/2 mile.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

There are no detailed specifications for sound signals aboard small recreational vessels (such as decibels at a given range) only for larger vessels.

Thankfully, BigBoater corrected you.

[AKA-None]

Well I can tell you that in my last transuperior race we sounded a horn, in the middle of the night, off the south shore. So yes people do use fog horns in the fog while sailing.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Well I can tell you that in my last transuperior race we sounded a horn, in the middle of the night, off the south shore. So yes people do use fog horns in the fog while sailing.

That situation is what makes me wonder why so few sailboats have permanently mounted horns. If you're in fog for hours, you're gonna go through quite a few of those canned horns, plus they have to be used manually. It's not like a basic set of electric trumpets like every cheap powerboat wears is an expensive item.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

That situation is what makes me wonder why so few sailboats have permanently mounted horns. If you're in fog for hours, you're gonna go through quite a few of those canned horns, plus they have to be used manually. It's not like a basic set of electric trumpets like every cheap powerboat wears is an expensive item.

Who needs a horn. A hailer speaker connected to a decent radio will sound fog signals too.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Who needs a horn. A hailer speaker connected to a decent radio will sound fog signals too.

That works, although many boats don't have hailers either. And most hailers when used as a fog horn aren't as loud as a decent set of horns. Many hailers aren't loud enough to meet the minimum requirements for horn volume, although they're still far better than nothing.

[carstenb]

Having just sailed from Roche Harbor to Port Angeles (San Juan Islands) day before yesterday in heavy fog - I can recount the following:

The fog (especially going through Mosquito Pass) limited visibility to about 25 meters (checked with radar against a buoy). Several power boats zipped right along through that fog at 8-10 knots (we were making 2-2.5 knots)

We met a number of vessels (trawlers) coming against us - but they didn't use their fog horns.

Several boats were drifting (fishing) and didn't sue their fog horns.

We have an old horn that you blow (no cans here - you can find out if your lungs work). We did blow that every couple of minutes as we snaked our way down Mosquito Pass. Only one boat answered - he used a pot and spoon (worked just fine)


we had near collisions with a couple of the others - the pass is narrow (we have a 7 foot keel) These clowns not only couldn't be bothered to use their fog horn, they indiscriminately zipped around coming right in front of us - they simply didn't care

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by carstenb

we had near collisions with a couple of the others - the pass is narrow (we have a 7 foot keel) These clowns not only couldn't be bothered to use their fog horn, they indiscriminately zipped around coming right in front of us - they simply didn't care

We deal with this alot even when there is no fog. There seem to be a lot of small boat fisherman who view the boat as a means to fish, and are not really boaters, per se. The boat is merely the conveyance to the fishing.

These guys don't seem to recognize stand-on/give way, or much else in the way of common courtesy, or even common sense.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

as a side note . . . the rules also require you to keep a 7x24 'proper look-out' when anchored.

Regarding sounds signals while anchored . . . is not this (part g) the relevant rule, rather than the part c quoted several times above:


—INTERNATIONAL—
Sound and Light Signals
RULE 35—CONTINUED
(g) A vessel at anchor shall at intervals of not more than one minute ring the bell rapidly for about 5 seconds. In a vessel of 100 meters or more in length the bell shall be sounded in the forepart of the vessel and immediately after the ringing of the bell the gong shall be sounded rapidly for about 5 seconds in the after part of the vessel. A vessel at anchor may in addition sound three blasts in succession, namely one short, one prolonged and one short blast, to give warning of her position and of the possibility of collision to an approaching vessel.

Forgot this part:

(i) A vessel of 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length shall not be obliged to give the bell signals prescribed in Rule 35(g) and (h). However, if she does not, she shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.

(j) A vessel of less than 12 meters in length shall not be obliged to give the above mentioned signals but, if she does not, shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.

I've seen a lot of wind chimes on boats in the PNW

[r.stokes]

Timely conversation. I rarely get to use my horn but we came across the (Georgia) straights in the fog of forest fire smoke last weekend, vis was about a half mile and yes, I used my fog horn (5 second blast every 2 mins). In our waters we have a LOT of small boat sport fishermen, and most have no clue (or care) you're close at the best of times. Figured I have a horn, may as well use the horn...

But I never use it at anchor (I do use my anchor light though).