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Horns: does anyone use them anymore?


BrumBargee

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Very few seem to use them. Of those that do they often don't give a long enough blast. Any many horns make a pathetic noise.

 

It's not just the blind bridges or bends but junctions. Fill with water at Great Haywood or Fazeley and watch the fun.

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It seems to me to be an advantage if nobody else sounds a horn as long as you have a proper loud one do a single blast and voilâ ! Sorted. Other person having a horn just complicates matters..

 

ETA perhaps just five loud blasts would be better. To make a point and request that other vessels 'keep clear'

Edited by magnetman
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47 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Print this off, laminate it and kep it by your helm.

 

 

 

 

Colreg Sound Signals.jpg

 

 

You forgot this one: . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _ .  "I intend to enter my vessel by sliding across the roof and climbing in through an open window, then proceed up the navigation like a hoodlum"  

 

The horn signal is demonstrated below.

 

 

Edited by booke23
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I use mine, mostly in "I am here" mode.

Unfortunately it is a waste of time using any of the modes as shown above by Alan De E as very few ever bother to learn and use them.

On the occasions I do use them correctly I get something along the lines of "What's all that noise about" or "What else did you get for Christmas?"

On these occurrences I hand out the table again as above.
Interestingly knowledge and use of sound signals are obligatory at sea. When I used to sail offshore used them on many many instances. 

I have the choice of two horns.

No comments on the navigation lights please, it has been "Done to death" many times before.

 

Incidentally there used to be a boat called "Firkham Hall" which moored at Napton Junction, that had air horns which played "Dixie" I will refrain from comment on this. 

 

DSCF3371.JPG

DSCF1402.JPG

Edited by Ray T
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1 minute ago, Ray T said:

Unfortunately it is a waste of time using any of the modes as shown above by Alan De E as very few never bother to learn and use them.

 

In the last couple of days there has been a thread about 'training'.

 

It wouldn't hurt for hire boats to have the signal sheet attached next to the helm and the hire companies to explain that it is the hirers own interest to give a 3-4 secind toot when approaching a blind turn or bridge hole.

 

Boat owners could even do the same.

 

We have to start somewhere.

 

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

"Lao Tzu)

 

 

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General Canal Bye-Laws

 

(1) Every power-driven vessel navigating on any canal shall be furnished with an efficient whistle. (2) When vessels are in sight of one another the master of a power-driven vessel under way in taking any of the courses hereinafter referred to in this Bye-law shall indicate that course by following signals on such whistle, namely : One short blast to mean “I am altering my course to starboard”, two short blasts to mean “I am altering my course to port”, three short blasts to mean “My engines are going astern”, four short blasts to mean “I am about to turn or to turn round”. This signal shall be followed after a short interval by one short blast if turning to starboard or two short blasts if turning to port and shall be repeated to any approaching vessel, whereupon such approaching vessel shall take action to avoid collision. (3) In fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorm or any other conditions similarly restricting visibility whether by night or day, the following signals shall be used:- (a) A power-driven vessel making way through the water shall sound, at intervals of not more than two minutes a prolonged blast. (b) A power-driven vessel under way but stopped and making no way through the water shall sound, at intervals of not more than two minutes, two prolonged blasts with an interval of about one second between them. (c) A vessel when towing and a vessel under way which is unable to get out of the way of an approaching vessel through being not under command or unable to manoeuvre as required by these Bye-laws shall sound, at intervals of not more than one minute, three blasts in succession, namely, one prolonged blast followed by two short blasts. (d) Every vessel aground in the fairway or mid-channel shall, so long as she remains aground, signify the same by sounding five or more blasts in rapid succession at intervals of not more than one minute. (4) When the view of the canal ahead is obstructed by a bend in the canal and until such view is no longer obscured, a powerdriven vessel making way through the water shall sound, at intervals of twenty seconds, a prolonged blast. (5) The Master of a power driven vessel approaching a lock which is operated by staff provided by the Board for that purpose and requiring the bridge to be opened shall sound one prolonged blast, except that on the Weaver Navigation when navigating downstream he shall sound one prolonged blast followed by one short blast. (6) The Master of a power-driven vessel intending to pass a moveable bridge, which is operated by staff provided by the Board or other authority, and requiring the bridge to be opened shall sound one prolonged blast, except that on the Weaver Navigation when navigating downstream he shall sound one prolonged blast followed by one short blast

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I still use the horn at things like blind bends and blind bridges, and if necessary throttle down so I can hear anyone else doing the same.

 

Doesn't stop people coming the other way steaming round them at full speed in the sure and certain (but wrong...) knowledge that nobody's coming the other way... ?

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Print this off, laminate it and kep it by your helm.

 

 

 

 

Colreg Sound Signals.jpg

 

I had to learn all of those as part of my Board of Trade Boatmaster's training, and can still remember most of them, not that it did me any good. One day I needed to get the Trip boat onto the opposie bank to moor, and was being approached by the RN Yeovilton boat "Pussers Rum" I gave the correct signal indicating that I wished to move to Port. They responded with the same signal, confirming that we could pass Starboard to Starboard, and promptly moved to Starboard almost hitting us in the process. Moral of this tale? if the Royal Navy doesn't understand standard maritime signals, what hope is there for the general public?

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
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7 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

I had to learn all of those as part of my Board of Trade Boatmaster's training, and can still remember most of them, not that it did me any good. One  I needed to get the Trip boat onto the opposie bank to moor, and were being approached by the RN Yeovilton boat "Pussers Rum" I gave the correct signal indicating that I wished to move to Port. They responded with the same signal, confirming that we could pass Starboard to Starboard, and promptly moved to Starboard almost hitting us in the process. Moral of this tale? if the Royal Navy doesn't understand standard maritime signals, what hope is there for the general public?

The trouble is that the boat may have been chartered by personnel who may not have been on a ship in their life, or maybe they are from a branch of the service where they have no need to learn such things.  Best not to assume anything and behave defensively when in doubt!

 

Howard
 

 

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16 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

I had to learn all of those as part of my Board of Trade Boatmaster's training, and can still remember most of them, not that it did me any good. One day I needed to get the Trip boat onto the opposie bank to moor, and was being approached by the RN Yeovilton boat "Pussers Rum" I gave the correct signal indicating that I wished to move to Port. They responded with the same signal, confirming that we could pass Starboard to Starboard, and promptly moved to Starboard almost hitting us in the process. Moral of this tale? if the Royal Navy doesn't understand standard maritime signals, what hope is there for the general public?

 

 

I can see why most canal boaters won't know all of these signals, but one long blast for a blind bend is almost common sense. I just find it strange - why would you risk running into another boat when a simple press of a button is all that's needed?

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And how do you distinguish between a car going over the bridge or a boat coming the over way. And just because you hooted it does not give you a right of way through the bridge as some steerers seem to think

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2 minutes ago, Tonka said:

And how do you distinguish between a car going over the bridge or a boat coming the over way. And just because you hooted it does not give you a right of way through the bridge as some steerers seem to think

You don't really need to distinguish between them, if you hear a horn the safest thing to do is assume it's a boat and proceed with caution until you can see more of what's going on.

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Always give a loud blast when about to pass under a hump-backed narrow road bridge. And wait for the sound of sudden braking.

And especially if there's a cyclist in the vicinity, always good to stop them while they wait for the car coming the other way.

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Back in the 80's bridge 228 [Yarnton Lane]on the south Oxford was a cracker.  We knew it as "toot" bridge before they fitted traffic lights for single file use.  Great sport was had with the boat horn and hearing the screech of brakes.  It was legit though as the bridge is on a bend and very low, so we woz just following the COLREGS innit?

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As ninety per cent of boaters appear to be as old and deaf as me, I can't see the point of adding to the general racket nowadays. I certainly can't hear anyone's horn above the Lister banging away. I just approach blind corners with my hand on the throttle ready to take evasive action.

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I suspect that the majority of those on this forum use the horn at blind bends, junctions etc,  but very few of us actually remember all the signals and even if we do it requires both parties to understand. The canals ought to have a much simpler / shorter list of horn signals then it would be reasonable for more people to know / understand them. 

 

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