Horns

[unpc 5]

Twice in the last 2 weeks it being silly season, I have found myself on a collision course where I was the stand on vessel. In one case I had to alter course to stb to get the launch to respond.

The second was in the Pine harbour channel which is about 12 m wide. I was going in on the stb side when a launch coming out keeping left like on the road in effect played chicken. I doubt I would have had the water to go more to stb not at less than full tide anyway. Anyway I pulled out the horn which was a year or two old and unused, and it didn't work, the gas seemed empty. I have my doubts that the meaning of any signal would have been known but it might have had some effect.

As it happened she altered course finally and passed less than four metres away at 10 knots with a smile and a wave of isn't this fun.

I am thinking of putting in a compact electric horn - the trumpet type seems inappropriate on a yacht and when one needs it it has to be immediately accessible and work.

Anyone tried these?

[PaulR 3]

The el cheapo Red Plastic Trumpet type $8 generally works 100%;

no gas clyinders; just "blow" power.

 

Panic provides MORE blow power!!

 

You could always just STOP.

[unpc 5]

True in part. But stopping when the wind and or current would blow you aground while strictly correct could mean a very boring ten hours or so. I also wonder whether running aground is part of the doing what is required to avoid a collision.

Most of you use a "blow it" device?

[Atom Ant 0]

I have a blow it horn, works fine!

[Guest]

There is one on the market that can be inflated with a bike pump. and a new one that has its own pump handle, sounds just like a gas horn. now you can blow your own trumpet.

 

they are both on sale at a marine shop close to Westhaven.

[Bad Kitty 252]

What about a white anti collision flare into the bridge area?

Helps drive the message home!

The standard of seamanship really is abysmal, hopefully it's ignorance not intentionally ignoring the rules?

Launches seem worse but yachts are there as well.

We had to dip a yacht off North Head over Xmas, we were sailing North, he was motoring toward Orakei, no sails at all, when we dipped him, 2 meters behind his dinghy and asked if he was was alright he screamed at me, asked what did I think I was doing?

So I explained that he was a stupid old c#*t, and he probably still can't believe that I had the cheek to sail within 50 meters of him.

Probably been doing that for the last 50 years!

[Zebra 0]

Sounds like the time when I was motoring back from N. Leading back to Westhaven. I was coming back past North Head, and, since it is usually such a busy area, I was keeping as far to starboard as I could. However, coming up to the green pole marking the mooring area just inside N. Head, I was aiming to pass just outside the pole, when a launch (about 8-9 m) leaving Auckland cut so close to the pole that there was no room for me to pass, and I had to stop and wait for him to pass... It was so close that I almost caught air off his wake just with the leftover momentum from my deceleration...

[ScottiE 174]

we use the air compressed one that Pedro was talking about for the coastal - Pedro probably got it for us! Sits in the box for 12months, comes out - get blasted 150-200 times over a short period of time and then goes back in the box. Provided it is charged it always works!