5 short toots on the megaphone

LONG_KEELER

LONG_KEELER

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Has anyone ever given, or received , the 5 blasts and had a reaction ? Good or bad ?

I would expect most yachts do not have the sound carrying capability particularly
if sailing upwind .

I have had manual blasters over the years but is it advisable for small boats
to have something more in keeping with today's technology ?

By the way, should low cut jibs be banned ?
 
Once gave it to a boatfull of krauts in a Greek bay at 0300 in a gale.
Usual scenario, chartered 50ft bendytoy with 8 german men on board. Despite multiple botched attempts to anchor and repeatedly being warned about poor holding they set neither anchor nor anchor watch. Middle of the night, wind howling and all asleep on bendytoy my cockpit snoozing was interrupted by the sight of said boat slowly trogging past me downwind some 5m away. The din of her anchor and chain rattling over those cobbles must have been deafening on board but their porcine slumbers were seemingly uninterrupted. As there was no risk of collision I called my crew on deck and we just sat and watched with great amusement as the boat headed slowly out of the bay towards Kos, some 10 miles away. We figured they'd be up for a big surprise breakfast long before it got that far.
Sadly there was another yacht properly anchored in the mouth of the bay and I couldn't tell if the benny-box of boxheads was going to collect it on their way out or not so had to get the blow-horn out for a 5 blast.
I felt sorry for the slumbering residents of the bay but someone's nice boat was in line to be clobbered by a buch of fast-asleep imbeciles. They didn't stay asleep for long, indeed they came tumbling up on deck in the most satisfying, chaotic and hilarious style and the total, shambolic confusion, shouting and bellowing on board was a tonic to see; we just laughed our tits off! They were presumably so ashamed of themselves they continued out to sea and that was the last we saw of them though we longed to catch up with them for a bit of good banter in some harbour further up the islands. That would have really been the icing on the cake but regrettably it was not to be.
Bloody shame that guy had anchored in the mouth of the bay though, the idea of those arrogant arses coming on deck at 0500 to find no bay at all but half way between Kalimnos and Kos in the open sea would really have made my week!

So yes, 5 blasts does work!

Does that answer your question?
 
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Heard it a few times on the Orwell, never directed at me I hasten to add, more often the ships just give a long blast to indicate their displeasure when seeing leisure craft obstructing their progress. On one occasion the obstruction was two blokes in a dinghy fishing in the centre of the channel just up river of the big bend at Collimer Point. They were totally oblivious of the large ship making it's way up from Harwich until the aforesaid long blast made them nearly jump overboard in fright!!
 
Old Bumbulum said:
Once gave it to a boatfull of krauts in a Greek bay at 0300 in a gale.
Usual scenario, chartered 50ft bendytoy with 8 german men on board. Despite multiple botched attempts to anchor and repeatedly being warned about poor holding they set neither anchor nor anchor watch. Middle of the night, wind howling and all asleep on bendytoy my cockpit snoozing was interrupted by the sight of said boat slowly trogging past me downwind some 5m away. The din of her anchor and chain rattling over those cobbles must have been deafening on board but their porcine slumbers were seemingly uninterrupted. As there was no risk of collision I called my crew on deck and we just sat and watched with great amusement as the boat headed slowly out of the bay towards Kos, some 10 miles away. We figured they'd be up for a big surprise breakfast long before it got that far.
Sadly there was another yacht properly anchored in the mouth of the bay and I couldn't tell if the benny-box of boxheads was going to collect it on their way out or not so had to get the blow-horn out for a 5 blast.
I felt sorry for the slumbering residents of the bay but someone's nice boat was in line to be clobbered by a buch of fast-asleep imbeciles. They didn't stay asleep for long, indeed they came tumbling up on deck in the most satisfying, chaotic and hilarious style and the total, shambolic confusion, shouting and bellowing on board was a tonic to see; we just laughed our tits off! They were presumably so ashamed of themselves they continued out to sea and that was the last we saw of them though we longed to catch up with them for a bit of good banter in some harbour further up the islands. That would have really been the icing on the cake but regrettably it was not to be.
Bloody shame that guy had anchored in the mouth of the bay though, the idea of those arrogant arses coming on deck at 0500 to find no bay at all but half way between Kalimnos and Kos in the open sea would really have made my week!

So yes, 5 blasts does work!

Does that answer your question?
Click to expand...

Do you normally drive a motor boat? :rolleyes:
 
Yes, I have received the five blasts.
I actually don't know why, so I am perhaps in PilotWolf's ignorant and deserving category.
I got the five blasts from the Cowes Red Funnel ferry this August, so this is quite topical.

I was proceeding eastwards on a passage from Yarmouth to Portsmouth in clear vis, under full white sail and making 6-7 knots although bucking a contrary tide of about 3knts, so speed over the ground not very much. As I passed Cowes about 1 mile off I noticed the ferry exiting the Cowes entrance and I judged that we were almost on a collision course with us passing narrowly ahead of the ferry if both held our courses, which were more or less at right angles. I then noticed the ferry change course slightly to starboard, but not by more than 5 degrees. This put us much more directly on a collision course. Believing that we were the stand-on vessel I held my course, and the ferry got closer until at about half a mile range it gave me the blasts. Soon after I was obliged to make an abrupt change of course to starboard to avoid being run down. At this time, rather unusually, there were no other vessels within half a mile.
Perhaps a knowledgeable forumite can help me out with understanding if (and why) we were meant to be the give-way vessel in this situation?
Initially I thought it might be that the incident was probably within the Southampton "Precautionary Area", but my understanding is that the ferries are not large enough to gain this privilege. Could there be a local law that turns my under-sail status into a presumed under-power one?
Still very puzzled.
 
Do not know the area but it might be that the ferry which knows the bay and harbour needed to manoeuvre to position, and as it was just outside the harbour , it might also have commercial right of way through the channel
some colreg rules that might have been applied
All small craft must keep out of the way of larger vessels which are restricted by their draft to maintain passage and steering within the channel.
Sailing vessels should avoid sailing in a narrow channel. They have to give way to power-driven vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre in the channel.
 
moomba said:
Do not know the area but it might be that the ferry which knows the bay and harbour needed to manoeuvre to position, and as it was just outside the harbour , it might also have commercial right of way through the channel
some colreg rules that might have been applied
All small craft must keep out of the way of larger vessels which are restricted by their draft to maintain passage and steering within the channel.
Sailing vessels should avoid sailing in a narrow channel. They have to give way to power-driven vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre in the channel.
Click to expand...

None of those apply to a Red Funnel ferry a mile north of Cowes.

I also suspect the phrase "commercial right of way" might excite some comment :)

Pete
 
Old Bumbulum said:
Once gave it to a boatfull of krauts in a Greek bay at 0300 in a gale.
Usual scenario, chartered 50ft bendytoy with 8 german men on board. Despite multiple botched attempts to anchor and repeatedly being warned about poor holding they set neither anchor nor anchor watch. Middle of the night, wind howling and all asleep on bendytoy my cockpit snoozing was interrupted by the sight of said boat slowly trogging past me downwind some 5m away. The din of her anchor and chain rattling over those cobbles must have been deafening on board but their porcine slumbers were seemingly uninterrupted. As there was no risk of collision I called my crew on deck and we just sat and watched with great amusement as the boat headed slowly out of the bay towards Kos, some 10 miles away. We figured they'd be up for a big surprise breakfast long before it got that far.
Sadly there was another yacht properly anchored in the mouth of the bay and I couldn't tell if the benny-box of boxheads was going to collect it on their way out or not so had to get the blow-horn out for a 5 blast.
I felt sorry for the slumbering residents of the bay but someone's nice boat was in line to be clobbered by a buch of fast-asleep imbeciles. They didn't stay asleep for long, indeed they came tumbling up on deck in the most satisfying, chaotic and hilarious style and the total, shambolic confusion, shouting and bellowing on board was a tonic to see; we just laughed our tits off! They were presumably so ashamed of themselves they continued out to sea and that was the last we saw of them though we longed to catch up with them for a bit of good banter in some harbour further up the islands. That would have really been the icing on the cake but regrettably it was not to be.
Bloody shame that guy had anchored in the mouth of the bay though, the idea of those arrogant arses coming on deck at 0500 to find no bay at all but half way between Kalimnos and Kos in the open sea would really have made my week!

So yes, 5 blasts does work!

Does that answer your question?
Click to expand...

Surely, 2 shorts + 1 long, 'U', was the correct sound signal in those circumstances
 
Old Bumbulum said:
...As there was no risk of collision I called my crew on deck and we just sat and watched with great amusement as the boat headed slowly out of the bay towards Kos, some 10 miles away. We figured they'd be up for a big surprise breakfast long before it got that far...
Click to expand...

So you were happy to let a boat full of sleeping people head out to sea? You should be ashamed of yourself. Unbelievable really.
 
fredrussell said:
So you were happy to let a boat full of sleeping people head out to sea? You should be ashamed of yourself. Unbelievable really.
Click to expand...

+1
Yes were was the spirit of safeguarding all on the sea , and your use of the word Kraut is rather sad
(Kraut is a German word recorded in English from 1918 onwards as a derogatory term for a German, particularly a German soldier during World War I)
But I suppose it shows the type of person you are as you let them drift of as well as insulting them , I hope I don't anchor near you. With my American Wife, and my Polish,Italian, Scottish heritage , I suppose you would need a new insulting comment.
God bless the Empire:sleeping:
 
I have recently found in my shed, a manual blown appliance called a "Trump".

Fairly small and cylindrical , it's the loudest thing I have ever blown . So loud in fact that you need ear defenders . I plan to integrate this device with my other life saving equipment .
 
LONG_KEELER said:
I have recently found in my shed, a manual blown appliance called a "Trump".

Fairly small and cylindrical , it's the loudest thing I have ever blown . So loud in fact that you need ear defenders . I plan to integrate this device with my other life saving equipment .
Click to expand...

Take care when you pick it up as it will be full of shit!
 
I’ve had only one occasion when I had to do the 5 blasts. A very busy, sunny day coming into Cowes. Boat ahead moving about all over the place whilst the crew were busy doing whatever and not keeping a look out. I felt very rude doing it but as their intentions weren’t clear & causing problems, it was the right thing to do.
They looked up startled, acknowledged my ‘request’ with a friendly & apologetic gesture, straightened up and allowed me to pass. Worked a treat & fortunately, they knew what it meant so didn’t get arsey with me.
All good.
L
:)
 
lisilou said:
I’ve had only one occasion when I had to do the 5 blasts. A very busy, sunny day coming into Cowes. Boat ahead moving about all over the place whilst the crew were busy doing whatever and not keeping a look out. I felt very rude doing it but as their intentions weren’t clear & causing problems, it was the right thing to do. They looked up startled...:)
Click to expand...
....sounds like the Red Funnel, prob why it ran onto the mud :D
 
Never hooted, but I did give 5 flashes on my steamer scarer light to a ferry SE of the Isle of Wight after he'd been on an unchanging bearing for several minutes. I don't know if he reacted or it was just routine and I was never at any risk, but he changed course shortly after. It wasn't long after the Ouzo was sunk in the same area, so I was, perhaps, a bit twitchier than strictly necessary.
 
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