Boat Horn

Irish Rover

Irish Rover

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 Feb 2017
Messages
8,214
Location
Türkiye
Visit site
Every now and then I have need to use a horn - snorklers or swimmers getting close when I'm manoeuvring, a boat drifting towards me at anchor etc. I've relied on a football supporter type refillable air horn until now but invariably it's in the wrong spot or in need of pumping when I need it. I'm thinking of fitting something more permanent but don't want to spend silly money. I have a standard horizon vhf so could buy one of these but I'm not sure how practical they are as a horn in urgent situations where you don't have time for fiddling with the soft keys.
Standard Horizon S220SW 5” Loud Hailer Horn | Force 4 Chandlery
Any recommendations appreciated, thanks.
 
I've pondered the same thing, for both emergency sound signals and for fog signals.

I consider the radio connected loudhailers an unnecessary over-complication of a simple requirement. The horns sold for (mainly motor-) boats are too large, blingtastic and expensive for my purposes.

I've been considering fitting one of the extra loud compact replacement horns one can buy for cars and motorcycles (some are scary loud!) on the front of the mast of my raggie, just above the foot - a bit away from the cockpit, not as wet as the bow, and close to the existing cables path to the mast. I think I might perhaps need to concoct some sort of open-bottomed cover to protect it from spray and for cosmetic reasons. It would be operated, via a 12v relay, by push buttons in the cockpit and wheelhouse.

It's a mystery to me why, given the vast array of gadgetry available for and fitted to boats, an electric horn to address such needs is not more popular, but my ears and nerves are grateful that such things are not more common. :D
 
Last edited:
Irish Rover said:
Every now and then I have need to use a horn - snorklers or swimmers getting close when I'm manoeuvring, a boat drifting towards me at anchor etc. I've relied on a football supporter type refillable air horn until now but invariably it's in the wrong spot or in need of pumping when I need it. I'm thinking of fitting something more permanent but don't want to spend silly money. I have a standard horizon vhf so could buy one of these but I'm not sure how practical they are as a horn in urgent situations where you don't have time for fiddling with the soft keys.
Standard Horizon S220SW 5” Loud Hailer Horn | Force 4 Chandlery
Any recommendations appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...
Note the massive variation in prices between the brands, Raymarine's price being OTT for such a simple device.
 
I only used it once, but found the SH automated foghorn signals very useful in the Thames Estuary in fog so thick I could only just make out the foredeck. Got all the way to home berth in Maldon socket on the chart plotter. The fog was certainly not forecast!
 
I use a referee's whistle. Small enough to clip right by you and the advantage is that sailing schools have been using them for years give it a blast and see how many look round. Very satisfying. ?⛵️
 
25 yrs ago I made a hand held horn from an old car horn, fitted with a push button and plugged into a 12v socket. Moved from my first boat to my current boat. It's very loud but only used on a few occasions. Cost only a few pence.
 
The Denali Soundbomb is a very well respected upgrade for motorcycles, very weatherproof and unbelievably loud. If I didn't already have twin airport set up, I'd have a Soundbomb on the boat as well as my K1600GT?
 
Irish Rover said:
Every now and then I have need to use a horn - snorklers or swimmers getting close when I'm manoeuvring, a boat drifting towards me at anchor etc. I've relied on a football supporter type refillable air horn until now but invariably it's in the wrong spot or in need of pumping when I need it. I'm thinking of fitting something more permanent but don't want to spend silly money. I have a standard horizon vhf so could buy one of these but I'm not sure how practical they are as a horn in urgent situations where you don't have time for fiddling with the soft keys.
Standard Horizon S220SW 5” Loud Hailer Horn | Force 4 Chandlery
Any recommendations appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...
What do the swimmers and snorkelers do when you blast your horn? Are they out of shouting distance where words may help? If they are close enough to be a risk surely a mouth operated fog horn is loud enough? They are also simple and robust enough to keep in the cockpit without worrying they will fail just when you want it?
 
I’ve had the SH and Simrad VHFs with the horn function. Yes, a bit of messing around with menus but the automated foghorns are great and very loud, also act as a microphone so you can ‘listen’, and you get the option to use as a loud hailer so you can SHOUT at people and generally abuse them ? I’ve had these on my last three boats. Standard Horizon S240SW 5 x 8 Rectangular Loud Hailer Horn | Force 4 Chandlery
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top