Mounting a Loudhailer on the mast?

[Talulah]

Any suggestions on how best to mount a Loudhailer on the mast without it dropping off or snaring a Halyard?
I notice the mount on the loudhailer itself looks pretty weak and could not be relied on.

 

[Leighb]

Do you have crew with poor hearing?

 

[wotayottie]

Obviously a racer! Or maybe the chap from PBO with a Baywatch 37 ( metres not feet).

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Any suggestions on how best to mount a Loudhailer on the mast without it dropping off or snaring a Halyard?
I notice the mount on the loudhailer itself looks pretty weak and could not be relied on.

I'ld suggest that you mount it using those flimsy brackets. With any luck it would fall of pretty quickly and other boats wouldn't have to put up with messages being blasted across the moorings.

It's probably not what you want to hear but I think the idea of loadhailers on boats is horrible. I can't see why anyone would want one. For that matter, I've never felt the need for one.

 

[Barry Jones]

Is your question about location or how to attach it to the mast ?

Any suggestions on how best to mount a Loudhailer on the mast without it dropping off or snaring a Halyard?
I notice the mount on the loudhailer itself looks pretty weak and could not be relied on.

 

[pvb]

It's probably not what you want to hear but I think the idea of loadhailers on boats is horrible. I can't see why anyone would want one.

Many people use them with a suitable VHF to produce automatic fog-horn warnings.

 

[richardm47]

It's probably not what you want to hear but I think the idea of loadhailers on boats is horrible. I can't see why anyone would want one. For that matter, I've never felt the need for one.

So quick to condemn! I think it'd make a good fog signal. My VHF can drive a loudspeaker to give a regular fog signal, and I'm fitting a loudhailer onto the mast for that purpose, already done the wiring. That will be a very useful aid to complying with regs and safety in fog. I certainly won't be yelling at anyone.

 

[testmonkey]

So quick to condemn! I think it'd make a good fog signal. My VHF can drive a loudspeaker to give a regular fog signal, and I'm fitting a loudhailer onto the mast for that purpose, already done the wiring. That will be a very useful aid to complying with regs and safety in fog. I certainly won't be yelling at anyone.

exactly... regs repeated here:



International Regulations for the Preventing of Collisions at Sea

PART D - SOUND AND LIGHT SIGNALS

"...A vessel of 12 metres or more in length shall be provided with a whistle..."

....
(a) The word “whistle” means any sound signalling appliance capable of producing the prescribed blasts and which complies with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations.
....
ANNEX III : Technical details of sound signal appliances

1. Whistles

(a) Frequencies and range of audibility

The fundamental frequency of the signal shall lie within the range 70 - 700 Hz. The range of audibility of the signal from a whistle shall be determined by those frequencies, which may include the fundamental and/or one or more higher frequencies, which lie within the range 180 - 700 Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 metres or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 metres in length and which provide the sound pressure levels specified in paragraph l(c) below.

(b) Limits of fundamental frequencies

To ensure a wide variety of whistle characteristics, the fundamental frequency of a whistle shall be between the following limits:

(i) 70 - 200 Hz, for a vessel 200 metres or more in length;
(ii) 130 - 350 Hz, for a vessel 75 metres but less than 200 metres in length;
(iii) 250 - 700 Hz, for a vessel less than 75 metres in length.

(c) Sound signal intensity and range of audibility

A whistle fitted in a vessel shall provide, in the direction of maximum intensity of the whistle and at a distance of 1 metre from it, a sound pressure level in at least one 1/3rd-octave band within the range of frequencies 180 - 700 Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 metres or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 metres in length, of not less than the appropriate figure given in the table below. The range of audibility in the table above is for information and is approximately the range at which a whistle may be heard on its forward axis with 90 per cent probability in conditions of still air on board a vessel having average background noise level at the listening posts (taken to be 68 dB in the octave band centered on 250 Hz and 63 dB in the octave band centered on 500Hz. In practice the range at which a whistle may be heard is extremely variable and depends critically on weather conditions; the values given can be regarded as typical but under conditions of strong wind or high ambient noise level at the listening post the range may be much reduced.

(d) Directional Properties

The sound pressure level of a directional whistle shall be not more than 4 dB below the prescribed sound pressure level on the axis at any direction in the horizontal plane within ±45 degrees of the axis. The sound pressure level at any other direction in the horizontal plane shall be not more than 10 dB below the prescribed sound pressure level on the axis, so that the range in any direction will be at least half the range on the forward axis. The sound pressure level shall be measured in that 1/3rd-octave band which determines the audibility range.

Length of vessel in metres 1/3rd-octave band level at Audibility range in 1 metre in dB referred to nautical miles 2x10-5N/m2 200 or more 143 2 75 but less than 200 138 1.5 20 but less than 75 130 1 120 * Less than 20 115 † 0.5 111 ‡

When the measured frequencies lie within the range 180-450Hz

† When the measured frequencies lie within the range 450-800Hz ‡ When the measured frequencies lie within the range 800-2100Hz

(e) Positioning of whistles

When a directional whistle is to be used as the only whistle on a vessel, it shall be installed with its maximum intensity directed straight ahead. A whistle shall be placed as high as practicable on a vessel, in order to reduce interception of the emitted sound by obstructions and also to minimize hearing damage risk to personnel. The sound pressure level of the vessel’s own signal at listening posts shall not exceed 110 dB (A) and so far as practicable should not exceed 100 dB (A)....

source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/International_Regulations_for_Preventing_Collisions_at_Sea

 

[PeterGibbs]

Any suggestions on how best to mount a Loudhailer on the mast without it dropping off or snaring a Halyard?
I notice the mount on the loudhailer itself looks pretty weak and could not be relied on.

Are you challenged in the lungs department? Seriously.

I find a nice well rounded roar delivered with passion but, most importantly, immediately the need arises is very effective. With a red contused face to add force to it......

By the time you have got down and turned on your loudhailer, you are either sunk or the object of your wrath has moved out of range - a lost opportunity, methinks, to really let 'em know your superior knowledge of Col Regs etc

Nice Q though....any more like that??

PWG

 

[VicS]

Any suggestions on how best to mount a Loudhailer on the mast without it dropping off or snaring a Halyard?
I notice the mount on the loudhailer itself looks pretty weak and could not be relied on.

You don't say what loud-hailer you have. Perhaps if it is only the mounting brackets that are weak you could fabricate , or have fabricated, some stronger brackets.
If the actual mounting on the LH itself is weak perhaps it would be more sensible to look for a more sturdy unit!

Some hoops fitted to the mast to encircle the LH would help prevent the halyards snagging on it.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Many people use them with a suitable VHF to produce automatic fog-horn warnings.

I'ld certainly accept the use of a foghorn mounted on a boat, but if it were a loud hailer for voice? Not for me.

 

[KevO]

don't need a loudhailer... got a SWMBO...

 

[AHoy2]

..... but if it were a loud hailer for voice? Not for me.

So you wouldn't consider it a useful communication facility in an emergency then?

The SH radio I have on the boat has the signalling facility (e.g. foghorn) and also acts as a loudhailer - all available for the small additional cost of an external speaker (mind you, I still have to get around to fitting one). All functions can be used from the command mike at the helm.

 

[Talulah]

The reason for the question is because my VHF will also produce the fog horn.
I can even choose what tone is emitted so can pretend to be something pretty big when ultimately only a tiny vessel looms out of the fog.
The idea of 'Now hear this....' coming out of the loudhailer is not the reason.
Incidentally, if anyone wants a Scanstrut Radar mount then Scanstrut get rid of surplus stock through eBay. i.e http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scanstrut...ods_Sailing&hash=item4aadbdbfa8#ht_657wt_1131
£67. Retail is about £160. Considering this to mount the loudhailer on.

Also, there doesn't seem to be much choice of Loudhailers. The Eagle 30W is about the only one I can find.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

So you wouldn't consider it a useful communication facility in an emergency then?.

Personally, no. The thought of the temptation for youngsters to play with it, or others to blast out their choice of music in an anchorage sends shivers down my back.
Anyway, I'm not sure how much real use it would be in an emergency. 99.9% of the time it would only be of any use one way, and it would be difficult to know if the other side had heard, or understood, properly.

No problem with the fog horn though.

 

[nimbusgb]

Actually you can use the Standard Horizon vhf loudhailer as a fog horn, a simple horn, a loud hailer and as a listening microphone. In fog a forward 'looking' mic mounted high up might be handy listening for other craft, shorebreaks etc.

In an F7 being able to communicate with someone at the mast or on the foredeck might be handy.

And no, mine is not connected to the radio/ipod

 

[lustyd]

can the VHF signal be configured for sailing though, or does it just do the mobo beep?

 

[Talulah]

can the VHF signal be configured for sailing though, or does it just do the mobo beep?

It does 'Underway', 'Stop', 'Sail' and 'Tow'.
The available frequency's are 200 Hz to 850Hz.
From testmonkies post it should be set in the 250 Hz to 700 Hz range.

 

[electrosys]

Is it wise to mount such a device ?
I can't believe that they are intended for continuous exposure to the elements.

 

[Talulah]

Is it wise to mount such a device ?
I can't believe that they are intended for continuous exposure to the elements.

I'm curious to know what has been peoples experience. They are fairly common as you walk around the marina.
However, they don't look as if they are designed for robustness.