Requirements for Ships Bell

[DerekBreth]

I read in the Summer issue of Yachts and Yachting that a ships bell is required under International Regulations for sailing in French waters if the vessel is over 12M in length.

However, checking the current collision regulations (IRPCAS), this requirement has been dropped for vessels under 20M in length.

Does anyone know if there is another regulation that makes this mandatory, or is the advice just based on the old colregs?

 

[Highland Bear]

"Requirements for Ships Bell "


A big donger?

 

[VO5]

I have an alpine cow bell on board.
It has a big ring on the crown so it is easy to use as a handbell.
It is in a locker stuffed with newspaper to keep it quiet.
But when needed and tha paper stuffing removed it can be heard for miles.

 

[VO5]

I also have on board a gadget to frighten officials and obstoperous harbour masters, etc..
It is a specially rigged Geiger Counter with a hidden button underneath, which when pressed lets out a loud buzzing sound.
It is very useful for frightening difficult people by making them believe the immediate environment is seriously radioactive.

 

[capnsensible]

Coded vessels i.e. Commercial, require a bell 12m to 20m.

 

[Robin]

In France for FRENCH boats would be more correct I think. USA CG rules say the same and our new boat over there has one, despite having a set of air horns that sound like a supertanker. The bell we inherited is a short height wide mouth design that looks a bit squashed, but I guess allows quite a roll angle before the clapper contacts. Rules is rules.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

We've got a ship's bell, I thought everyone had one, otherwise how do you know when supper is served!

 

[VicS]

2. Bell or gong

(a) Intensity of signal
A bell or gong, or other device having similar sound characteristics shall produce a sound pressure level
of not less than 110 dB at a distance of 1 metre from it.

(b) Construction
Bells and gongs shall be made of corrosion-resistant material and designed to give a clear tone. The
diameter of the mouth of the bell shall be not less than 300 mm for vessels of 20 metres or more in length.
Where practicable, a power-driven bell striker is recommended to ensure constant force but manual
operation shall be possible. The mass of the striker shall be not less than 3 per cent of the mass of the bell.

3. Approval
The construction of sound signal appliances, their performance and their installation on board the vessel
shall be to the satisfaction of the appropriate authority of the State whose flag the vessel is entitled to fly.

 

[DerekBreth]

The above post quotes the current colregs requirements, so do we really need a bell to remain legal in French waters on a 16M yacht as stated in Yachting Monthly?

 

[Tranona]

The above post quotes the current colregs requirements, so do we really need a bell to remain legal in French waters on a 16M yacht as stated in Yachting Monthly?

I do not believe what is written in YM to be true - and have written to the editor and the RYA expressing my concern that such misleading information has been published.

This subject (in general) has been discussed before on here and there seems no evidence that French officials are trying to impose their requirements on visiting British flagged yachts.

The requirement of a bell is a good example of the failings of compulsory equipment requirements. They were usually written a long time ago reflecting the practice of the times and ossify. You can find similar quirks in compulsory equipment requirements in other countries such as Portugal (also discussed here) and Greece, for example.

Having said that you will find many similarities between other state requirements and those of the MCA codes for commercial yachts such as charter yachts - except that the MCA is less prescriptive and written based on functionailty rather than specific bits of kit.

 

[snowleopard]

I once saw advice in a magazine that if you are anchored in fog and worried about nearby traffic a good solution is to hang up your anchor and hit it with the biggest spanner in your tool box. As to what is required - any advance on this? -

Rule 33
Equipment for sound signals.

(A) A vessel of 12 metres or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 metres or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 metres or more in length shall, in addition, be provided with a gong, the tone and sound of which cannot be confused with that of the bell. The whistle, bell and gong shall comply with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations. The bell or gong or both may be replaced by other equipment having the same respective sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the prescribed signals shall always be possible.

(b) A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to carry the sound signalling appliances prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule but if she does not, she shall be provided with some other means of making an efficient sound signal.

 

[capnsensible]

Tranona

The code of practice is very precise in its requirements. For those interested (I only am coz I have too!) try the Code chapter 17 and in particular Table 17.1

Its in an mcga document you can get off internet.

Best sleeping pill in NATO.

 

[rickym]

Spanner and a saucepan?

 

[Barry Jones]

The CEVNI requirements for the rivers require a bell or similar object - two pieces of metal being struck together are cited in the CEVNI guide.

Any decent boat should have a bell - I have an 8" bell complete with engraving.

Its the only place to hang a rope.

 

[timbartlett]

... there seems no evidence that French officials are trying to impose their requirements on visiting British flagged yachts.

That's a turn-up for the books, then. Bit of a change from a few months ago, when I'm sure I remember someone insisting that they had made registration compulsory

 

[richardbayle]

Ships bell

I live in France, I own a French registered vessel of 13 metres, there is no requirement for a pleasure craft to have a bell. Honest.

 

[Tranona]

Edited by moderator

 

[haydude]

Interesting, and regulations or not, I would like a bell.

The question is: where do you fit it on a sail boat?

 

[laika]

I was wondering whether YM had mistranslated "whistle" and mailed them the week before last to query. They replied that yes, they were sure of the translation although they hadn't heard of anyone being questioned for not having one and suspected that the risks associated with non-compliance were probably small. I'm always a little surprised when organizations actually reply to my emails so credit to them for doing so.

 

[tcm]

Yes, for coded boat there is a requirement for a bell BUT (so sez one MCA-coding inspectory bod as an aside) there is no particular stipulatiuon of how big it's gotta be. So it could be a nice tinkly one, or one for a bicycle