Requirements for Ships Bell

[Seajet]

If stuck in fog a spanner or similar on the pushpit makes a pretty good, clear ringing sound; I was advised that by a lifeboat crewman.

There's not anywhere to really safely place a bell on my 22' boat, and a projecting bracket would be a menace; I could well do without having to secure the clapper on rolling anchorages too.

Remember Uffa Fox's story of having to tie his dinghy onto a bell-buoy overnight in fog; the sound nearly drove him & his crew mad before the fog cleared and they could get away !

 

[andygc]

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.

That's good. So if you stand within 1 metre of the bell and sound it for a total of a touch over 2 minutes in an 8 hour period* without wearing ear protection you'll have been exposed to the Limit Exposure Value in The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Noise at Work) Regulations 2007

Not too difficult in a ship, but a bit of a problem in a yacht with a hand-rung bell.

(* with no exposure to noise in the other 16 hours of the day)

 

[mcframe]

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

We've got a small one, indoors at the companionway, used for that - by the children.

A couple of years ago, I was on an HR 42 that had a bell - every time we fell off a wave (no mean achievement for an HR42 - IIRC, it was about an 8 with a decent swell) it would ring, and we'd cheer the helm as if he'd got an extra ball at pinball... ;->

 

[Alfie168]

I keep a bottle on my boat.Its got Bells inside it. Voila!

Tim

 

[laika]

Correction notice on p.6 of September's YM says it's been pointed out to them by the RYA that their article on required equipment for france was based on out of date info. Current list of requirements (in french) is here. I see no mention of bells. The document covers "safety equipment" (including flares, harnesses, extinguishers etc. but also ensign) so there's always the possibility that the bell might be covered by something else but I'm inclined to suspect dodgy research in the absence of further info.

Interestingly the correction refers to the original article being in the "August" issue whereas it was actually in the "Summer" issue. Perhaps they should issue a correction...

 

[sarabande]

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

That's a really interesting one at which I have not looked closely before. They don't stipulate how long the 110dB sound shall be maintained (which is a function of the energy put into the striker), nor the db weighting range.

 

[peterb]

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?

Works very well with a Bruce, but not with a CQR. I suspect that the pivot damps out the vibration. May similarly work with other rigid anchors (Rocna, Spade, Bugel, etc.) but not with Danforth or Fortress. And the spanner doesn't need to be that big...............

 

[haydude]

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?

The report from the paper might not be totally accurate (as usual). I believe the International Regulations indicate generically a "ship bell" but allow for suitable alternatives like an horn wich could be an hand-held type with a compressed air can.

 

[lenseman]

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

WOW!!! That is a seriously BIG BELL!

 

[Sybarite]

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

You are confusing two things. Registration proof and then what each country imposes on its boats. A British registered boat does not have to accept specific French safety regulations. This is a reason why many French owners have turned to Belgian flags.

 

[Sybarite]

Edited by moderator

Hey Tranona - what did you say to get edited?