Should I hoist my motoring cone when motorsailing...

[LadyInBed]

Should I hoist my motoring cone when motorsailing in fog

If you ARE motorsailing and you normally hoist a cone, then YES.
If you ARE motorsailing and you normally do not hoist a cone, then NO.
If you are actually sailing but just have your engine on as a safety precaution, then NO.
If it is night time, then NO.
If you don't have a cone, then NO.
If you can't find your cone, then NO.
From the above and taking into account the law of averages, the answer has to be NO

 

[TamarMike]

Don't forget to include flag etiquette in fog as well???

Peter.

So should ensign's be lowered in fog the same as at night? (doesn't worry me as I leave mine up at night anyway)

 

[lenseman]

Very Zen:

"If you're motorsailing without a motoring cone and no-one can see you, are you still committing an offence?"

Hmm.

More like Schrödinger's Cat(amaran)?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Whaddya doing out in fog anyway?

You should be in the snug at the Pervert's Arms.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

In fog?

One of those conversations that came up in the pub

I'm not posting my pictures again.

I'd never hear the end of it from Toad if I did.

 

[snooks]

Whaddya doing out in fog anyway?

I didn't go out in fog....it just ...erm....happened?

 

[Salty John]

More like Schrödinger's Cat(amaran)?

Ah, yes! The proposition that the motoring cone is both hoisted and not hoisted until the moment the fog lifts. This may also apply. Complicated these Colregs.

 

[Jamesuk]

In fog?

One of those conversations that came up in the pub

NO, the point of the inverted cone is to let everyone see that your motorsailing, If it is foggy, vessels will not be in sight of each other so start with Rule 19 if my memory serves me correctly, But as your a little boat, fly eveything you have if it acts as a radar reflector then Put it right up there.

Use the sound signals as prescribed in the Rules to let everyone know your a Power Driven Vessel.

One prolonged blast followed by 2 short blasts, on memory?!

Prolonged 4-6 seconds
Short - 1 Second

 

[snooks]

NO, the point of the ball is to let everyone see that your motorsailing,

Spot the deliberate mistake!

 

[Jamesuk]

Yerbut that introduces yet another factor into the debate: "what is the best anchor to use in fog?"

Now that is a funny joke, I think instructors should use that on raw recruits at UKSA lol

 

[Jamesuk]

Spot the deliberate mistake!

always trying to keep the weekend sailors on there toes ;-)

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Yeh! You make sure you make a good loud sound signal, you want to make sure this guy hears you!

I assume you're employing irony?

If not I can tell you that I've encountered the Condor in fog. Even two miles (according to the AIS) away his engines were very loud.

There's no way he could have heard any sound signal if he'd been on a collision course with us.

I'm fact I'd seriously question if any large ship or fast motorboat would hear a yacht's sound signal. A small vessel travelling slowly probably would, but they're not the one's you're trying to identify yourself to.

As I say, I'm sure you were ironically making exactly that point yourself.

 

[snooks]

I'm fact I'd seriously question if any large ship or fast motorboat would hear a yacht's sound signal.

The last large container ship I went on had microphones outside facing all directions outside the enclosed bridge for just this reason

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

The last large container ship I went on had microphones outside facing all directions outside the enclosed bridge for just this reason

I didn't know that, but even now I do I still wouldn't bet my life on being heard.

Fairly reassuring to know, though.

 

[Elessar]

If a tree falls in the forest if nobody it there does it make a sound?

yes but it doesn't make a noise.

cone - as virtually no one bothers with them, they are pointless fog or no fog.

 

[fergie_mac66]

I think I have seen that there have been One or two fines on the euro coast

 

[NormanS]

Fog signals

Surely fog signals belong in the century before last.

 

[snooks]

Surely fog signals belong in the century before last.

Not when I'm in fog they don't.

OK blowing a horn into the fog might not seem effective at the time, but if you don't do it, what's helping the other yachtsman out there without a radar knowing you are out there?

I've heard a big container ship make sound signals as I was crossing the channel in fog, and it was reassuring to know it was passing ahead of me.

 

[awol]

If the sails work, turn off the donk - the better to hear the mobo before it hits you (and you won't need to worry about a cone). If your ensign covers the stern light, strike it.

I would have thought a "Securité" call would be your best bet with all the other traffic around down south.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

OK blowing a horn into the fog might not seem effective at the time, but if you don't do it, what's helping the other yachtsman out there without a radar knowing you are out there?

...and if you *do* do it who's watching the radar? Who's looking at the AIS? Who's contacting nearby large vessels? Who's listening? Who's watching?

If I had spare crew the odd parp wouldn't do any harm, but my focus is on the big stuff or the fast stuff that could sink and injure, and I refuse to put something as ineffective as sound signal that will be inaudible to almost anything that could harm me before a myriad of more effective techniques.

I guess it all comes down to the old debate - do you put rule observance before safety.