Usless whistles and fog horns

[pcatterall]

So I followed 'your collective' advice regarding getting the attention of crew and ordered two whistles, these were useless.
I thought I would go up a scale and ordered a 'Blaster Safety Fog Signal horn' from Marine Scene, I thought that this would double as a fog horn if my gas horn ran out of gas.
Useless, useless, useless!! I don't think you would hear anything at 20 yards!
I guess I will just send it back unless someone can tell me of a 'special blowing technique' which I should use, even then anyone should be able to pick up this sort of gear and just blow it to make a decent noise.
Any recommendations, please, for either a good whistle or a decent ( manual) horn.


Stupid boy!!!! I rang marine scene and a very nice man suggested I blow down the small hole on the side, worked fine so egg on face!! not at all obvious though so I have forgiven myself!!

 

[nigelmercier]

Thanks for the reminder, I need one of these...

"This deceptive little horn creates a loud noise with no need for a battery or gas canister. Blow in the small hole on the side (not the end) to produce up to 115 decibels of signal horn. It’s lightweight, buoyant and will not rust." from eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221299474709

 

[pcatterall]

Yes, that's the one. I was just missing the advice about blowing into the small hole!! Its pretty good.

 

[jwilson]

Many years ago first used a gas foghorn very early one cold November morning, as I was crossing a not usually busy channel, but could hear a big ship approaching. First blast was not bad, Next time I pressed the button I just got a strangled squawk as the diaphragm had frosted up.

Very light winds, engine was a Seagull outboard. Do you run the engine and have 4 knots way on to dodge if you see a bow approaching out of the murk, or sail and hear it coming? The engine would always start instantly, but took time to build up any speed...

Not sure any ship will ever hear a yacht foghorn anyway.

 

[LadyInBed]

Thanks for the reminder, I need one of these...

I use an Ecoblast Rechargeable Fog Horn, I charge it from a 12v car tyre pump.
http://marinestore.co.uk/Ecoblast_Rechargeable_Fog_Horn.html

 

[Leighb]

I use an Ecoblast Rechargeable Fog Horn, I charge it from a 12v car tyre pump.
http://marinestore.co.uk/Ecoblast_Rechargeable_Fog_Horn.html

+ 1, pretty loud blast, and a lot of them before needs recharging, which can be done quite quickly with the hand pump provided.

 

[Seajet]

With the best will in the world, I don't think anyone on a ship is going to hear a yacht foghorn ( I have the blow in the side trumpet job too ) - it's only use is to warn other small boats about one being very close, and to give a warm feeling of having fulfilled the Colregs - active avoidance is the only way for small boats, IMO.

Proper foghorns on lightships, ships & lighthouses have ' Danger, Warning this will hurt you if too close ! ' signs and take serious power, not a bloke blowing down a plastic trumpet.

 

[prv]

Stupid boy!!!! I rang marine scene and a very nice man suggested I blow down the small hole on the side, worked fine so egg on face!! not at all obvious though so I have forgiven myself!!

What on earth were you doing with it before? I had a similar side-blown horn on Kindred Spirit and there was nowhere else obvious to blow into.

Mine was bloody loud - I look it on a carnival type ride where lots of people bring horns and rattles and other noisemaking paraphernalia, and the people around me looked rather alarmed every time I blew it

(Not suggesting it will be heard on a ship's enclosed bridge, though.)

Pete

 

[Seajet]

Mine was bloody loud - I look it on a carnival type ride where lots of people bring horns and rattles and other noisemaking paraphernalia, and the people around me looked rather alarmed every time I blew it
(Not suggesting it will be heard on a ship's enclosed bridge, though.)

Pete

Which end were you blowing into ?

 

[stooibrown]

My brother bought me a replica Titanic officer's whistle: nickel plated brass I think. It's unbelievably loud - ear-bleeding volume. The only problem is that it fell off its lanyard and is now at the bottom of the Kerrera Sound.

 

[rob2]

I bought a few Acme Thunderers and put them on neck lanyards for the crew. Like foghorns, they're a recognised emergency signal. Unlike the piece of plastic c##p on the lifejackets they can be heard a mile away! I only have a gas foghorn, so far only used to wake a motorboater who had dropped his hook in water deeper then the rode, immediately fell asleep and was drifting down Southampton Water on the tide. I drove over in the dinghy and gave him five blasts - he said he'd have to change his trousers before he could get back to sleep. Last seen sweeping down tide, having "reset" the hook.

I once blew a mouth-blown horn on a friends boat in fog. We nearly hit the harbour wall as all the crew were falling about laughing at the strangled cat sound.

Rob.

 

[[70521]]

Perhaps a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuvuzela might be a better idea?