which sound signal?

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janeh

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Poor vis.

At anchor.

Small sailing vessel anchored, say less than 20 metres.

Short long short is for anchored AND with possibility of collisoin, which I can understand if you anchored in a fairway or anchored and had no idea where you were.

What if you anchored close to a windward shore?
What is sound signal then?

What vessels have to have a bell on board?

Large ships have to have a bell and gong, right?

I have never had a bell on board.

Tra La
 
janeh said:
Poor vis.

At anchor.

Small sailing vessel anchored, say less than 20 metres.

Short long short is for anchored AND with possibility of collisoin, which I can understand if you anchored in a fairway or anchored and had no idea where you were.

What if you anchored close to a windward shore?
What is sound signal then?

What vessels have to have a bell on board?

Large ships have to have a bell and gong, right?

I have never had a bell on board.

Tra La
Click to expand...

Rule 33 of the COLREGS specifies what equipment is required for sound signals.

Rule 35 specifies what signals should be sounded in restricted visibility.
 
VicS said:
Rule 33 of the COLREGS specifies what equipment is required for sound signals.

Rule 35 specifies what signals should be sounded in restricted visibility.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pdf there. Good stuff. But I am confused.

If at anchor in a 35 foot yacht (less than 12m), what do I do? What the heck does "make some other efficient sound signal" mean. A fart? See (j) below.
I always have a fog horn on board and never a bell, but what other signal do I make if I don't have the bell? short, long short?

Why can't those rules specify for twits like me?

What will be an acceptable answer to an RYA examiner?

(j) A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the above-mentioned signals
but, if she does not, shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2
minutes.

"(g) A vessel at anchor shall at intervals of not more than one minute ring the bell rapidly for about 5
seconds. In a vessel of 100 metres or more in length the bell shall be sounded in the forepart of the
vessel and immediately after the ringing of the bell the gong shall be sounded rapidly for about
5 seconds in the after part of the vessel. A vessel at anchor may in addition sound three blasts in
succession, namely one short, one prolonged and one short blast, to give warning of her position
and of the possibility of collision to an approaching vessel.
(h) Avessel aground shall give the bell signal and if required the gong signal prescribed in paragraph
(g) of this Rule and shall, in addition, give three separate and distinct strokes on the bell
immediately before and after the rapid ringing of the bell. A vessel aground may in addition
sound an appropriate whistle signal.
(i) A vessel of 12 metres or more but less than 20 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the
bell signals prescribed in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this Rule. However, if she does not, she shall
make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than
2 minutes.
(j) A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the above-mentioned signals
but, if she does not, shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2
minutes."

Tra La
 
. . . to give warning of her position and of the possibility of collision to an approaching vessel.

If you thought someone was about to run you down I expect you'd find something PDQ to warn the other vessel.

Spoon and frying pan, screams of fear, threats of litigation etc :D
 
parsifal said:
. . . to give warning of her position and of the possibility of collision to an approaching vessel.

If you thought someone was about to run you down I expect you'd find something PDQ to warn the other vessel.

Spoon and frying pan, screams of fear, threats of litigation etc :D
Click to expand...

In reality, A big ship bearing down, I'd be firing flares at 'em.

But I have a Coastal Skipper practical exam in a month or so and don't know the right 'answer'.

Tra La
 
OK, so you are at anchor in fog on a yacht. You wont have enough rode to anchor where big ships can bite! You are safe from them.

A good look/listen out on deck with, as suggested, a saucepan and spanner/spoon/whatever will give you an effective sound signal.

Been in this situation a few times for real, it works.

The examiner will be fine with that!

Good luck, keep calm!!!
 
capnsensible said:
OK, so you are at anchor in fog on a yacht. You wont have enough rode to anchor where big ships can bite! You are safe from them.

A good look/listen out on deck with, as suggested, a saucepan and spanner/spoon/whatever will give you an effective sound signal.

Been in this situation a few times for real, it works.

The examiner will be fine with that!

Good luck, keep calm!!!
Click to expand...

So would short long short on a foghorn be the wrong answer then? Bound to be louder than spoons I'd have thought, but agree spoons sound more like a bell.

Tra La
 
dot dash dot is prescribed as an additional signal. Again, in real life, in fog where I sail its generally the only sound you will hear. Gas ships normally.
 
janeh said:
In reality, A big ship bearing down, I'd be firing flares at 'em.

But I have a Coastal Skipper practical exam in a month or so and don't know the right 'answer'.

Tra La
Click to expand...

Well I suppose the Coastal Skipper Practical is, as its name suggests, concerned with practical solutions. (if it isn't - what earthly use is it?).

So, what you would do would depend on the circumstances. If you are snug in Newtown Creek, at anchor, it would be ludicrous to sit up all night banging a frying pan (probably dangerous as well).

If you are absolutely compelled to anchor in an exposed position and you think a risk of collision exists, you might decide it is worth losing some sleep by staying on watch to warn off other vessels as best you can.

But you also have to consider what other types of vessels might hit you and whether they would hear your signal anyway. A vessel under sail would hear you but would a ship or a high-powered motor boat?

If I was being examined I would say that, whilst adhering to the ColRegs as best I could, if the circumstances made it necessary I would not hesitate to let off a flare or call up the other vessel on vhf.

Remember, you are being examined to test whether you are a sufficiently competent seaman to take a yacht on a coasting passage, not to see if you could get a job in maritime law.
 
All sound signals are a morse code letter that corresponds to the old signal flag single letter.

In this case dot dash dot is letter R, romeo.

Its meaning is 'The way is off my vessel you may feel your way past me'


Impress your examiner.
 
janeh said:
Thanks for the pdf there. Good stuff. But I am confused.

If at anchor in a 35 foot yacht (less than 12m), what do I do? What the heck does "make some other efficient sound signal" mean. A fart? See (j) below.
I always have a fog horn on board and never a bell, but what other signal do I make if I don't have the bell? short, long short?

Why can't those rules specify for twits like me?

What will be an acceptable answer to an RYA examiner?

(j) A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the above-mentioned signals
but, if she does not, shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2
minutes.

"(g) A vessel at anchor shall at intervals of not more than one minute ring the bell rapidly for about 5
seconds. In a vessel of 100 metres or more in length the bell shall be sounded in the forepart of the
vessel and immediately after the ringing of the bell the gong shall be sounded rapidly for about
5 seconds in the after part of the vessel. A vessel at anchor may in addition sound three blasts in
succession, namely one short, one prolonged and one short blast, to give warning of her position
and of the possibility of collision to an approaching vessel.
(h) Avessel aground shall give the bell signal and if required the gong signal prescribed in paragraph
(g) of this Rule and shall, in addition, give three separate and distinct strokes on the bell
immediately before and after the rapid ringing of the bell. A vessel aground may in addition
sound an appropriate whistle signal.
(i) A vessel of 12 metres or more but less than 20 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the
bell signals prescribed in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this Rule. However, if she does not, she shall
make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than
2 minutes.
(j) A vessel of less than 12 metres in length shall not be obliged to give the above-mentioned signals
but, if she does not, shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2
minutes."

Tra La
Click to expand...

The Syllabus should give you some indication of the depth of knowledge required but your instructor should also be able to give you guidance. He should have covered what you need to know in the classes.

I don't have a syllabus to hand but I would think a working knowledge of the signals you would give when under power, under sail or anchored would be required together with a knowledge of the signals that other vessels you are likely to encounter may give. You are not going to be expected to know the precise details of vessels that use bells or gongs.

If you go to to annexe III of the Colregs you will find the technical details of the sound apparatus. You are not going to need to know any of that except perhaps to be aware that that your fog horn should be audible for half a mile (that rules out a fart I would think).
 
capnsensible said:
OK, so you are at anchor in fog on a yacht. You wont have enough rode to anchor where big ships can bite!
Click to expand...

Says 'oo? Most of the big ships I encounter are heading up Southampton Water, with generally a tadge over 15m of water. Well I've got comfortably over 45m of anchor rode if I let out the rope as well as the chain. I'd hope those of you with bigger boats than me would have more still. Obviously I wouldn't be daft enough to anchor in the middle of the channel fog or no fog, but it's not accurate to say I can't.

Pete
 
prv said:
Says 'oo? Most of the big ships I encounter are heading up Southampton Water, with generally a tadge over 15m of water. Well I've got comfortably over 45m of anchor rode if I let out the rope as well as the chain. I'd hope those of you with bigger boats than me would have more still. Obviously I wouldn't be daft enough to anchor in the middle of the channel fog or no fog, but it's not accurate to say I can't.

Pete
Click to expand...

Lots of racing boats know how to kedge in 50m+ of water.
But this is fred drift.
Listening helps a lot in fog, a common or garden aerosol type fog horn sound exactly like what it is, a yacht's foghorn so if you use that, people are in with a chance of guessing there's a yacht in that fog....
 
Reminds me of the story of one examiner who would ask what the various distress signals were and wlould never allow "a burning tar barrel on deck" as they didn't have one.

The instructor bought a small barrel and kept it on board ready. Sadly the examiner died just before it could be used.
 
Daedelus said:
Reminds me of the story of one examiner who would ask what the various distress signals were and wlould never allow "a burning tar barrel on deck" as they didn't have one.
Click to expand...

Bet he had a saucepan, a teatowel, and some diesel though? I've heard of that being used successfully as a distress signal.

Pete
 
prv said:
Says 'oo? Most of the big ships I encounter are heading up Southampton Water, with generally a tadge over 15m of water. Well I've got comfortably over 45m of anchor rode if I let out the rope as well as the chain. I'd hope those of you with bigger boats than me would have more still. Obviously I wouldn't be daft enough to anchor in the middle of the channel fog or no fog, but it's not accurate to say I can't.

Pete
Click to expand...


Hee hee, an anchor disagreement!!!

Seriously, as you say, its common sense to anchor out the channel in say 4 or 5 m at Chart datum. Add a bit for your tides (?) 4m from low water, so say 9m water. Say 4x water for safety when well dug in and also not to drift about too much at LW gives 36m chain. Leave the rest in your locker for 'insurance; and hey presto, you are where the big ships cant get you.

Out of interest, I have kedged mid channel in a race from Pompey to Guernsey so I know what that is like.

Also have anchored on the 0 contour in Lymington in absolutely thick fog to stay out of the channel the ferries were still using.

2 weeks ago anchored in 5m north of Algeceras in similar.

Got loadsa fog stories but wont bore you here! Except....was delivering a Motor Boat to Lanzarote and in fog off the Maroc coast the standing joke amongst the crew was that you couldnt even see far enough to light a fag :D
 
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