Sound Signalling Device for a RIB

[GaryC]

My understanding is that a RIB should carry a horn as a sound signalling device. Some come with an air can and some don't. [The air canister type seem to be prone to misuse on a jointly owned RIB]

I have been asked whether a simple whistle (plastic) will do. My feeling is that it won't but Annex III of the COLREGS where the sound device has it's specification, could indeed be a violin. I presume like the rest of the COLREGS, there is an interpretation somewhere.

Is there anything to say that a whislte is not up to the mark?

What do others use? (and where do you get them from?)

Many Thanks

Gary

[Cookee]

A chandlers should be able to sell you one that you just blow into - they are plastic, so unlike the gas ones they don't run out of air or rust - perfect!

[Dry_Doc]

What Cookie said.

They're good enough to satisfy the coding regs on a small boat, provided it can make an efficient sound signal.

[m chappelow]

i dont think that in reality whistles of the lifejacket type dont travel the distance as a horn will ,though perhaps the ones with the pea in may be better ,
i have seen some really small ones that you blow which give out a really deep tone like a ship which seem ok ,
if you carry foot pump/bellows for topping up the tubes make an adapter to fit the end ,,saves getting a red face if having to use it for long periods ,

,i know one yachtie from our club that fitted a car tyre valve in the bottom of an empty fog horn canister ,,disposable type,, and he can top that up with his car foot pump if in prolonged periods of fog or sea fret,

i remember looking an angling boat which we were doing a brief equipment check on,,day launcher using our slip ,, and they had a toy plastic trumpet ,worked ok ,,,,though think it would have done me head in on that boat listening to that squark for a couple of hours in the fog ,,lol

[Stoo]

I figure if I am ever broken down over a prolonged period, that The Missus will be shrieking at me in such a way that a horn, whistle, or a violin would be completely unnecessary...

We have the electric horn, and each PFD has a whistle attached. Can you get Fox40s over there? They're incredibly loud... and designed and sold by a client of mine~

http://www.fox40world.com/index.cfm?...Sharx&id=15861

[Nos4r2]

I've got one of these-It's called an Attwood Bellow:-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bello...item3ef6ef3373


Fantastic bit of kit-louder than all the ones you can buy that blow yourself in the UK. It wasn't much more to buy and ship from the US than a disposable aerosol horn and it's rebuildable.
It delivers a continuous tone too, rather than sounding like a duck call.
It works even after being submerged, though you do have to give it a shake to get the water out.

[Sonar]

Originally Posted by GaryC

My understanding is that a RIB should carry a horn as a sound signalling device. Some come with an air can and some don't. [The air canister type seem to be prone to misuse on a jointly owned RIB]

I have been asked whether a simple whistle (plastic) will do. My feeling is that it won't but Annex III of the COLREGS where the sound device has it's specification, could indeed be a violin. I presume like the rest of the COLREGS, there is an interpretation somewhere.

Is there anything to say that a whislte is not up to the mark?

What do others use? (and where do you get them from?)

Many Thanks

Gary

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12v-volt-air-h...70643440229788

[jyasaki]

I realize that your UK regs may be different, but here in the US, a whistle is considered a legal signalling device. Actually, so is a cooking pot and a spoon to pound on it with. Basically anything that makes noise.

The problem I've seen with the can-powered horns is that invariable they get wet and rust and release the gas before the thing is needed. The problem with whistles (aside from the monster thing that Nos posted) is that they tend to migrate to places where they can't be found.

I've got an electric horn (an Ongaro all-stainless job) mounted on top of the A-Frame, augmented by a small can type in the console as a backup, and usually several whistles scattered about in various boxes on the boat (that usually end up in other divers' BC pockets.)

jky

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

The problem with whistles (aside from the monster thing that Nos posted) is that they tend to migrate to places where they can't be found.

'snot a monster-it's smaller than carrying an aerosol horn.Works on a vibrating diaphragm.
Sounds like a fog horn too

[SeaSkills]

Try this:

http://www.marine-super-store.com/po...edpartno=09567

Ian

[Mollers]

Roycruse used to have a kazoo type thing. It was almost comical when we were caught in a total pea-souper one night.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Roycruse used to have a kazoo type thing. It was almost comical when we were caught in a total pea-souper one night.

Off topic (sort of): Had a friend who went in for a live-boat dive who surfaced to find that the skipper had decided to take a nap and drifted a cove or two south. The diver took out his emergency whistle (this particular one was sold by Zeagle, but I'm sure you've seen it: flat orange plastic thing, about 1" x 3", usually with a little belt clip molded in), blew as hard as he could, and his remark was that even he couldn't hear the noise it made. Eventually the skipper woke up and heard my buddy's swearing, so it all turned out OK (and made a decent story.)

For diving, I use a Dive Alert tank powered whistle - that thing is LOUD. On the boat I have a collection of referees brass whistles and one or two Storm whistles. As stated before I usually can't keep track of them, and loan them out (or rather give them away) so I have no clue exactly where they are.

As an aside, I was watching an episode of some Florida Fish and Wildlife reality show thing (like Cops, but with the marine enforcement guys and girls), and they ended up giving one of the Zeagle type whistles to a boater who lacked a sound signal. Not sure if they were helping or not...

jky