fog bell

[Megunticook]

I've always wanted one but normally just carry a little portable "canned air" horn. Never had to use it so far but good to have on board.

The other week I was at the Hamilton Marine sale and they had a small 6" brass bell marked down 20%. I splurged.

Anybody use these? Is the idea that when fog rolls in thick and other boats might be around you sound the bell periodically as you make your way forward?

[Jim Walsh]

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/navrule ... df#page111

As a practical measure in restricted visibility I keep an air horn within reach. Just because I can see them on my radar doesn’t mean they are aware of my presence. I sold my last bell several years ago since it hadn’t been used in ages.

[Jim Cornwell]

The sharp sound of a bell is said to penetrate fog like nothing else can. True? I dunno. But very yachty!

[Bill Goldsmith]

With the bell, there are no refills to purchase! I have a bell that came to me with the boat. But I always have an air horn as well.

[Bill Goldsmith]

With the bell, there are no refills to purchase! I have a bell that came to me with the boat. But I always have an air horn as well.

[jbenagh]

I have been kinda worried about the flammable gas used in a lot of horns. We have a permanent foghorn integrated in the radio but still need a way to signal in a hurry. Last season I bought one of these: https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=610591
It's mounted right near the radio but could be brought on deck for a period of time. You do need to stay on top of batteries.
Jeff

[JD-MDR]

Last weekend I saw a freighter as I was about to enter the separation zone. It looked about the right distance for me to be prepared to alter coarse.The fog came in thick and I didn't know where he was. I could hear his horn every minute or two,whatever the reg is. I didn't get a response on the vhf. I'm wondering ? Can they really see the little reflector on their radar? Can they hear that little air horn from way up their in the wheel house? Anyway I ordered AIS to go with my chartplotter. Actually I didnt actually order it yet but I did apply for the MMSI and the FAA license. I haven't decided to get the Garmin or the Simrad. The electronics guy recommends the Simrad but I wanted the Garmin 800 just because my chartplotter is Garmin. I'm gonna order tomorrow.

[Keith]

When the fog rolls in on Nantucket sound and I'm crossing the ferry lanes it can be a bit unnerving. I always hoist my aluminum reflector up to the spreader but never sure if they could see me so one day I hailed one of the ferry captains on the VFH and asked if he could see me on radar. The response was "crystal clear captain". To be honest I worry more about the crazy stink potters going 40 mph in the fog.

Keith

[Kailua Kid]

The bell and the horn are not interchangeable signal devices. The two devices signal different situations. Use your horn when under way, with way on, in fog. See the link above regarding when a bell is appropriately rung.

[jbenagh]

Kailua, see 83.35 h & i: vessels under 12m (most Cape Dory's) are exempt from the bell requirement and may just approximate the signals with any sound making device like a horn/PA (paraphrasing; if you want the actual read the rules).
That's what we do on Christine C.
Jeff

[Kailua Kid]

The bell of course should be rung only by a vessel at anchor or aground, during periods of limited visibility. To ring a bell in place of sounding a horn, say when under way in the fog, to me is a dangerous practice because the ringing of a bell under the COLREGS signifies a vessel at anchor or aground, i.e., with no way on. A vessel under way, with way on, should be sounding the signal specified in the COLREGS for that vessel, doing what she is doing at that time, i.e., motoring or motor sailing (one long blast, at intervals of not more than two minutes), or sailing (one long blast, followed by two short blasts, at least every two minutes), etc. -- not sounding the signal specified for a vessel at anchor or aground (ringing a bell).

The rule allowing a vessel of under 12 meters to use alternative equipment to make an efficient specified sound signal does not allow the ringing of a bell to substitute for the sounding of a horn: A bell cannot sound a blast, as required by the rules for collision avoidance when under way with way on in periods of limited visibility. See Rule 32. To me, a bell and a horn are not interchangeable signaling devices under the COLREGS or otherwise, regardless of how well a bell might penetrate the fog or how yachty it might look or sound. Each vessel is required to have the means to make the sound signals required by the rules for that type of vessel, doing what she is doing, with the exceptions noted for vessels under 12 meters as to a whistle and 20 meters as to a bell. See Rule 33. To avoid the likelihood of potentially dangerous confusion, no vessel regardless of size should be sounding a signal associated with being at anchor or aground when she is in fact under way, with way on (such as sailing, motoring or motor sailing in the fog).

[Frenchy]

I think Jeff is correct - the colregs, section 35 are fairly complex but here is part j:

(j) A vessel of less than 12 m 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.


- Jean

[Megunticook]

I reviewed the USCG regs.--maybe I should just return the bell to Hamilton if it's only for anchoring or when run aground. I was under the mistaken impression it was for when underway.

Learned a few things in this thread!

Thanks for chiming in everyone.

[JD-MDR]

[quote="Megunticook"]I reviewed the USCG regs "Learned a few things in this thread"
Me too. Thanks

[Kailua Kid]

I think I see the source of the confusion regarding subpart (j) of Rule 35. The "above-mentioned" signals referenced in (j) [International Rule; 35 (h) in the Inland Rules] are the signals produced by the equipment defined by the specifications in Annex III. Those specifications are fairly elaborate and such equipment would be unreasonable to require on most small recreational vessels. Consequently, Rule 33 (b) allows smaller vessels to produce the required blast signals with any efficient sound producing device, i.e., a sound that efficiently lets other vessels know where you are and what you are doing.

Rule 35 (j) [and Inland Rule 35 (h)] carries that relaxed requirement regarding sound producing equipment for smaller vessels through from Rule 33 to Rule 35, but changes the prescribed "sound signaling appliances" to "above-mentioned signals." While the ringing of the bell and the striking of the gong are the "above mentioned" signals on that page of the government publication rule book, the text of Rule 35 of course includes the prolonged and short blast signals required by the earlier subparts of Rule 35.

So, I suppose in the event of a collision caused in whole or in part by a failure to sound the signals required by Rule 35, when confronted with the Pennsylvania Rule (under which a violation of a navigational rule related to the accident results in a shifting of the burden of proof to the defendant that the violation could not have caused or contributed to the collision), one could argue that the sound signals prescribed by Rule 35 are inapplicable to a vessel of under 12 meters, and that some other efficient sound signal (maybe long and short blasts of one of Puccini's arias) was being made using the alternate "efficient sound producing device" (maybe over the PA, at really high volume) at intervals of not more than two minutes leading up to the collision.

On my little vessels, I think I will just plan to sound short and long blasts when underway in limited visibility, etc., as contemplated in the COLREGS, and ring a bell if I have one aboard when aground or at anchor in limited visibility. I have a Standard Horizon 2400 Matrix VHF programmed with fog signals and equipped with PA, an expendable aerosol can-type horn, and as of recent a pump-up reusable air horn (using a bicycle pump) and a tin megaphone-style mouth operated horn, aboard my daily commuter boat, leaving me no excuses for not making appropriate sound signals when the circumstances require. Meanwhile, thanks to everyone who posted on this for prompting me to take yet another look at Rules 33 and 35.