Location for a horn

[BillyK]

Where have you installed a horn if you did hard mount it? This past season there were a couple of times where i couldn't get to the horn fast enough to remind the other yahoo's on the water that i was right in front of them...

I like the sound of the trumpet, but where the heck would one install it? maybe under the bowsprit? i guess you could go with a stainless car style horn and hang it on one of the spreaders or even mount it at the top of the mast... that might be the way to go..

but still curious as to where folks have mounted their horns..

Thanks.

 

[Benny17441]

Next to the fuzzy dice. I use a portable air horn and keep it at the helm. There are some you can pump up and others come with a compressed air canister. The purpose of the horn is to signal in the fog or in a blind spot when exiting a marina but it also works well with the yahoos. Those automobile electric horns just don't carry in the watter and a compressed air truck horn is not practical.

 

[Ross]

ithin easy reach on the companionway door.

 

[RAD]

Air Horn is the only way to go, gets every ones attention and I keep mine within reach of the helm and I'm still on the same canister for 6+ years so its very economical

 

[RichH]

I keep a compressed air horn AT the helm station and always ready in a mounted 'cup holder'.
When you really really need to use a horn, I feel, you should have it within 'instant grasp' and be able to point it directly at the 'source of your concern' for maximum effect. An electric driven horn would be nice, if loud enough and had a 'pistol grip' for aiming.

 

[Ron20324]

...remind the other yahoo's on the water that i was right in front of them...

Glad you said "other" yahoo's, so as to include the one that didn't have a sounding device at hand as is required. I got tired of the canned air always running out, so got the Orion one from West that you blow into. Hang it around your neck if you can't place it withing quick reach. Your life and boat depend on it.

 

[Tom Spohn]

We have a compressed air horn in a bag right by the helm. Spare can or air in the nav station. We also have an electric loud hailer installed in the hatch cover directly abaft the mast. It was originally in front of the mast, but was snagging sheets when coming about. The hailer is connected to our VHF radio where it can be used to send automatic fog signals or used as a hailer either at the nav station or through one of the remote mics that are always at the helm.

 

[LuzSD]

I keep a compressed air horn AT the helm station and always ready in a mounted 'cup holder'.
When you really really need to use a horn, I feel, you should have it within 'instant grasp' and be able to point it directly at the 'source of your concern' for maximum effect. An electric driven horn would be nice, if loud enough and had a 'pistol grip' for aiming.

Ditto, we keep our in a cup holder right next to the helm.
How many of you do one blast when backing out of your slip? Just heard that is protocol. Never read or heard this before but evidently that is my lacking.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Ditto, we keep our in a cup holder right next to the helm.
How many of you do one blast when backing out of your slip? Just heard that is protocol. Never read or heard this before but evidently that is my lacking.

1. Metal next to your compass? Might want to check it out. I got rid of those things a long time ago, now have a plastic one you blow into.

2. Before I back out, I look around! Really. I have no idea where you heard about "protocol" but that's like saying: "Heck, everytime I back out of a parking spot at mall I honk my horn." Not sure what that gets ya.
I've never heard of that. What many folks here do is honk when they are leaving a fairway into a channel. I think that's foolish, too. There are stand on and give way solutions for all that for use without horns. Heck, someone in your marina could well be trying to sleep in.

 

[Ross]

Ships sound their whistle as they are leaving the dock but little bitty boats are just being wanna be's to try that.

 

[LuzSD]

Ha Ha, good to know, we have never done that before, so I guess I need not change things! Thanks.

our horn is not on top of the helm, its over on a stern seat cup holder to the side of me...
gee whiz, I think I better go back to the peanut gallery.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Wait until that air powered horn sticks after use. There is no way it will stop! My grandson finally tossed it overboard and it spun around both above and below the water until the kids put it in the fishnet and held it underwater. After about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes it quit. The laughter was probably a larger noise than the horn.
Now I have an Orion horn you blow like a Kazzu. It's just as loud and quits when I do.

 

[Ross]

If you want loud try one of those stadium horns.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuvuzela

 

[Sail123]

At my marina if every time someone backed out they sounded a signal horn, everyone would spill their beer. Seriously, if I did that I would be kicked out of the marina. Now if I were backing out in a heavy fog or at 3am in a driving rain, then I could see that.

Ditto, we keep our in a cup holder right next to the helm.
How many of you do one blast when backing out of your slip? Just heard that is protocol. Never read or heard this before but evidently that is my lacking.

 

[Joe]

Ditto, we keep our in a cup holder right next to the helm.
How many of you do one blast when backing out of your slip? Just heard that is protocol. Never read or heard this before but evidently that is my lacking.

That would be irritating to your dock neigbors. Maybe in a high traffic area, but not in my quiet slip's fairway. I have the compressed air horn handy when motoring out on a crowded day, but I like the trumpet for fog work. A foghorn feature on a hailer makes sense if you have to deal with those conditions a regular basis.

 

[Jackdaw]

I think the OP might be talking about a horn hooked up to an hailer on a good VHF. Besides always being ready as a horn, it can be used for voice (hailing) and most VHFs with a hailing also have an auto-FOG feature, where they blow on a pre-set interval.

I think its great idea, and would mount one if (like the OP) I could figure out where to put the stupid horn.

 

[Ross]

How often do you need a horn on your boat or in your car? On the educational boat The Skipjack Martha Lewis they use a mouth blown horn that is kept just inside the companion way.

 

[Benny17441]

If you see a large sign asking you to "blow your horn when exiting" when leaving a Marina around a blind bend on a seawall, it makes sense to do so even if it is to mitigate liability should an accident ensue. Here an air canister seems to last forever but can understand that there are places that people drive cars with their horns and they seem to carry the practice unto the water. I can understand a skipjack restoration to include a mouth blown horn, but ......

 

[zeehag]

i used the canned horn for my Z car and the manual one for my boats......i keep the manual one on a hook at the companionway.....

 

[All U Get]

Hi all,
I believe that little book the USCG gave me says blow horn when conditions exist. In Portland, Me it is common to have vessels along the busy waterfront blow their horns and use Ch 16 to tell everyone what they're doing. I only had one container ship sneak up on me while we were sailing on the river, no horn until the five blasts that nearly blew my hat off. We limped out of the way while trying to start the engine.
I've used our horns when we couldn't see around other yachts while leaving marinas and once used the PA to let a kayaker know we wanted to tie up to the fuel dock he was blocking. I didn't see stadium horns in the Ship's Store, those things are loud.
All U Get