I have a 50 foot sailboat, based in USA, sometimes sail to Canada and
Mexico.

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

I'm tired of having this brass bell thing in the way, the horn works
fine.. I use the horn in fog, have never used the bell. Will the
homeland security gestapo crucify me if I'm boarded without a bell?

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a 50 foot sailboat, based in USA, sometimes sail to Canada and
Mexico.

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

I'm tired of having this brass bell thing in the way, the horn works
fine.. I use the horn in fog, have never used the bell. Will the
homeland security gestapo crucify me if I'm boarded without a bell?



Like Dave said, read the colregs. They are your friend.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Sep 24, 2:48 pm, "Capt. JG" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

I have a 50 foot sailboat, based in USA, sometimes sail to Canada and
Mexico.

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

I'm tired of having this brass bell thing in the way, the horn works
fine.. I use the horn in fog, have never used the bell. Will the
homeland security gestapo crucify me if I'm boarded without a bell?

Like Dave said, read the colregs. They are your friend.

--
"j" ganz

Your bell must be EXACTLY the right pitch too. If it is just a little
off, you get massive fines. HOWEVER, if you send the bell and $500,
we will test the bell and tell you if it is ok.

On Sep 24, 8:16 am, Dave wrote:
On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:25:21 -0000, said:

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

A more reliable way to get answers to questions like this than asking in the
group is to look at the rules.

http://www.boatingsafety.com/colregs.htm

Rule 33.

Actually, the most reliable way to get answers to these questions for
USA waters is to ask the US Coast Guard. They are the controlling
authority and what they say is law. You may argue with them in court
if you like, but they win 100% of their cases so I wouldn't advise
it. At any rate, rule 33 has been changed and the above url is out of
date. See http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navru...vrules2003.htm.
You are not required to have a bell on your 50' vessel. It might be a
good idea to print out the pdf of the new rule and keep it in your
rule book.

-- Tom.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 24, 2:48 pm, "Capt. JG" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

I have a 50 foot sailboat, based in USA, sometimes sail to Canada and
Mexico.

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

I'm tired of having this brass bell thing in the way, the horn works
fine.. I use the horn in fog, have never used the bell. Will the
homeland security gestapo crucify me if I'm boarded without a bell?

Like Dave said, read the colregs. They are your friend.

--
"j" ganz

Your bell must be EXACTLY the right pitch too. If it is just a little
off, you get massive fines. HOWEVER, if you send the bell and $500,
we will test the bell and tell you if it is ok.



I just put mine in the mail!!


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Your bell must be EXACTLY the right pitch too. If it is just a little
off, you get massive fines. HOWEVER, if you send the bell and $500,
we will test the bell and tell you if it is ok.

Hey, I've got a better deal! Since the bell isn't required just send
me $500 and I'll tell you it is ok. That saves you postage!

-- Tom.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Your bell must be EXACTLY the right pitch too. If it is just a little
off, you get massive fines. HOWEVER, if you send the bell and $500,
we will test the bell and tell you if it is ok.

Hey, I've got a better deal! Since the bell isn't required just send
me $500 and I'll tell you it is ok. That saves you postage!

-- Tom.


It is a very good question.
Especially, with today's navigational equipment available to the pleasure
boaters
in Canada, for pleasure craft greater than 39 feet and not greater than 65
feet in length.
A sound signalling device is require.
As for the specifications of this device see the Canadian collision
regulation:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations...ml#ANNEX%20III

--Denis

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:23:49 -0700, "
wrote:

On Sep 24, 8:16 am, Dave wrote:
On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:25:21 -0000, said:

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?

A more reliable way to get answers to questions like this than asking in the
group is to look at the rules.

http://www.boatingsafety.com/colregs.htm

Rule 33.

Actually, the most reliable way to get answers to these questions for
USA waters is to ask the US Coast Guard. They are the controlling
authority and what they say is law. You may argue with them in court
if you like, but they win 100% of their cases so I wouldn't advise
it. At any rate, rule 33 has been changed and the above url is out of
date. See http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navru...vrules2003.htm.
You are not required to have a bell on your 50' vessel. It might be a
good idea to print out the pdf of the new rule and keep it in your
rule book.

Second all of that.
Personally, I wouldn't trust anybody but the CG inspectors on a
question like this. They enforce the law as it's enforced, not as
it's written. Even then, you may get different interpretations.
It's your ass at stake, so err on the side of that.
Maybe you've noticed that nobody gave you a direct answer to a simple
question.
I suspect that's because they can't understand the regs, or refuse to
come to a conclusion on what they mean.
That's not surprising. This country can't even decide if it has real
borders.

--Vic

wrote:
On Sep 24, 8:16 am, Dave wrote:
On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:25:21 -0000, said:

Is a bell required, if I have a horn?
A more reliable way to get answers to questions like this than asking in the
group is to look at the rules.

http://www.boatingsafety.com/colregs.htm

Rule 33.

Actually, the most reliable way to get answers to these questions for
USA waters is to ask the US Coast Guard. They are the controlling
authority and what they say is law. You may argue with them in court
if you like, but they win 100% of their cases so I wouldn't advise
it. At any rate, rule 33 has been changed and the above url is out of
date. See http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navru...vrules2003.htm.
You are not required to have a bell on your 50' vessel. It might be a
good idea to print out the pdf of the new rule and keep it in your
rule book.

While the International Rules were changed in 2003, I don't think the
Inland rules have been changed, so a bell is still required. Also, it
would be wise to check the Canadian Inland rules also (though I think
they follow the Intl wording now).

On Sep 24, 10:18 am, Vic Smith
wrote:
... Second all of that.
Personally, I wouldn't trust anybody but the CG inspectors on a
question like this. They enforce the law as it's enforced, not as
it's written. Even then, you may get different interpretations. ...

Too true. I removed my original post because contrary to what I had
been told a close reading of the current rules suggest that for INLAND
use the bell is still required... However, the bell is no longer on
the vessel safety check and a bit of research gave me this (http://
safetyseal.net/what_is_vsc.asp) for a "virtual safety check" where
they say:

quote

Item 8 - Sound Producing Devices / Bell:

To comply with Navigation Rules and for distress signaling purposes
all boats must carry a sound producing device (whistle, horn, siren,
etc.) capable of a 4-second blast audible for ½ mile. *Boats larger
than 39.4 ft. are also required to have a bell (see Navigation Rules.)

*Under a recent change, a vessel 12 meters (39.4 ft) to less than 20
meters (65 ft) is no longer required to carry a bell on board.

The Coast Guard said: "The bottom-line, a bell is no longer required
on a vessel less than 20 meters in length. That of course means a bell
is not required for those same vessels for successful completion of a
VSC."

end quote

Mind you, how hard is it to stow a 200mm bell on a 50 foot yacht?

-- Tom.