Dan, Ok, now that the testing is in--which whistle do you think is better to carry? I'm not looking for the legal waiver etc. cr_p--just your opinion. There's only so much room left on my pfd. Steve Holtzman *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 11/6/1999 3:27:31 PM Central Standard Time, waterdoc_at_earthlink.net writes: << Ok, now that the testing is in--which whistle do you think is better to carry? I'm not looking for the legal waiver etc. cr_p--just your opinion. There's only so much room left on my pfd. >> That is why I said the Storm is overated. It is a big, bulky, easily broken piece of plastic and not any louder than smaller ones. In MHO, one is better off with something bombproof like the Fox orAcme Thunderer that will be there after years of smashing it on decks, truck tailgates, etc, etc. To think that a whistle will attract attention of a passing boat, stick your head inside the wheel house of a twin diesel vessel and tell me that again. The two best signaling devises bar none are a mirror and the knowledge of how to use is and a STRONG flashlight ie one of the Pelican lights or similaar ones. Light travels much farther than sound in extinuating circumstances. My whistle is tethered on a nylon cord and resides in my upper left pocket on my PFD along with an acrylic signal mirror. A three C cell Pelican light is in the lower right pocket. It has the tightest, most piercing beam of light short of a laser. Always, daylight or dark. Other times when appropriate I carry more efficient electronic communications devises like a cell phone and/or VHF-FM marine radio. So many of the places I go are not in range for cell or VHF. John LeBlanc O (____/_______) ~~~~~~/~~~~~~~~~ Bluecanoe2_at_aol.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dan Hagen wrote: >Neither whistle has quite the range of an air horn, but when within >range both whistles are very noticeable due to their high pitches. At >most distances they are actually more noticable than the air horn that I >tested. > >Quite frankly I am surprised by how well these whistles work. I have >always carried an air horn, and was skeptical about the efficacy of >these wimpy little whistles, but that was before I tested them. My comments from using audiable signal devices at sea, last twenty years: 1. I've been told that the Canadian Coast Guard require a whistles to produce 115 decibels in order for it to be compliant with regulations. Does your pea less whistle measure up when you are in Canadian waters? And just how do the authorities determine decibel levels: at one meter, ten, or what? 2. Tether your whistle (or air horn) against loss. 3. I've experienced the use of double-barrel whistles in gale fore conditions on open water, and they do work at a good range above the background noise of waves. The wind is the problem. At high wind speeds, if your face is straight on to the wind, nature produces its own whistling effect past the listeners ears, thereby negating your ability to hear. Your paddling companions should be instructed to turn one ear to lee from time to time, so as to permit hearing someone whistling for help behind you. 4. After the age of 50ish, hearing loss may occur at the high pitched frequencies. On group paddles with our club, we bring along air horns which are better heard by the graying crowd. 5. As far as setting up predetermined whistle signals, forget it. It just gets too difficult, in my opinion and experience, and to confusing. Real life use of whistles on the high seas has left an indelible impression with me that there is only one universal signal that a whistle blast represents : "SLOW DOWN YOU JERK, YOU ARE WAY TOO FAR AHEAD OF THE REST OF US !" Of course, I will not tell fellow Paddlewisers whether I've been on the giving or receiving end of that signal! BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Steven Holtzman wrote: > Dan, > Ok, now that the testing is in--which whistle do you think is better to > carry? I'm not looking for the legal waiver etc. cr_p--just your > opinion. > There's only so much room left on my pfd. I am leaning towards the Fox 40 because of its tiny size, but I still have some tests to run, including the obvious high-wind test. But I doubt that any of the alternatives work well in high winds--my air horn certainly does not. As I noted before, I will continue to carry my air horn in bear country. I've seen a brown bear run so fast from the sudden blast of my air horn that I felt sorry for the poor thing--all of those trees that it knocked down must have hurt! I would have felt worse were it not for the fact that the bear was only about 15 feet from me when I first noticed it. Can you say "adrenaline rush"? Given Doug Lloyd's point about the difficulty that some "elderly" paddlers have hearing high frequencies, perhaps I will also carry the air horn when paddling with the geriatric set. :-) Dan Hagen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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