Re: [Paddlewise] : Air horns...

I understand what you're saying... that using sound to get them to notice
you is better than nothing. You think... and probably some others too...
that we're just kayakers and only out there to enjoy ourselves. We shouldn't
have to adhere to rules that were mostly made up for big ships.

But I think you're wrong.... at least when you are sharing the waterway with
ships, tugs, and other commercial vessels. One of the things we chastise
powerboaters and jet skiers for is not knowing what they are doing and for
not following the rules. Yet many of us really don't know the rules either.
Other vessels... and especially commercial vessels... know the rules and
follow them; and expect (more-or-less... they think that mostly we're all
morons) us to do it too.

If you are surfing then other surfers expect you to know the rules and
follow them.

If you are sharing a waterway with other traffic then follow the same rules
they are expected to follow. It's certainly logical to at least understand
those rules. Don't give them signals that will confuse them and hope that it
just attracts their attention enough to avoid you.  Or you could be upside
down in your kayak BECAUSE you only blew 3 blasts on your air horn and he
didn't stop because he thought you were backing down and stopping to give
him room.

I certainly don't advocate carrying an air horn in your kayak, much less
using it for crossing or passing signals, but if you DO carry an air horn
and use it then you should use it with some knowledge. Otherwise, leave it
home.

And it might not just be a "rebuke". It might be a lawsuit.

Craig Jungers
Royal City, WA

On 8/2/07, Mark Sanders <sandmarks_at_ca.rr.com> wrote:
>
> Seems to me your being rather stoggy in sticking with the 'rules' here.
>
> If I'm stuck upside down in my kayak and manage to blow only three toots
> with my handy air horn are other boats going to look at me and say: "I'd
> better be careful, he's backing up"?!?!?
>
> Whatever sound you make, whether it's appropriate to the maneuver you're
> planning to make or not, seems like it's going to serve the purpose of
> making the other craft look at you to see what you're planning to do. If
> you're only purpose was to get them to notice you, it seems like it's
> going
> to work.
>
> After they've pulled you up from your upturned kayak, if they want to yell
> at you for only using 3 toots instead of the required 5, I'd take my
> rebuke
> in silence.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Behalf Of Craig Jungers
>
>
>
> Three short blasts means "I am operating in reverse". If you gave that
> signal and the other person understands sound signals then they will be
> mightily confused.  They would likely conclude that you are stopping to
> let
> them continue on. If that is NOT what you want, then those three balsts on
> your horn (or whistle) were not only not legal but highly
> counterproductive
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