Ships bell

[jasonr575]

another interesting fact for those of you into old boat lore. i feel guilty about not mounting the bell yet because if you notice when someone explores a wreck for the first time the first and sometimes only thing retrieved from it is the bell. It is usually kept as a momento or if it was a famous ship given to a musieum. I heard the reason for this is that it is said the ships soul is located in the bell.
i love old ship lore. Anyone know of another interesting fact?

[Valiente]

I've used mine once, in heavy fog. I will be installing a horn shortly, but still think a bell is more than decorative, for instance when moving through an area that is a known fishing ground. I think a bell is more distinct a sound, and it would be, too, if every other boat wishing to avoid collision is using a horn....

[speciald]

I've spent hundreds of dollars on ship's bells over the past thirty or so years. The best place to keep the bell is in the box it comes in. The Coast Guard requires a bell but it does not have to be mounted.

[Boasun]

The bell is for when anchored in fog or hard aground in the fog. Either way this is the time when you are required to use the bell. The rest of the time it is used to practice your metal polishing on. But the Idea of single strokes for Communication with the crew has been, is being and will be done many times. Also you can use it to sound the emergency alarm when needed.

[bestfriend]

I have been told that in Cali its for boats over 36'? not sure though. Mine has two mounts. One in the cockpit here:



and one mount over the Nav here:

[Boasun]

actually Rule 33, Inland & International, state that vessels less than 12 meters shall not be obligated to carry the sound signalling appliances described in this Rule. However, if she does not, she shall have some other means of making an efficient sound signal.
Thus you get your youngest kid up there with your wife's best kettle and a spoon and start banging on it.

12 meter X 3.28 = 39.36 feet

[Giulietta]

The only real sailor here, uses this....

Very important piece of gear....a good sailor is never a good sailor without a proper bell..

Bell's Hell's...you Americand are funny

ehehehehe

[bestfriend]

Bite me portugee, it came with the boat. And you're one to talk, inspector gadget.

[chucklesR]

I mounted mine on a swivel, underway it's against the bulkhead- at anchor or inport I swivel it so if my door (not hatch, I have a door) is opened it rings, e.g., burglar alarm

Coincidently, if needed underway I could swivel it out and it would be reachable from the helm.

Ya'll reckon that fog is sound conducive enough so that 1500hp cigarette boat blasting down at 55knts is gonna hear me tinkling away on my bell? Safest way to anchor in a fog is to weigh anchor so you can dodge

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by bestfriend

And you're one to talk, inspector gadget.

All my gadgets serve one purpose, sail faster, sail better...

That's why I have no bells.....they serve no usefull purpose on my boats...decor, I have at home....

To make noise, I have a blow horn you blow into...weighs a few ounces, and sounds like Cam if you squeze his balls with a pliers....

Pretty loud.

I drilled holes on it to reduce weight...

The bell is on the Opti