Westerdam's Captain Goes A Little Crazy With The Horn

[USN59-79]

This reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. The ship's whistle is not only used for signaling other ships, such as signaling that they are causing a danger to themselves or you. It is also used to signal the crew and passengers that their is danger aboard, such as fire or collision. If the passengers consider such excessive horn blowing delightful, as most of the posters here, what will be their reaction when they hear the horn in the early morning when the ship has a real emergency?

That is why I cringe when posters state what a great man this Captain is and that they want to buy him a drink for his horn blowing.

[Shellback801]

This reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. The ship's whistle is not only used for signaling other ships, such as signaling that they are causing a danger to themselves or you. It is also used to signal the crew and passengers that their is danger aboard, such as fire or collision. If the passengers consider such excessive horn blowing delightful, as most of the posters here, what will be their reaction when they hear the horn in the early morning when the ship has a real emergency?

That is why I cringe when posters state what a great man this Captain is and that they want to buy him a drink for his horn blowing.

 

At Port Everglades I would take the tooting for what it was: A celebration. Anywhere else would get my attention. It is not a difficult distinction.

[rkacruiser]

This reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. The ship's whistle is not only used for signaling other ships, such as signaling that they are causing a danger to themselves or you. It is also used to signal the crew and passengers that their is danger aboard, such as fire or collision. If the passengers consider such excessive horn blowing delightful, as most of the posters here, what will be their reaction when they hear the horn in the early morning when the ship has a real emergency?

That is why I cringe when posters state what a great man this Captain is and that they want to buy him a drink for his horn blowing.

 

But, is it the Captain that is doing this or is it a subordinate? And, if it is someone other than the Captain, what is the harm?

[rkacruiser]

Here is a photo for horn above bridge OOSTERDAM. There is usual two... one forward and one on funnel. The one above is used when need for in fog so that passengers are not to disturbed. They are usually disturbed and can go on for hours and even days.... long blast at intervals not more two minutes After an Atlantic crossing you don;t want to ever hear it again!

 

The purpose of the horn is signalling... mostly for as a fog horn. On old ship there were open bridge wings. In fog usually the lookout and an officer would stay out in the wings... listening for horns of other ships. It might be hearing a deep horn from a large ship or might be a little squeek of a small sail yacht. As ship began butting more equipment inside the bridge owners decided to have enclosed bridge wings... or a lot of electronics in the bridge wings would get wet. The problem is, you have to be able to hear... even faint horns. So..... there is a microphone outside you can amplify sound and be able to hear horns inside the wheelhouse.

 

You cannot shut down to stop hearing inside the wheelhouse. You are not trying to hear your own... you need to horns of other vessels.... another cruise ship, container ship, pilot boat, ferry, small yacht... or a little boat with a small whistle.... those need to be hear from outside.... it is part gor watchkeeping. It is not all electronic watching of radars etc.... keeping a good lookout means just that.

 

Stephen

 

So, it is the funnel horn that we are hearing when the ship sails from Port Everglades?

 

I fully understand the function of the fog horn. Major memory: Royal Viking Sky sailing trans-Atlantic off the Grand Banks when the horn was used for a long time. (Loved the sound as well as the experience, I must say!)

 

In such a constricted, short channel as the Port Everglades channel is, are there not enough eyes on the Bridge to warn of issues ahead given the space that there is? In reduced visbility, I would agree that a festive display of departure from the port would be inadvisable. But, in clear weather, what horn sounds would the Officers on the Bridge be expecting to hear that would alert them to a potential problem?

[PathfinderEss]

This reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. The ship's whistle is not only used for signaling other ships, such as signaling that they are causing a danger to themselves or you. It is also used to signal the crew and passengers that their is danger aboard, such as fire or collision. If the passengers consider such excessive horn blowing delightful, as most of the posters here, what will be their reaction when they hear the horn in the early morning when the ship has a real emergency?

That is why I cringe when posters state what a great man this Captain is and that they want to buy him a drink for his horn blowing.

 

You know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I've met the Captain and he takes the responsibility of being at the helm of the Westerdam very seriously. Go thru one of his boat drills and you will understand how serious he is. So cringe all you want, I'm still buying him a drink and he can be the Captain of any ship I cruise on.

[kazu]

You know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I've met the Captain and he takes the responsibility of being at the helm of the Westerdam very seriously. Go thru one of his boat drills and you will understand how serious he is. So cringe all you want, I'm still buying him a drink and he can be the Captain of any ship I cruise on.

 

 

Where is that Like button? My trust remains with the captain :)

[rkacruiser]

Where is that Like button? My trust remains with the captain :)

 

Yes, where is that Like button! Thanks to both of you!

[Lizzie68]

You know everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I've met the Captain and he takes the responsibility of being at the helm of the Westerdam very seriously. Go thru one of his boat drills and you will understand how serious he is. So cringe all you want, I'm still buying him a drink and he can be the Captain of any ship I cruise on.

 

:) I tried to find a "thumbs up" to post but the smiley will have to do!

[Topsham]

At Port Everglades I would take the tooting for what it was: A celebration. Anywhere else would get my attention. It is not a difficult distinction.

 

 

 

Not a 'difficult distinction' is the problem. It is impossible to make distinction between celebration and some serious situation. It is all different sounds. If the sound from a large vessel making continuous sounds it will down this sounds of any other vessel. That is why there is a deliberate signal in greeting or farewell from a ship... three long blasts on the horn.... 3 blasts of approximate 4 to 6 seconds with one second between. Long blasts and short blasts.... can mean several different important signals. How can anyone possibly tell the difference? If sound signalling was a waste of time then it would have been dropped years from the Collision Regulations. Suggesting using VHF on Ch 16? Have you ever heard a call out from Ch 16? There might be a thousand ships and boats in within a ten miles radius of your ship. How do you call that one person is trying to tell you something that I am disabled in the middle of the channel? How to do tell the name of the ship that you are even trying to repeat it? How can you hear the horn from from a small boat trying to tell you his engine had broken down in the middle the channel? You can't hear because your own horn is drowning the sounds of all others.

 

Navigating on the water is a serious business. To take it lightly is courting an accident.

[Topsham]

So, it is the funnel horn that we are hearing when the ship sails from Port Everglades?

 

 

 

In such a constricted, short channel as the Port Everglades channel is, are there not enough eyes on the Bridge to warn of issues ahead given the space that there is? But, in clear weather, what horn sounds would the Officers on the Bridge be expecting to hear that would alert them to a potential problem?

 

 

In horn system can be played by one or BOTH horns.. one from mast, one from funnel.

 

Warn of issues ahead.... that is the exactly how sound signals are there to worn a mariner.

 

If a boat breaks down in the middle of the channel... ahead of your ship. How long do you have to get be warned about a potential problem. The problem is right there and might be right in front of your boat because you cannot hear him! Ignore him and run him over? Going the channel at FLL is probably the worst place for something to get yourself into trouble.

 

The signal to alert another vessel is a series of 5 short blasts on the horn. Any mariner must be aware of that. How can you hear that signal if your own horns.... bowing for SEVERAL MINUTES?

 

Stephen

[Topsham]

Nothing can go wrong? Lack attention. Narrow channel. One other ship.

 

Do you want the bow of the MOUNT YIMITOS coming into your dining room?

Edited November 20, 2014 by Topsham

[jtl513]

Oh, please. Blowing the horn a few times is a far cry from changing course to buzz an island.

I said the root cause is the same. They both stem from adolescent exhibitionism ... a "hold my beer and watch this" mentality. And if the horn blowing was just "a few times" this thread would not exist. Edited November 20, 2014 by jtl513

[metairiegal]

I love the horns! Most exciting part of a cruise!

 

But, I can't help but think that sooner or later the City of Fort Lauderdale might put an end to it.

[metairiegal]

This reminds me of the boy who cried wolf. The ship's whistle is not only used for signaling other ships, such as signaling that they are causing a danger to themselves or you. It is also used to signal the crew and passengers that their is danger aboard, such as fire or collision. If the passengers consider such excessive horn blowing delightful, as most of the posters here, what will be their reaction when they hear the horn in the early morning when the ship has a real emergency?

That is why I cringe when posters state what a great man this Captain is and that they want to buy him a drink for his horn blowing.

 

Yeah, I don't think buying the Captain a drink is appropriate.

[BeagleOne]

I said the root cause is the same. They both stem from adolescent exhibitionism ... a "hold my beer and watch this" mentality. And if the horn blowing was just "a few times" this thread would not exist.

 

Or maybe the Westerdam captain isn't an adolescent exhibitionist, but rather someone who just wants to make his passengers' experience on their cruise just a little more special by doing something fun. That's a far cry from a captain's diverting his ship to impress his mistress.

[jtl513]

... just wants to make his passengers' experience on their cruise just a little more special by doing something fun.

No, he's showing off for the webcam audience. As I said earlier in this thread, I like the Disney "tune" horns. I like moderate tooting with just a monotone horn. But like a 13-year old boy, the W captain carries it much too far.

 

[mllewis48]

So now we resort to calling the captain of a multimillion dollar cruise ship a 13 year old boy, cute!

 

 

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[jtl513]

So now we resort to calling the captain of a multimillion dollar cruise ship a 13 year old boy, cute!

Yes, that;s how he's acting IMO.

[Lizzie68]

Yes, that;s how he's acting IMO.

 

Now it's beginning to sound like a vendetta. Please clarify - you live close to port and the horns really bother you?

[mllewis48]

My thoughts exactly Lizzie, I do not but do enjoy the "tooting" while departing the port. With that said if those in the condos do not they would say something but truth be known they are involved in the "FUN"! I understand the maritime laws as I am a CG vet but really some have gone a bit too far, maybe a vendetta like you say.

 

 

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[namowal]

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What do you think? Was this a little excessive? Or just all in good fun?
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I think it's funny. There's just something amusing about silly, childish behavior (the good kind) on such a large scale. Just don't get so carried away that you wreck the boat.

[summer slope]

Well, thanks to the people or person who complained to Seattle we did not have the expected fun of the tooting when we left FLL in March. Really missed it, a big letdown to us.