Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:18:03 GMT, Gary wrote:


I wouldn't clearly understand what a "pass on two whistles" is. I am a
ships captain. What does it mean?


In an meeting situation it means you intend to pass the vessel on your
(and his) starboard side, the reverse of the normal port-to-port
oncoming pass.

I thought this was more or less universally understood, perhaps not,
but then again I am not a ships captain...

In an overtaking situation it also means you intend to leave the other
vessel on your starboard side, their port side.

Interesting, is that written down in some book I could refer to? I have
never encountered this way of speaking on the radio. It sounds archaic
but I would like to read about it somewhere.

Do you have a reference?

In my experience, we have always used colors. Like:

"I will meet you green to green." or

"I'll overtake you on your green side" (not used often, we would
normally say starboard side)

We do use whistle signals but they don't agree with your "pass on two
whistles".

Is that an inland US rules thing?

Gary

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 00:16:39 GMT, Gary wrote:

We do use whistle signals but they don't agree with your "pass on two
whistles".

You will also hear things like "Let's meet on two whistles", meaning
starboard-to-starboard.

Is that an inland US rules thing?

Not sure but it is quite possible. I hear captains and harbor pilots
using similar terminology all up and down the east coast of the US.

I have also heard colors used as in "lets pass red-to-red meaning a
normal "one whistle" port-to-port" pass in an oncoming situation, or
something like "I'll pass on your red side", or, "I'll show you my
green light", that sort of thing. A lot of these guys in major
harbors seem to have known each other for years and probably develop a
common working vocabulary.

"Scotty" wrote in message
. ..

"Gerald" wrote in message
...
??? I am not sure what do you mean ???

As I mentioned prior ... I know the rules. This thread
has evolved to be
somewhat fuzzy. At no point did the original poster state
that the incident
took place outside the COLREG line (I am not personnaly
familiar with the
Portland area). Several give-and-takes that have taken
place here discussed
the use of sound signals to give passing intentions. This
is a concept that
does not exist in normal passing situations in COLREG
waters. In
INTERNATIONAL waters sound signals are generally (except
for narrow
channels) used to announce steering actions taken, not
proposed actions as
in INLAND. I incorrectly asssumed from the context of the
discussion that
the discussion was about an event that took place under
INLAND.

Having since checked a chart for the Portland area, it is
now apparent that
the incident may have occured ouside the COLREGS line.
While I certainly
didn't say that the INTERNATIONAL rules did not apply, nor
that the INLAND
rules did apply, you could reasonable assume that thay may
have been my
intention. If so, I stand corrected.


that was a lot of words just to admit you were wrong.

A lot of words to explain that there was no clear way to tell which rules
applied. In fact much of the supporting discussions and information
provided by the original poster would lead one (not familiar with the actual
area in question) to assume it was under INLAND rules.

"Gary" wrote in message
news:HTSyg.269894$Mn5.193877@pd7tw3no...
Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:18:03 GMT, Gary wrote:


I wouldn't clearly understand what a "pass on two whistles" is. I am a
ships captain. What does it mean?


In an meeting situation it means you intend to pass the vessel on your
(and his) starboard side, the reverse of the normal port-to-port
oncoming pass.

I thought this was more or less universally understood, perhaps not,
but then again I am not a ships captain...

In an overtaking situation it also means you intend to leave the other
vessel on your starboard side, their port side.

Interesting, is that written down in some book I could refer to? I have
never encountered this way of speaking on the radio. It sounds archaic
but I would like to read about it somewhere.

Do you have a reference?

In my experience, we have always used colors. Like:

"I will meet you green to green." or

"I'll overtake you on your green side" (not used often, we would normally
say starboard side)

We do use whistle signals but they don't agree with your "pass on two
whistles".

Is that an inland US rules thing?

Gary

Interesting Gary. Where do you boat out of? I have been traveling up and
down the US East Coast for years. "One / two whistle pass" is the normal
day agreement language I hear --- certainly when talking with commercial
boats. I occasionally hear green / red amongst recreational boaters ... but
not very often.

Just to be sure everyone is on the same page..... the term COLREGS applies
to the International Rules (though many will apply the term to both Inland
and International). When talking about the COLREGS demarcation lines, it's
probably best to use Inland or International to describe which side of the
line your are on.

otn

"Gerald" wrote in message
...
Good point Gary. The original post talks about "returning back in" and
"hopeing to clear" Ram Island and being in the Portland Main area. I see
a Ram Island just inside the COLREG line on the approach to Portland. It
seems likely that COLREGS probably applied to the situation.

Gary,
G Obviously you haven't visited too many US ports.
The terms "one whistle", "two whistle", "green to green", "red to red" are
frequently used, as are "stbd to stbd", "port to port".
You will mainly find the terms being used by Pilots, tugboat/workboat
operators and as they are self explanatory as to meaning, for a given
situation, it is unlikely that you will find them written down anywhere.
As to who started the usage, it's anyone's guess, but my own feeling is the
tugboats and it progressed from there to Pilots (Many US pilots come from
tugboats).

otn

"Gary" wrote in message
news:HTSyg.269894$Mn5.193877@pd7tw3no...
Wayne.B wrote:
On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:18:03 GMT, Gary wrote:


I wouldn't clearly understand what a "pass on two whistles" is. I am a
ships captain. What does it mean?


In an meeting situation it means you intend to pass the vessel on your
(and his) starboard side, the reverse of the normal port-to-port
oncoming pass.

I thought this was more or less universally understood, perhaps not,
but then again I am not a ships captain...

In an overtaking situation it also means you intend to leave the other
vessel on your starboard side, their port side.

Interesting, is that written down in some book I could refer to? I have
never encountered this way of speaking on the radio. It sounds archaic
but I would like to read about it somewhere.

Do you have a reference?

In my experience, we have always used colors. Like:

"I will meet you green to green." or

"I'll overtake you on your green side" (not used often, we would normally
say starboard side)

We do use whistle signals but they don't agree with your "pass on two
whistles".

Is that an inland US rules thing?

Gary

otnmbrd wrote:
Gary,
G Obviously you haven't visited too many US ports.
The terms "one whistle", "two whistle", "green to green", "red to red" are
frequently used, as are "stbd to stbd", "port to port".
You will mainly find the terms being used by Pilots, tugboat/workboat
operators and as they are self explanatory as to meaning, for a given
situation, it is unlikely that you will find them written down anywhere.
As to who started the usage, it's anyone's guess, but my own feeling is the
tugboats and it progressed from there to Pilots (Many US pilots come from
tugboats).

otn

"Gary" wrote in message
news:HTSyg.269894$Mn5.193877@pd7tw3no...

Wayne.B wrote:

On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:18:03 GMT, Gary wrote:



I wouldn't clearly understand what a "pass on two whistles" is. I am a
ships captain. What does it mean?


In an meeting situation it means you intend to pass the vessel on your
(and his) starboard side, the reverse of the normal port-to-port
oncoming pass.

I thought this was more or less universally understood, perhaps not,
but then again I am not a ships captain...

In an overtaking situation it also means you intend to leave the other
vessel on your starboard side, their port side.


Interesting, is that written down in some book I could refer to? I have
never encountered this way of speaking on the radio. It sounds archaic
but I would like to read about it somewhere.

Do you have a reference?

In my experience, we have always used colors. Like:

"I will meet you green to green." or

"I'll overtake you on your green side" (not used often, we would normally
say starboard side)

We do use whistle signals but they don't agree with your "pass on two
whistles".

Is that an inland US rules thing?

Gary



I know we covered the various whistle signals in one of the early Power
& Sail Squadron courses. I'll have to dig my text books out and refresh
my memory.

On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:59:32 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Yeah, I could have called him on the radio but the rules of the road
were written to make it possible to deal with something this simple
without having to yack and negotiate on the air. Having to make a
radio call in a case like this means someone already isn't observing
the rules.

Let me get this straight, you didn't use the radio because you
shouldn't have to if some one is following the rules, but at the same
time you state they weren't following the rules and you still didn't
use the radio.

So at what point would you use your hand held radio? After they had
run you over to call for help?

On Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:58:06 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote:

I've never heard a conversation along the lines of, "Big white yacht,
you aren't really going to just continue on that course like I wasn't
even here, are you?" I can't remember a radio exchange where someone
had to ask for the rules to be observed.


Then you need to have your radio on more often. Those kind of calls
are not that uncommon.

Gerald wrote:


Interesting Gary. Where do you boat out of? I have been traveling up and
down the US East Coast for years. "One / two whistle pass" is the normal
day agreement language I hear --- certainly when talking with commercial
boats. I occasionally hear green / red amongst recreational boaters ... but
not very often.



I sailed out of Halifax for 10 years ranging as far as the Baltic, the
north cape, the Med and the Caribbean with many months of sailing up and
down the east coast of the US. I currently sail out of Victoria BC
ranging as far as Central America, Korea and Hong Kong.

I am in the Navy, I have about 18 years of sea time, seven in Command.

Gary