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.

"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.

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

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.

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


So what you are saying is it's slang, local terminology?

I have visited many American Ports, most recently Seattle a couple weeks
ago where I took a 100 foot sailing ship up the Chittendam Locks talking
all the way with Seattle traffic and other ships and no-one said one or
two whistle anything.

I thing it must be a very local phrase, certainly not in common use out
here or in Canadian Ports.

Gary

Gary wrote:
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


So what you are saying is it's slang, local terminology?

I have visited many American Ports, most recently Seattle a couple weeks
ago where I took a 100 foot sailing ship up the Chittendam Locks talking
all the way with Seattle traffic and other ships and no-one said one or
two whistle anything.

I thing it must be a very local phrase, certainly not in common use out
here or in Canadian Ports.

Gary


The ships whistle you hear most often in Halifax is when they are
casting off to leave their dock.

Don White wrote:
Gary wrote:

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


So what you are saying is it's slang, local terminology?

I have visited many American Ports, most recently Seattle a couple
weeks ago where I took a 100 foot sailing ship up the Chittendam Locks
talking all the way with Seattle traffic and other ships and no-one
said one or two whistle anything.

I thing it must be a very local phrase, certainly not in common use
out here or in Canadian Ports.

Gary



The ships whistle you hear most often in Halifax is when they are
casting off to leave their dock.

From what I understand, we are not talking about actual whistle
signals, but radiotelephone communications.

You won't hear a ship leaving the dock in Halifax getting on the radio
and saying. "I intend one prolonged whistle and three short departure."

Certainly, when I leave my berth (every working day) I sound the signals
and indicate my intentions to the Harbour Authority, as does everyone
else, but I never hear whistles talked about on the radio, by the tugs,
pilots or anyone else.

Gary
PS At home, with my scanner going on all channels, I don't hear that
terminology either. The Straits of Juan de Fuca, right outside my
window is a very busy chunk of water with compulsory pilotage, much tug
traffic and everything else. I would guess 30 freighters/cruise
ships/warships etc a day go by and many more pleasure craft and work boats.

Gary wrote:
Don White wrote:

Gary wrote:

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


So what you are saying is it's slang, local terminology?

I have visited many American Ports, most recently Seattle a couple
weeks ago where I took a 100 foot sailing ship up the Chittendam
Locks talking all the way with Seattle traffic and other ships and
no-one said one or two whistle anything.

I thing it must be a very local phrase, certainly not in common use
out here or in Canadian Ports.

Gary




The ships whistle you hear most often in Halifax is when they are
casting off to leave their dock.


From what I understand, we are not talking about actual whistle
signals, but radiotelephone communications.

You won't hear a ship leaving the dock in Halifax getting on the radio
and saying. "I intend one prolonged whistle and three short departure."

Certainly, when I leave my berth (every working day) I sound the signals
and indicate my intentions to the Harbour Authority, as does everyone
else, but I never hear whistles talked about on the radio, by the tugs,
pilots or anyone else.

Gary
PS At home, with my scanner going on all channels, I don't hear that
terminology either. The Straits of Juan de Fuca, right outside my
window is a very busy chunk of water with compulsory pilotage, much tug
traffic and everything else. I would guess 30 freighters/cruise
ships/warships etc a day go by and many more pleasure craft and work boats.

You're right.
When I'm bored..usually in the winter..I someties monitor channels 12,
14 16, 68 etc and never hear anyone actually talking about whistles.