I just dug out my brand new SeaSense Safety Blaster. Product #50074062. It
says it is 120dbs and can be heard over a mile. It mildly hurts to blow it as
hard as you can.
LOA: 5 3/8"
Width: 2" at the bell

It is not collapsible. I did have one that broke in half when someone ran his
kayak over it (on my deck) and it actually still worked without the orange
throat. At that point the LOA was 2 7/8". However, at that short I had
problems with water making the membrane wet and it wouldn't work until I shook
it back out. I keep the horn on my deck when I carry it.

FWIW: Practical Sailor did a study of whistles and found the Fox 40 louder than
the (much larger) Storm. I have some of both.

Brian Blankinship

5.4 by 2 inches seems a little large to attach to my PFD. It would be
good on my 14 foot aluminum boat, hang it on the boat as you do. I might
be happier with the Fox 40 whistle for paddling, and attach it to the
PFD. It looks like it is intended for Marine use, made of yellow
plastic. You even have test reports that say that it is a good choice.
When I looked on the web, I found that this whistle is used in
professional sports.

It sounds like you are a whistle man, do you have any strong
preferences? Did I detect an implied endorsement of the Fox 40? Smaller
is better on my PFD.

Thanks for digging out a blaster and measuring it.

Richard

Blankibr wrote:
I just dug out my brand new SeaSense Safety Blaster. Product #50074062. It
says it is 120dbs and can be heard over a mile. It mildly hurts to blow it as
hard as you can.
LOA: 5 3/8"
Width: 2" at the bell

It is not collapsible. I did have one that broke in half when someone ran his
kayak over it (on my deck) and it actually still worked without the orange
throat. At that point the LOA was 2 7/8". However, at that short I had
problems with water making the membrane wet and it wouldn't work until I shook
it back out. I keep the horn on my deck when I carry it.

FWIW: Practical Sailor did a study of whistles and found the Fox 40 louder than
the (much larger) Storm. I have some of both.

Brian Blankinship

If I expect to signal people (leading a class or trip) I carry the horn. The
Fox 40 lives in my PFD all the time.

I used to have a Storm whistle on a badge retainer--One of those things you
hang your ID badge on with the retractable line. After losing the second Storm
when the retainer came off the PFD, I gave up on that. I still have a third
Storm, but it is attached to my lunch dry bag.

YMMV, but the Fox 40 is small enough to leave dummy-corded in the PFD pocket.

Richard Ferguson wrote:
5.4 by 2 inches seems a little large to attach to my PFD.

It fits fine in a PFD pocket.

I had one of the smaller blaster horns, made in England, purchased from
WalMart. Seemed loud when I blew it but paddling friends about 1/4 mile away
couldn't hear it when I blew it, and we were on a high mtn. lake miles from
road noise, etc. ?? When I took it out new years day, (temp
+8 F) the thing cracked several places and was useless. I'm sticking with
my whistle and radio

On 10-Feb-2005, "mauiEd" wrote:

Seemed loud when I blew it but paddling friends about 1/4 mile away
couldn't hear it when I blew it, and we were on a high mtn. lake miles from
road noise, etc. ??

Which way was the wind blowing? If they are upwind, they are less likely
to hear you.

Mike

mauiEd wrote:
I had one of the smaller blaster horns, made in England, purchased from
WalMart. Seemed loud when I blew it but paddling friends about 1/4 mile away
couldn't hear it when I blew it, and we were on a high mtn. lake miles from
road noise, etc. ?? When I took it out new years day, (temp
+8 F) the thing cracked several places and was useless. I'm sticking with
my whistle and radio

I have yet to find a sound making device small enough to carry
conveniently that will work over a 1/4 mile distance if there is any
significant wind or wave noise. The Safety Blaster horn is better than
any whistle, but it's still not enough. Nothing can substitute for a
marine VHF radio when you need to communicate over any real distance.