Bell on board?
 

NH still requires any boat 26 feet LOA or over to carry a bell on board. However, US Coast Guard regulations changed, and now only require a bell on boats 65 feet or over. I wonder if NH will change their requirements to match USCG requirements? In addition, how many boats 26 feet or over operating on NH waters actually have a bell on board?

I carry one of my 34’ on the lake. Not worth the hassle if I get stopped and someone wants to really crawl all over it. I got it years ago when I bought a 32’ Monterey from shepa and have moved it from boat to boat since. They included it in my safety package.

A friend of mine got pinched by MP a couple of weeks ago for not having one on his boat, which is why I posted. I have had one on all of my boats that have been 26’ + since 2002.

Bell In A Box!
 

I have on on my 26zx... and all of my friends 26 & over have them too! We jokingly refer to them as "Bell In A Box" as they have never, and most likely will ever be used....


Woodsy

Too funny Woodsy! Mine is the same, it hasn’t seen the light of day in about 15 years! Maybe we could use them to summon the tender to bring us to the Dive!

I carry one on my 26+ Cobalt. As others have mentioned, it's not worth it if stopped. The one and only time I've taken it out of the box was when I got it, just to see what it looked liked. :)

Funny how the MP officer knew that rule but they don't understand about no wake, 150'rule, no rafting rules. And we too, do have a bell on the big boat.

I agree. Perhaps the new protocol should be to start ringing the bell immediately if pulled over by MP. Maybe it would solve the problem!

Haha. Who rang that bell?

Now that's a horse of a different color....C'mon in!

If you're in a NWZ and the bell rings by itself, slow down. I won't hear mine, it's in the box in storage someplace. But I have two horns and a whistle. Call me. I have a ringtone that sounds like a cow bell.

I had completely forgotten about this requirement.

My bell will be arriving soon.

It was $20 from Amazon.

I was "escorted" back to the boat ramp, and kicked off the lake by MP for not having a whistle on my boat one time many years ago on Pawtuckaway Lake. He didn't appreciate me showing him that I can whistle (very loud) with my fingers... After I whistled with my fingers, he said to me, "how are you gonna do that if you get knocked out of the boat and get knocked unconscious", to which I replied, how am I going to blow a whistle if I'm unconscious?? He then proceeded to show me back to the ramp...

To which I would have replied,"if I get thrown out of the boat I cant use the whistle thats in the boat but I certainly can use my built in one".

Finally found someone cut from the same cloth as me !!

Most would say, yes sir/ No sir .....

Love it Cal Coon !!!


Years past I had a boat “Vanity Registration” ( single digit ) at the time it was Registered in MA and I got pulled by MP for not having the 3 leading zero’s. He went on to tell me that it was the law in NH — to which I reminded him the boat is registered in MA ! Dumbfounded he did a complete safety check & left.

MA has since changed their laws (btw)

Yes Sir / No Sir is usually for those trying to hide something... Been there, done that!! I have no problem looking them right in the eye these days!! Vanity registration numbers would be a great way of raising "more" revenue instead of a kayak tax (or some other stupid tax proposal) as mentioned in another post!! Getting "creative" like that is the best way to raise "more" revenue instead of new taxes on everyone, or a "certain group". Maybe they could start a new lottery game just to help fund Fish and Game. Last time I checked, people love to gamble. I know this because I ALWAYS seem to get stuck behind them in line at the gas station!!!

Yup
 

Yup, I do now. Completely forgot about the rule and a few years back I got pulled over for something else and got a ticket for not having the bell.

I had to go buy a bell, and have the place I bought it fill out a card that said I bought a bell, and send that to the MP.

That bell has never been rung...

Has anyone ever seen the specs for the required bell?

I have not found any specs / size requirements for the bell required by State of NH for boats 26 feet+ operating on inland waters. Federal requirements state that any vessel 20 meters+ must have a bell with a dimension of 300 millimeters (11.82 inches). I have a bell that’s about 3” diameter with a wooden handle, which satisfies the State requirements as far as I’m concerned.

Does the law specify when the bell should be used? Is it just a back up to the horn and whistle?

I thought I heard NH changed the law and you didn't need a bell any more. Guess I was wrong.

To loonguy's point, if the state has a rule requiring a bell, then a reasonable person would think that there must also be rules specifying when and how said bell is to be used. Can anyone here cite these rules? And why only for boats over a certain length?

Its for use in foggy situations.... the fog carries the tone of the bell farther than other sounds.

Woodsy

So a fog bell serves the same purpose as a fog horn, which presumably could be any horn?? I still don't get the legal justification for a bell, or for the 26' threshold issue raised by TCC. Having said that, however, it seems to me that a bell might be a good addition for a less abrasive notice to others that I am in their vicinity and a good addition aesthetically to my boat so I will be shopping. Any suggestions?

I have something similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Small-Solid-B.../dp/B003BVWYQ8

Our bell is attached to the boat so when it is rough out in the broads it drives you crazy constantly ringing.

My last boat had the clapper removed by a previous owner. During an inspection, it looks like a bell, and checks the box. Why not wrap some bubble wrap around the clapper?

OR ...

Wait for it...

...cut a one inch slice off your foam noodle and put it over the clapper!

:laugh::laugh: Kind of defeats the purpose of having a bell though.

In Fog, Bell-Buoy's "Ring" Carries for Miles...
 

If you've passed by New York's "The Race" narrows on Long Island—and "felt" its fog horn—you'll know the difference immediately. :eek:

Sailors have known this for centuries. :rolleye2:

But I think I need more "power" than a bell when I can't see the skipper who's bearing down on my sailboat. :eek2:


.

Are your clappers copper?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgYbogp1Ha0

Now that’s history! Great find!


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