Horn Question

[akintosyali]

The chrome on the original horns are shot. I am thinking about replacing. The current horns are not electric, but there is not a air tank either, just a small compressor. Are there horns that I can use with the current compressor? Are there compatibility issues I should be aware of?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Any Fiamm horn should work- they made the horns for Raritan, which may be what you have. It is probably not worth trying to rechrome the originals, but you could ask about it; they would have to be disassembled and maybe new diaphragms put in. I don't think Sam's has any more of the original stock, but essentially they are the same as car air horns, I think, just a bigger compressor.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

SIEGE air horns on ebay... $100 ws

 

[jim rosenthal]

Is THAT the sub? wow. Amazing.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

I replaced my dinky horn with train horns and 12v compressor I got from Ebay (yes the Siege model).
Now I can be HEARD !!!!!

 

[REBrueckner]

In general don't buy car horns unless they look like boat horns with long trumpets....Better to try TRUCK horns like the big rigs carry,,,they are equivalent to boat horns....you want long trumpets for low frequency resonance and power.

There ARE USCG sound level requirements for marine horns....so the biggest and baddest horns you can find are desireable if you ever navigate in fog....
Bigger IS better.....

It is also smart to mount the horns with the tumpets lower at the front that the back to help water drain...If you mount them Like Willy, pointed waaaay down, and that was common on many Hatts my own YF included, sound projection is NOT as good as near horizontal but it must be good enough for Hatteras to have done that all these years.....

Another possibility is the paint the horns with Hatteras two part off white so they blend in with the boat color...I see some newer boats coming that way...."color coordinated"....

 

[yachtsmanbill]

In general don't buy car horns unless they look like boat horns with long trumpets....Better to try TRUCK horns like the big rigs carry,,,they are equivalent to boat horns....you want long trumpets for low frequency resonance and power.

There ARE USCG sound level requirements for marine horns....so the biggest and baddest horns you can find are desireable if you ever navigate in fog....
Bigger IS better.....

It is also smart to mount the horns with the tumpets lower at the front that the back to help water drain...If you mount them Like Willy, pointed waaaay down, and that was common on many Hatts my own YF included, sound projection is NOT as good as near horizontal but it must be good enough for Hatteras to have done that all these years.....

Another possibility is the paint the horns with Hatteras two part off white so they blend in with the boat color...I see some newer boats coming that way...."color coordinated"....

You outa see the knuckleheads jump a block away in the parking lot at the marina! BTW... the D2 Kahlenbergs on the Roamer came off a U S Navy tugboat... ws

Their motto? "Kahlenberg airhorns COMMAND attention"
Visit www. kahlenbergbros.com for a playlist on all the horns! The best by far are the steamboat whistles!

 

[DCMY #92]

In general don't buy car horns unless they look like boat horns with long trumpets....Better to try TRUCK horns like the big rigs carry,,,they are equivalent to boat horns....you want long trumpets for low frequency resonance and power.

There ARE USCG sound level requirements for marine horns....so the biggest and baddest horns you can find are desireable if you ever navigate in fog....
Bigger IS better.....

It is also smart to mount the horns with the tumpets lower at the front that the back to help water drain...If you mount them Like Willy, pointed waaaay down, and that was common on many Hatts my own YF included, sound projection is NOT as good as near horizontal but it must be good enough for Hatteras to have done that all these years.....

Another possibility is the paint the horns with Hatteras two part off white so they blend in with the boat color...I see some newer boats coming that way...."color coordinated"....

I replaced the original horns in the mid '80s with Grover 40" and 36" trombone marine horns. They looked and sounded great - until they quit working about 10 years later. The trumpets are chrome plated brass an hold up OK, but the mounting bases and sound units are pot metal and don't do so well around salt water. I installed a new set in the mid '90s and got even fewer years of service. I tried to overhaul the horns but found Grover's customer service to be terrible.

I now have a pair of Kahlenbergs that have a lifetime warranty - and probably won't need it.

I agree with the previous advice not to use truck or automotive horns. I won't buy another horn from Grover either. I have heard good things about Buell, but don't have any personal experience with them.

 

[Will]

I can speak well for Buell. I ran a boat built in '62 which had original Buell, dual trumpet horns. One failed in '93. The factory said send the horns back. We did and they completely rebuilt and re-chromed them. They came back like new and have an enviably beautiful tone. All that for just the shipping charges both ways.
Will

 

[StratPlan61]

Ditto for the good words of praise for the staff at Buell. I sent mine in for rechrome plating, which they did for the price quoted. I sent in 1 pair of duals and 1 set of triples. They called me to ask if they could exchange (at no cost to me) one of horns in the triples for a longer length so that all 3 of them were different. They said this would produce a better tone - I said sure, you're the horn experts. They did and they sound great!!

 

[Glory]

SIEGE air horns on ebay... $100 ws

I agree, plenty loud, don't break the bank.

JM

 

[q240z]

The 43yo dual Buells on my Connie sound terrific. According to the original invoice and build sheet for the boat, they were a $500 option in 1967.

 

[Fanfare]

One of my trumpets on my original Buell horns stopped sounding. I bought new diaphrams but it didn't help. Called Buell and was told to send the horn back. Buell returned them to the boat and said there was nothing wrong. When I got down to the boat I turned on the compressor and gave them a toot. All fine! Then I went up and had a look. Not only had Buell fixed them, the chrome was polished bright. All at no charge. That is pretty fantastic service forty five years after the sale.

 

[REBrueckner]

"That is pretty fantastic service forty five years after the sale."

not just "pretty" but totally, utterly, unheard of!!!!

 

[jim rosenthal]

Buell and Kahlenberg make ambulance and locomotive horns, too. The only thing louder than that would be....what? maybe a steam whistle like the SS United States had.....the only problem I have with only a 36' Hatteras is that I can't fit any bigger horns on it. Mine are the original Raritans, I think. Still nice and LOUD.

Oh and Kahlenberg call them "air whistles".....