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Knowledge and communication- up and down the river

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whiteriverrambo

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Im sure the gallery on this will be limited but im hoping for a few knowledgeable guys to chime in......

I have run a CB radio for years and I know the benefits of running a radio cross country but im not familiar with the in's and out's of running a VHF radio. I primarily run up and down the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers and its not uncommon to get into loads of barge traffic. I have read a little on river etiquette and know what it means when a search light is pointed in a specific direction and then brought across the bow. I have learned a few things on my many trips but I know im missing out on information. I know ive been cussed by a few barge captains and there's a few I wish I could have shared words with but I feel none of these frustrations and surprises would have taken place had I had a VHF radio and known the proper etiquette.
PLEASE- share your knowledge of:
- barge communication
- lock and dam procedures
- channels to monitor
- radio slang (river talk)
- light signals
- picking a good VHF radio



 
#2 · (Edited)
:pop: x2 was actually looking into a floating hand held to carry on boat since do saltwater coastal and as a way to contact coast guard in emergency if ever needed, but think very limited range on handheld units

And I to have been lit up by a barge spotlight before, think it's more the lights on the deck while fishing thing and not your normal nav lights or us killing their night vision, even though we were across and opposite the river from them
 
#3 ·
I've done several internet searches for some basic river communication information with zero success. Hopefully somebody with the right place to find it will chime in. This would be good info for the majority of us to have. My only marine radio experience is coming in to the dock with a big boat. For some reason they want a heads up. lol Most marinas have an advertised channel, and it's usually 16. I was able to find the needed info about lock passage on a few sites dedicated to the "Great Loop".
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
I try to be respectful and safe, I run big driving lights when im under way and when I see another craft of any size coming into my path I kill my lights until the focal points of my lights are clear of the other craft. most of the time this is recognized as respect however other times I get the big light in my face. still yet other captains will let me choose my line then shine the tree line of the side I choose.

few may know this.....if you are meeting a barge and he turns his light across your craft and then points the light straight up and then circles the light to one side, the operator is asking you to commit to that side. they will typically do the light pattern 2-3x.

many times I have had this be a good thing but a few bad. I have always had a slow craft and I choose my line miles before I ever see a big barge. if I choose to run between a barge and a tight bank its my choice. I don't see why a small craft should be expected to run the shipping lane.



 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
I am of course ignorant to it but I have a imagination... I caint imagine "nightvision" is a big issue for a barge operator. I imagine a barge helm is loaded with navigation tools and satellite imagery of the path they are intended to take. in my imagination I picture it like a new $250,000 combine and the path is only deviated from to navigate traffic, obstructions, or exceptionally tight turns. have no idea if this is even close.

I did run around horseshoe bend one night just in time to meet 3 barge boats as they wrangled a run away. one boat pinched another boats 9 barges up against the bank along with his own as the second cut free and spun around. the third barge was riding up river and the stress of the extra tight river bend snapped a few lines and she broke free. As I rounded the corner I was hit with the big lights from 2 barge boats. I had no choice but to shut her down, I couldn't see a thing. As I seen the 2nd barge turning away I seen the others shine the free floating barge as it drift sideways down the river. The barge boat cut that calf out of trouble and run her up into the sand and willows. it was impressive, had the run away gone another few hundred yards it would have took out some really nice docks and boats.



 
#7 ·
I've only had one give me the big light and send me to the other side. It was on the TN River. It was confusing, but I knew what he wanted if that makes any sense. I would like to know more about it for sure.

I'll bet that barge rodeo was something to see.
 
#8 ·
Really good thread hopefully this keeps going. You should definitely be on your toes running the Ohio between Louisville and Cannelton couple power plants and quarrys. Been out several nights on a long run and have encountered free floating barges with tugs in chance or tugs doing swaps at the quarrys. Those captains are pretty cool to watch the way they can maneuver those big boats
 
#9 ·
Hopefully Frank/Featherduster might chime in, he told of some scary times on St Lawrence with Barges and Big ships when met him years ago
 
#10 ·
When running the river where barges run which side are you to run when meeting barges and if following a barge what is the passing rules??
 
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#11 ·
Good thread WRR, I will be following this one too. My first experience with a barge was on Barkley lake, he lit me up and gave me some sort of signals, I just shut her down and let him go by. On the lake room was not an issue, but it could get dicey on a tight river.
 
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#12 ·
looked up a little on the subject see its a subject that has some terms to learn like port and starboard for starter and ships and barges have blasts of their horn mean different things for port and starboard!!
 
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#14 ·
garpwacker said:
Hopefully Frank/Featherduster might chime in, he told of some scary times on St Lawrence with Barges and Big ships when met him years ago
Click to expand...
The st Lawrence is a scary place. I've seen the barges on the Ohio and they will definitely keep you on your toes but the st Lawrence ships are on their own level. Couple years ago we were running down the main channel and it looked like a huge black hole in front of us. Could not see a thing besides a dark spot that slowly kept getting bigger and bigger. Finally realized it was a ship. Let me tell you these ships are moving pretty good up there especially in the sections of the river that are straight. Only good thing is the river is so big in most spots you have more then enough room to run anywhere you want. Just gotta watch Islands and shallow rocks but they are all marked with buoys
 
#15 ·
Soo much to say on this subject. Way too much to try and type on a phone. But basically, when on a river, the "rules of the road" are, keep to your right. Some circumstances, like sharp turns and such, the push boat capts may wish to use the opposite side.
1 short blast of the horn from him means that he wants to pass port - port side (stay to your right)
2 short blasts means that he wants to pass Stb - Stb ( keep to your left)
He may also use a flash or 2 flashes of his spotlight instead of the horn
Most river traffick use ch 13 on VHF to communicate.
 
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#16 ·
Delawareriver said:
The st Lawrence is a scary place. I've seen the barges on the Ohio and they will definitely keep you on your toes but the st Lawrence ships are on their own level. Couple years ago we were running down the main channel and it looked like a huge black hole in front of us. Could not see a thing besides a dark spot that slowly kept getting bigger and bigger. Finally realized it was a ship. Let me tell you these ships are moving pretty good up there especially in the sections of the river that are straight. Only good thing is the river is so big in most spots you have more then enough room to run anywhere you want. Just gotta watch Islands and shallow rocks but they are all marked with buoys
Click to expand...
I never told ya this, but I knew he was there all along. I was playing chicken with him...but then I felt bad making him run his freighter up into the rocks, so I called it off and went around him. Yield to the MotherShip!!! :drunk:
 
#17 ·
As far as lingo;
When meeting head on:
"Meet u on the 1" means the same as 1 short blast
"Meet u on the 2" means 2 horns

When coming from behind to pass him:
If he asks for u to pass on his 1, he wants u to come around his port side
If he asks for the 2, come around his Stb side

If he hits u with a spotlight and / or blows 5 short horns, he is warning u of danger
 
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#18 ·
And a BIG most deff YES! Our fishing lights give them fits. It destroys their night vision. Even with radars and GPS's, nothing compares to actually seeing where u are going.
 
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Featherbuster
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