A boat horn is the most important piece of equipment a boater can own. In fog or low light conditions there is NOTHING better than a boat horn. It can act as a signal to others that your boat is nearby. It can signal others when you are in distress. And it can simply be used to say hi buddy! Good to see you out here on the water!

It is important that a boat horn be loud. REALLY loud! Yes, it may be annoying, but do you really want a weenie horn when your life may be in danger or when in heavy fog and there is a supertanker bearing down on your 16? bass boat? I don?t think so! Decibels count! Get the loudest horn you can find. Personally I think a 130+ decibel horn is too quiet. I want 135+ dB or more.

Of course there are a lot of types of signaling devices. You have the standard electric horn, the air horn, and the hand-held pneumatic horn. In my opinion, the hand-held is a joke. Yes, they are cheap but do you really want your life and the welfare of your passengers depending upon something that is nothing more than a can of compressed air and a plastic horn?

My favorite type is the air horn. It takes a bit more to hook one up but they are typically the loudest you can buy. You will have a small compressor that supplies air to the horn. Sometimes these are integral to the horn itself and sometimes they are a separate unit. These units are the nautical equivalent of the 18-wheeler big blast units that often scare the heck out of unsuspecting motorists. Of course a triple horn, 24 inch big blaster will look a wee bit out of place on that 16? bass boat. Smaller units are available, however.

If money is a big concern you should probably take a look at a simple electric unit. These are the simplest units to install. In fact, there is a good chance your boat came equipped with a cheap unit. Many people find these cheap factory units don?t do well in a marine or nautical environment. They come in a number sound formats. From the Ford Model A Aaah-Oooh-Ga, to the European klaxon type horn. You may even be able to find some of the programmable electronic units that play songs. This writer would strongly urge boaters to PLEASE forgo the urge to purchase these types of electronic horns. They are annoying!

While on the subject of horns it should be noted that the type of finish is very important. A good triple chrome plate is best. True marine units will feature brass or bronze horns that are then triple plated. If you purchase an electrical unit and it is to be used in a salt environment be certain to save yourself a great deal of grief by using the best electrical connectors, crimps, etc. If you simply tape up the wires, twist up a few connections, and duct tape it all together you will soon find the salt air has corroded the connectors and the horn will fail to signal.

As with most things I suggest you buy the best, most expensive unit your budget will allow.