Definition
A short blast lasts about one second; a prolonged blast lasts from four to six seconds. Every manoeuvring, warning, narrow channel and restricted visibility signal is built from these two units, so timing matters, because a hesitant prolonged blast is easily read as a short one. Vessels of 12 metres or more are required to carry a whistle, and vessels of 20 metres or more must carry a bell in addition.
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