Hard Hats on Channel Markers
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter

Does anyone know the significance of a hard hat bolted to the side of a channel marker? There is one near my house in Tampa Bay (it is known as the hard hat marker) and I have seen others here and there. I saw one up in Homosassa over the weekend. Just curious.
#2
Admirals Club 


I've never seen that in over 35 years of boating in S. FL.
#5
Admirals Club 


Its a coast guard tradition. When a member assigned to an Aids to Navigation team, is leaving the unit or transferring, they leave their hard hat on their last Aid they work on.
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#6
Admirals Club 


Never seen a hard hat but last Saturday I started seeing the American flag stuck in the grass flats, mud and sand. I’m all for being patriotic but I doubt if the flags are being maintained. I’m sure between the current and tides they are coming loose and sinking or just floating around.
#7
Senior Member

I live a little north of the OP, but south of Homosassa, and there are two channel markers within a 1/2 mile of my house that have hard hats on them....maybe it’s a regional thing?
#8

I like this explanation. In the Army we'd tie our combat boots together and toss them onto a powerline when we'd end service.
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#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#10
Admirals Club




That's the answer! A call to the CGC Vise at the St Pete CG moorings with the location of the marker might yield a name.
#12
Senior Member


"Bambi right returning" ???
#13
Senior Member

It's probably a local ship or station tradition. I spent 20 years in the Coast Guard and another 14 as a civilian Coast Guard engineer and never heard of that. However, there are lots of units that have their own traditions. ON one ship I was on it was the mascot, a dog, was always named Sinbad. Went all the way back to WWII. Check with whoever services those Aids. If that's the CGC Vise give them a call.
#14
#15
Admirals Club 


I served in the CG. That's the reason although it is not condoned officially or encouraged. Sometimes it is an enlisted's cap or officer's cap. Definitely local in scope. I saw two fastened to the Verrazzano bridge one night on duty and asked about them.
Last edited by GaryDoug; 08-19-2020 at 11:29 PM.