Unnecessary Boat Noise Regulations

[Montanan]

Retitling:

Unnecessary noise - boating regulations.

Sound carries much further over water. One can easily hear a gentle conversation from afar if one is downwind of its source.

I have playfully commented to persons carrying on a conversation that I heard while being a quarter of mile off with a remark when I come near, about the subject they may have been discussing five or ten minutes before when I was nowhere near them. Tends to blow their minds.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Montanan

... Sound carries much further over water. One can easily hear a gentle conversation from afar if one is downwind of its source...

But, the proposed sound levels are:
Stationary Measurement: Proposed limit is 88 dB(AS) measured three feet behind the transom at idle.
Shoreline Measurement: Proposed limit is 75 dB(AS) as the boat passes by at any distance, measured from shore.
Whereas a whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB, and Noise above 70 dB, over a prolonged period of time, may start to damage your hearing.

[Rumrace]

THeres a time for everything. Some folks just go from one judgmental conversation to the next. Some are just miserable by nature and the site of someone enjoying themselves in something they don’t do or understand make them angry. It’s like their obvious superiority is not being acknowledged. My old Sea Ray had a sound system could rock a small lake but quality tunes is not about volume.
I was tied up with 7 other boats on the Rosedale Island lock. We were tried up on the more dangerous black bear side. The Caver in front of me fired up the tunes. Was country music so heck people started dancing. A dude who has a list of rules he can break but is judgmental of any ones fun knew I had a kick ass stereo complained to the lock master who’s a pal of mine I was making excessive noise. Lock master came over and told me. I asked if he could hear my sound system. He said no. I yelled over to the other side of the lock to Mr. Fixated. Told him he still had 20 minutes to lock through and be sure you do.

ANd those who could not hear the music thought those dancing mad.

I can’t stand whining boating club cliques with old boats or boats which never boat.
I don’t make excessive noise. If you don’t like the sound of a 700hp single screw Donzi go away.

If you don’t think cutting through 5’ waves at 70 mph makes a lot of sense youre not alone. But who cares.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

THeres a time for everything. Some folks just go from one judgmental conversation to the next. Some are just miserable by nature and the site of someone enjoying themselves in something they don’t do or understand make them angry. It’s like their obvious superiority is not being acknowledged.

Are you demonstrating irony in action, or are you trying to be funny? This is about the most "miserable", "angry" and "judgmental" post I've seen for a while. But humour is hard to convey in writing. If you're trying to be funny, then kudos.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

I don’t make excessive noise. If you don’t like the sound of a 700hp single screw Donzi go away.

If you don’t think cutting through 5’ waves at 70 mph makes a lot of sense youre not alone. But who cares.

Most minor laws about annoyances (like excessive noise) or dangerous practices like speeding etc, work as follows:

1. A (hopefully reasonable) limit is set in law, and some disincentives like fines are established.
2. The vast majority of people comply, not because of the fear of fines, but because they're somewhat considerate.
3. For those who aren't considerate, there's the fear of fines.

If enough people think there's a problem with excessive boat noise, then a limit will be set and enforced. Practically speaking, I anticipate that this would only concern the really obscene always-loud and polluting straight-piped boats, or those owners that behave like a-holes around other boats, close to shore, in harbours, etc.

So, I expect that you have little to fear. Besides, the point of a go-fast boat is to go away, no?

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

How about regs to limit the noise from blasting cockpit stereos or generators.

Personal freedoms involved here.
We should try to get along.
But, I hear you Mike.
I've not encountered really loud music after hours.
I'm sure it happens.
Boatyarddog

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Are you demonstrating irony in action, or are you trying to be funny? This is about the most "miserable", "angry" and "judgmental" post I've seen for a while. But humour is hard to convey in writing. If you're trying to be funny, then kudos.

I think Rumrace touches upon a good subject..
Tolerance!
Most noise is temporary.

I'm not seeing anger, or judgement in this post.
Where is it?
Boatyarddog

[Rumrace]

Any boater disturbing the peace after 10:00 pm is having a bad day or just plain disturbing the peace. Because it’s boats and you want to piss away millions in legislative nonsense which will never get enforced go ahead.
If you want to help people Untie and move along to quiet non society reclusive coves do so.
There is a time for most things. If you expect every one to act like you talk like you walk like you smoke the same cigarettes as you, you missed the f*****g memo on freedom.
A part of performance is the roar.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Personal freedoms involved here.
We should try to get along.
But, I hear you Mike.
I've not encountered really loud music after hours.
I'm sure it happens.
Boatyarddog

Exactly, we should all try and get along. A good way to start is to know that there are other people in the world.

One person's music is another person's noise, so a good way to get along is to respect other people's auditory space. If you must blast your music, use earbuds. It's really not much to ask.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

Any boater disturbing the peace after 10:00 pm is having a bad day or just plain disturbing the peace. Because it’s boats and you want to piss away millions in legislative nonsense which will never get enforced go ahead.
If you want to help people Untie and move along to quiet non society reclusive coves do so.
There is a time for most things. If you expect every one to act like you talk like you walk like you smoke the same cigarettes as you, you missed the f*****g memo on freedom.
A part of performance is the roar.

Ok, we've clearly touched a nerve. Apologies.

The flip side of freedom is responsibility. Most successful societies have chosen freedom because most of their people get this and there are not all that many problems; where there are, we get laws.

As also mentioned, most harbours and busy waterways already have rules and restrictions. Some also have noise restrictions. I still see loud go-fast boats around (eg Pt Credit), their owners are usually responsible, and they only open it up out on the big lake. So... there doesn't currently seem to be a problem with excessive noise in our neck of the woods.

And there doesn't seem to be a bunch of protesting loud go-fast boats with Canadian flags on hockey sticks, jamming up Toronto Harbour, so I assume that they don't feel that their freedoms have been curtailed, either.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Ok, we've clearly touched a nerve. Apologies.

The flip side of freedom is responsibility. Most successful societies have chosen freedom because most of their people get this and there are not all that many problems; where there are, we get laws.

Well put LE. We seem to have entered a period of 'post-responsibility.' A small minority of people demand "MY FREEDOM!", and completely miss the point that freedom has always come with responsibility.

Happily, this still represents a small number of people, but sadly, this number seems to be growing.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Well put LE. We seem to have entered a period of 'post-responsibility.' A small minority of people demand "MY FREEDOM!", and completely miss the point that freedom has always come with responsibility.

Happily, this still represents a small number of people, but sadly, this number seems to be growing.

Agreed, it's a sickness!
Boatyarddog

[pterrien]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Find out how these proposed changes to boat noise emissions could affect you

Transport Canada is proposing five policy options to avoid unnecessary vessel noise disturbances.
The first policy option will make no changes to existing regulations, and the second will modernize existing regulations. The third option introduces performance measures for manufacturers, while another introduces performance measures for boaters.
The last option is the most comprehensive, introducing new regulations for both manufacturers and boaters. According to Transport Canada, this policy option would ensure that new and existing boats don’t exceed noise emission limits, will allow police to use a tool to measure decibel limits, and will require operators to modify their boats to meet new standards.

More about ➥ https://cottagelife.com/general/chan...across-canada/

Here are some examples of typical noises, and their decibel levels:
Faint to moderate sounds
20 decibels – watch ticking
30 decibels – whispering
40 decibels – refrigerator
50 decibels – moderate rainfall
60 decibels – dishwasher
Loud sounds
70 decibels – city traffic
80 decibels – noisy restaurant
Very loud sounds
90 decibels – lawn mower
100 decibels – chainsaw
110 decibels – car horn
120 decibels – rock concert
130 decibels – jet engine 100 feet away
140 decibels – shotgun blast

AT LONG LAST! But will it be enforced?

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by kayakerChuck

I have customers with 10-$15,000 USD stereo systems on their boats. It's not pleasant to be ANYWHERE near them. Same with open exhausts.

My club is on a popular river. It can be hard/impossible to have a conversation Saturday afternoons or evenings.

We have the same issues, go figure, on our formerly quiet inland lake near Traverse City, Michigan. The current fad is wake boats with gigawatt sound systems aimed all around so the person towed can hear the tunes over the engine and water noise. They turn a glassy lake into a maelstrom, impossible to fish or sail and now 20,000 residents must endure their musical selections. All day hip-hop. At 5 miles, one cannot enjoy the outside deck without muffs.

I propose that with the modern Bluetooth and other technology everyone in the boat and the wakeboarder can blow their ears out without bothering anyone.

Years ago the issue was PWC with 2-stroke unmuffled engines. It sounded like an armada of chain saws. Public pressure morphed these things into 4-strokes with mufflers. Still noisier than modern power boats but much improved. I’m all for keeping the pressure on and the noise down. The alternative if the producers and owners do not self regulate is for lake associations to impose HP, length, speed, noise limits.

[hasse_A]

Hope this new law takes into account all these halyards that people leave slamming on the mast. That's really freaks me out. It can go on for days. A motor vessel usually pass in 15-30 minutes.