Michigan Water Noise

[x2boarder]

Does anyone know if there are laws about noise pollution on inland Michigan lakes? The police are patrolling every night waiting for us to get crazy with the speakers. They have told us people keep calling them and complaining about my boat being too loud…but when I can just make out the music @ 70 feet behind the boat…how can people hear it at shore? Any ideas?

[Roonie's]

noise travels across water very well. I have grown up on the water and we could hear people's NORMAL conversations in the middle of the lake.

[wiltok]

What lake are you on? I'm in Soutwest Mighigan - and there are a number of wakeboard boats with REALLY load speakers. It doesn't bother me (they are usually just passing by) but I could see how others could be annoyed.

Anywho, I understand it is very difficult to measure sound on the water. Are they giving out tickets? On what law?

[Maristar210]

Sound travels on the water especially loud rock music. You turn it up to hear it over the motor of your boat and everyone else suffers as a result. Don't be the guy everyone points at as being the "a$$hole with the loud stereo". If it's late you should be respectful. Violation of this is the very reason you see certain lakes enforcing no wake from 7 pm until 11 am. This very reason.....

[fintek9]

noise travels across water very well. I have grown up on the water and we could hear people's conversations in the middle of the lake.
True that, my speaks come on only if I'm at a point were I know I won't
bother anyone!.. which in turn is rare, so they don't come on while boarding.... tower speakers are directional, they travel more then you think! you have boat noise to contend with also when your riding,
so it probly does'nt seem to loud, but on shore it is!!..I turn my towers
on low just to listen when we float for sun...

[ProTour X9]

noise travels across water very well. I have grown up on the water and we could hear people's NORMAL conversations in the middle of the lake.


I like to hear the drunken pontooners at night while I'm fishing, it helps your patience.:D I would also like to know about this because a certain person started hours on our lake (and took off our ski course) so now we want to blast some tunes at him.;)

[betsy&david Harrison]

Kids boarding on the lake next to ours...we hear their music loud and clear. And that is with houses inbetween.

[x2boarder]

What lake are you on? I'm in Soutwest Mighigan - and there are a number of wakeboard boats with REALLY load speakers. It doesn't bother me (they are usually just passing by) but I could see how others could be annoyed.

Anywho, I understand it is very difficult to measure sound on the water. Are they giving out tickets? On what law?

He said if he stops us again he is going to give me a ticket. He claimed it was a "city ordinance", but the lake isn't in city limits. It is kinda funny because he stopped us and was like, we are getting complaints about a blue / white....I mean blue / yellow, then you see him lean over so he can read the markings on my boat "X2". I'm like....sure you did buddy. I keep the music way down in the mornings and at night...but in the middle of the day on Saturday when there are 50 boats all tearing around the lake...how can they complain about some music? Maybe I should play some classical!! :)

[ProTour X9]

Maybe I should play some classical!! :)

Play "Sing Sing Sing"!!!8p :D

[PaulW]

It has got to be so loud to hear when your back riding. I have all the speakers in the boat down to nothing and still you get your ears blasted in the boat. When the music gets to a certain level then it is no fun, you can tell that it is doing damage to your ears. My wife wears earplugs.
My son likes the music up loud to hear the favorite song while riding, but I don't see the big deal. I must be getting old, and I even grew up on loud rock. If I lived on the water the loud music would annoy me, so I try to keep it down.

[fintek9]

try some STEELY DAN, get the thumbs play'n that

[x2boarder]

When the music gets to a certain level then it is no fun, you can tell that it is doing damage to your ears. My wife wears earplugs.


I agree, my ears hurt the first few times...I had my dealer setup the tower speakers as "Rear" when I fade it on the deck...so I fade 80% of the volume to the tower and the boat stays at an ear friendly level. I just want to get my $1,400 out of the tower speakers.

[TX.X-30 fan]

Sound travels on the water especially loud rock music. You turn it up to hear it over the motor of your boat and everyone else suffers as a result. Don't be the guy everyone points at as being the "a$$hole with the loud stereo". If it's late you should be respectful. Violation of this is the very reason you see certain lakes enforcing no wake from 7 pm until 11 am. This very reason.....



So if your music is low why do they point at you. :confused:


Oh' silly me its the YELLOW SPEEDO. :mad: :D

[phecksel]

He said if he stops us again he is going to give me a ticket. He claimed it was a "city ordinance", but the lake isn't in city limits. It is kinda funny because he stopped us and was like, we are getting complaints about a blue / white....I mean blue / yellow, then you see him lean over so he can read the markings on my boat "X2". I'm like....sure you did buddy. I keep the music way down in the mornings and at night...but in the middle of the day on Saturday when there are 50 boats all tearing around the lake...how can they complain about some music? Maybe I should play some classical!! :)
Don't play internet lawyer, unless you know exactly what the ordinance says, and exactly where the city limits end, and where they have jurisdiction.

I agree, my ears hurt the first few times...I had my dealer setup the tower speakers as "Rear" when I fade it on the deck...so I fade 80% of the volume to the tower and the boat stays at an ear friendly level. I just want to get my $1,400 out of the tower speakers.:)

This alone indicates to me you are not being respectful of others. If said 80% boat, 20% tower, and they were complaining...But no, I want everybody else to hear it like I want...

[3event]

Tough topic. Nearly every boat-towed sport has the potential to annoy other lake users at some point. If you give people specific reasons to complain such as loud music, or creating ballast-enhanced rollers in tight spots, you open yourself up to more scrutiny as pointed out above.

I think those of us on modestly sized waterways have to keep in mind that lake associations / town boards, etc. could decide to react by restricting hours, noise ordinances, or banning ballast. Once rules are in place there's no going back.

My $0.02

[Maristar210]

So if your music is low why do they point at you. :confused:


Oh' silly me its the YELLOW SPEEDO. :mad: :D


Now your catching on TExas.....

[x2boarder]

I'm not trying to be an A$$ with my boat. I don't like dealing with the police every time I go on the water. But shouldn't everyone give a little bit? If people want to putts on their pontoon boat right where I want to wakeboard...why should I always be the only one to move out of his way? I don't want to sound selfish, but I also need a big wake to throw some tricks...so if people don't like that they need to figure something out. I try to board out of the way, but sometimes that doesn't work out due to the winds. I don't like rocking peoples boats, but they also throw their wake where I am trying to board...I understand that, I deal with it, I don't go calling the police on them every two seconds.

[ProTour X9]

I'm not trying to be an A$$ with my boat. I don't like dealing with the police every time I go on the water. But shouldn't everyone give a little bit? If people want to putts on their pontoon boat right where I want to wakeboard...why should I always be the only one to move out of his way? I don't want to sound selfish, but I also need a big wake to throw some tricks...so if people don't like that they need to figure something out. I try to board out of the way, but sometimes that doesn't work out due to the winds. I don't like rocking peoples boats, but they also throw their wake where I am trying to board...I understand that, I deal with it, I don't go calling the police on them every two seconds.

HA HARR!! I like that.

Our problem is DIVERS!!

[shepherd]

I'm not trying to be an A$$ with my boat. I don't like dealing with the police every time I go on the water. But shouldn't everyone give a little bit? If people want to putts on their pontoon boat right where I want to wakeboard...why should I always be the only one to move out of his way? I don't want to sound selfish, but I also need a big wake to throw some tricks...so if people don't like that they need to figure something out. I try to board out of the way, but sometimes that doesn't work out due to the winds. I don't like rocking peoples boats, but they also throw their wake where I am trying to board...I understand that, I deal with it, I don't go calling the police on them every two seconds.

I thought this thread was about your loudass stereo. You don't need that to throw big tricks do you?

I think most people's point here is this: Do what you have to do to enjoy your sport, but be sensitive to the fact that there are folks out there who won't hesitate to complain and try to shut you down if you go too far.

[ski36short]

What Michigan law says about boat noise:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(mf1200eaj1j4pxm0y1spnt55))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-324-80156&queryid=7047724&highlight=marine%20

Seems quite explicit about engine noise, no stereo noise. However, even that isn't even enforced in my area. There are quite a few Donzi's on my 300ish acre lake running through-hulls that don't even come close to meeting this statute and the law looks the other way...

[shepherd]

Personally, the music coming from my boat's exhaust pipes is good enough for me.

[Ric]

I like to hear the drunken pontooners at night while I'm fishing, it helps your patience.:D I would also like to know about this because a certain person started hours on our lake (and took off our ski course) so now we want to blast some tunes at him.;) Reminds me of that sopranos expisode where they parked the boat just off the doctors pier and blasted dean martin albums at them all nite