You're at anchor and it's 0200. The wind is picking up and starts to play the shrouds like a cello. You've got the mainsheet cleated down tight, but the gooseneck is still creaking. The halyard is keeping the beat against the mast. The tide is coming in and gently slaps the transom. Is this a symphony that is music to your ears, putting you back to sleep or a nightmare that keeps you awake for the rest of the night? What noises do you like or hate? How do you make the bad ones go away or if the noises won't go away, how do you learn to like them? Or are they just a wonderful part of the cruising experience?
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Both
The noises I've come to know and love are nice, it's the "what the hell was that?" ones that keep me up...
The noises I've come to know and love are nice, it's the "what the hell was that?" ones that keep me up...
Like the Forest
The usual sounds in a marina or an anchorage are part of the background. Sort of like camping in a forest; the crickets, owls, and all the other night sounds are the norm. When it's too quiet or there's a deep growl or a crash is the time to sit up and take notice. Of course, when someone's halyard is clanging instead of making like a windchime, waves are slapping the transom or worst of all, a loose centerboard is causing the whole boat to vibrate everytime it thunks, it ceases to be sublime and becomes ridiculous! Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
The usual sounds in a marina or an anchorage are part of the background. Sort of like camping in a forest; the crickets, owls, and all the other night sounds are the norm. When it's too quiet or there's a deep growl or a crash is the time to sit up and take notice. Of course, when someone's halyard is clanging instead of making like a windchime, waves are slapping the transom or worst of all, a loose centerboard is causing the whole boat to vibrate everytime it thunks, it ceases to be sublime and becomes ridiculous! Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
AAAAAAAAAAH music.....
until the wind gets to the point that those wonderful noises start to sound like a rock band instead of a symphony. Then its a sleepless nite worrying about the anchor, the alarm, the other boats in the cove...ect.. Dick McKee SV Constellation
until the wind gets to the point that those wonderful noises start to sound like a rock band instead of a symphony. Then its a sleepless nite worrying about the anchor, the alarm, the other boats in the cove...ect.. Dick McKee SV Constellation
Tie off your halyard to a shroud or topping lift
You shouldn't have any halyards banging. Instead of leaving your halyard attached to the headboard or tied to the mast, attach it to a shroud or to the topping lift. That way, it won't bang against the mast all night long and annoy your neigbors (or yourself):]
You shouldn't have any halyards banging. Instead of leaving your halyard attached to the headboard or tied to the mast, attach it to a shroud or to the topping lift. That way, it won't bang against the mast all night long and annoy your neigbors (or yourself):]
One mans' sound is another mans' warning
Lose halyards and control lines should be 'hardened' up or tied off to prevent slap, clatter and most of all chafing!! After You've spend time on board your boat in the slip,under way and at anchor, You'll learn her normal sounds and they become reassuring music to your ears. If she makes other noises that you cannot identify as normal, she may be making warning sounds and You had better pay attention! Learn what your boat sounds and feels like and when she is not well, You'll be able to hear or feel the problem (hopefully) before it becomes serious. Fair winds ....
Lose halyards and control lines should be 'hardened' up or tied off to prevent slap, clatter and most of all chafing!! After You've spend time on board your boat in the slip,under way and at anchor, You'll learn her normal sounds and they become reassuring music to your ears. If she makes other noises that you cannot identify as normal, she may be making warning sounds and You had better pay attention! Learn what your boat sounds and feels like and when she is not well, You'll be able to hear or feel the problem (hopefully) before it becomes serious. Fair winds ....
If it sounds like wind chimes
If it souns like wind chimes I like it. If it sounds like a 2-year old pounding on a pan with a spoon I hate it. I think the mast "pumping" is the most irritating of all, sometimes it makes the whole boat shudder. After having innumerable bungee cords rot away, I made up some non-stretchable "bungees" with the old hooks and pieces of 3/16" dacron line. They work great for tying the halyards out to the shrouds and they last forever.
If it souns like wind chimes I like it. If it sounds like a 2-year old pounding on a pan with a spoon I hate it. I think the mast "pumping" is the most irritating of all, sometimes it makes the whole boat shudder. After having innumerable bungee cords rot away, I made up some non-stretchable "bungees" with the old hooks and pieces of 3/16" dacron line. They work great for tying the halyards out to the shrouds and they last forever.
Boat noises
I like the water lapping the hull, it's like a lullaby to put me to sleep. A slapping halyard needs to be tied off, but a creaking gooseneck will drive me nuts. I secure my boom with a line from a sheet block under the boom down to the traveler and pull it taut against the main sheet to immobilize the boom, and also fender off the dink.
I like the water lapping the hull, it's like a lullaby to put me to sleep. A slapping halyard needs to be tied off, but a creaking gooseneck will drive me nuts. I secure my boom with a line from a sheet block under the boom down to the traveler and pull it taut against the main sheet to immobilize the boom, and also fender off the dink.
earplugs
I love boat sounds. We were tied to a mooring last weekend which was comforting as it was blowing 20-25 half the time. The shrouds were singing, waves lapping - the halyards were definitely not slapping! I love those sounds. Unfortunately, Rob snores like a chainsaw and I can't sleep without earplugs so I don't get to be lulled by those wonderful noises. My concern would be that with earplugs I wouldn't hear something "important." In reality, they just dampen noise. I still hear Rob but it's dampened enough that I can sleep. The tide switched while we were at the mooring and for about 1/2 hour the mooring ball was gently bumping against the hull. YIKES! Sounded like Keiko was beating our hull to a pulp! Also had some little ticky noise wake me & not Rob. Ended up being the cleat on the sail track bumping back & forth. Just a little noise but I woke up cuz it was abnormal. So I guess what I'm saying is, if the noises bother you, where earplugs. You'll wake up & hear anything that's not supposed to be there. LaDonna
I love boat sounds. We were tied to a mooring last weekend which was comforting as it was blowing 20-25 half the time. The shrouds were singing, waves lapping - the halyards were definitely not slapping! I love those sounds. Unfortunately, Rob snores like a chainsaw and I can't sleep without earplugs so I don't get to be lulled by those wonderful noises. My concern would be that with earplugs I wouldn't hear something "important." In reality, they just dampen noise. I still hear Rob but it's dampened enough that I can sleep. The tide switched while we were at the mooring and for about 1/2 hour the mooring ball was gently bumping against the hull. YIKES! Sounded like Keiko was beating our hull to a pulp! Also had some little ticky noise wake me & not Rob. Ended up being the cleat on the sail track bumping back & forth. Just a little noise but I woke up cuz it was abnormal. So I guess what I'm saying is, if the noises bother you, where earplugs. You'll wake up & hear anything that's not supposed to be there. LaDonna
All those be nightmares
Having lived aboard for the last 5 years there are certain things I consider pleasant and others very annoying. All that you mentioned fall in the annoying category. Halyards get secured away from the mast. The boom gets pulled off to one side. We have a double ender to avoid the slapping transom. Nothing creaks or rattles or slaps. Wind noise is fine as is wave motion, but no creaks for me thank you. As LD said we use earplugs when offshore to dampen all the creaks and slaps that are unavoidable underway. Still can easily here new noises or a call from the onwatch.
Having lived aboard for the last 5 years there are certain things I consider pleasant and others very annoying. All that you mentioned fall in the annoying category. Halyards get secured away from the mast. The boom gets pulled off to one side. We have a double ender to avoid the slapping transom. Nothing creaks or rattles or slaps. Wind noise is fine as is wave motion, but no creaks for me thank you. As LD said we use earplugs when offshore to dampen all the creaks and slaps that are unavoidable underway. Still can easily here new noises or a call from the onwatch.
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