Crackling noises down below

[Andre]

I have a 1972 Catalina 27 and have owned it for 6 months,love the boat sail 2-3 times a week ,had to do some improvements to get her in sailing shape one of these was to have new bottom paint. When the yard hauled her out I was informed and saw hull blisters which were not repaired just painted over , they were small in size so did not repair.Now does this some how explain the crackling noises I hear when I sleep on the boat ? After 6 Months I finally spent the night on the boat in the harbor and heard constant crackling noises which do not stop and are continuos they are happening all the time ! Now this is not waves slapping on the hull or halyards banging on the mast or electronec equipment on ,its weird just crackling noise comming from the bottom of the boat , does anybody know what this is ? Is my boat all right ? Andre

 

[Richard]

Should not be blisters

I have been there and done that. Catalina's attract blisters like a pile of s*** attracts flies, but it is not really a big deal. You can repair the larger ones and ignore the small ones.Are you sure the noises you hear are boat related? Could it be shrimp or other marine life making those noises? Sounds carry very well and far in water.I can think of nothing other than maybe charging the batteries at too high of a current making them boil that would sound like that.Richard

 

[Rodney Kidd]

Marine Life

Andre,I first heard the crackling sound at anchor in Pelican Bay on Santa Cruz Island. I latter learned (at the Monterey Bay Aquarium) that those noises are caused by a small male crab that snaps his oversized claw to attact a mate. There were so many of them in Pelican Bay it sounded like frying bacon.Rodney KiddC-38 #297, Flying Bear

 

[scott may]

Its not your boat

I can promise you its not your boat. I have heard this same noise while scuba diving near encrusted underwater structures, and in open water for that matter. Its marine life, maybe barnicles. The hull of your boat is acting like a speaker for this noise.

 

[Russ Williams]

Same here

It's definitely not your boat. Both my former (Irwin 31) and current (Catalina 36) boats have had that crackling, bacon-frying sound when I anchor in many spots up and down the Texas coast. Strange that it only does it in the water closest to the Gulf - doesnt do this further up in the bays.Russ

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

Shrimp

I'm not a marine biologist but I've heard that those crackles are some kind of little shrimp but the crab theory makes more sense. They are NOT your boat. They ARE marine life of some sort. Fret not and sleep well!LaDonna

 

[Bill Parks]

Shrimp

Hi, i go with LaDonna. Its marine life. I heard it first in the York River, Chesapeake Bay in 1992.

 

[GERRY HULL]

SNAP, CRACKLE , POP !eVERYONE KNOWS

SHRIMP ? Phooey ! Sounds like a full blown case of "polyestermites" .Watch out!