Noisy boats

[T-Schwan]

Between slapping halyards, gurgling drains, a clanking keel, popping stringers, and creaking cabinets, do you need ear plugs to hear the radio?

How have you fixed the slaps, crackles, and pops, or was it easier to just live with it?

Share your noises and mitigation strategies here!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

All these noises prove that I'm at anchor and it's music to my ears .

 

[Scott T-Bird]

The only noise I find annoying is the water slapping under the stern when the wind is pushing small wavelets into the stern. This is only a problem when sleeping in the marina (not a problem when anchored). Unfortunately, there is nothing to do when my stern points south into the prevailing south breeze all summer long.

But, oh yeah, the other annoyance was listening to the yard work on heavy machinery (& cursing yard boss) when trying to enjoy some quiet time with drinks on a Friday evening after 5 after driving thru Parkway traffic. We solved that - new marina next year! (I'm still pointed aft into prevailing wind, though).

 

[Windpilot]

There's a German word "entklappern".
Means getting rid of all the clanging.
Attack one at a time.
Some you can find, some you can't.
I never found what sounded like a ping pong ball rolling around inside the headliner, drove me crazy on a 3 week passage.
But I'd be jamming a screwdriver under furniture, looking for cans rolling in cubby's, some line slapping the side of the hull etc.
I made a game out of entklappern, challenging and rewarding, lol

 

[Bruce Conron]

The day I took delivery of my H27 years ago, the dealer showed me how he tames the main halyard at dockside. No bungee cord needed. He simply wraps the shackled end around the mainsail cover that lies atop the boom, about five feet aft of the mast. No slap, slap, slap ever. And there's no permanent rope friction wear showing on the fabric after all these 16 years later.

 

[jssailem]

What some call noise, I call the boat singing to me. And I love the song.

Even some music needs to be mellowed. To loud. To high pitched. To repetitive.

It feel like my boat wants Attention. When I am on her I enjoy providing the attention. The clanking of a halyard is her subtle way of saying John you forgot my halyard. Sorry girl. Let me adjust that for you. Snug up the halyard and it is almost like she purrs “ah that’s nice”.

Sounds also provide an alarm. Wind whipping through the standing rigging whistles and hums. John there’s a storm coming. Am I secure?

Creaking floors,”who’s moving about the boat? John do you know them?”

When I’m aboard for a first time in a while, it takes some time to get in touch with the sounds. In spring it’s ducks bumping the hull as the drakes find their ladies. “Get a room”. Or the seals slipping along the boat side up onto the dock to rest.
These are among the soundscape of boat life.
I have to share.
I love it.

 

[quadrille38]

The only noise I find annoying is the water slapping under the stern when the wind is pushing small wavelets into the stern. This is only a problem when sleeping in the marina (not a problem when anchored). Unfortunately, there is nothing to do when my stern points south into the prevailing south breeze all summer long.

But, oh yeah, the other annoyance was listening to the yard work on heavy machinery (& cursing yard boss) when trying to enjoy some quiet time with drinks on a Friday evening after 5 after driving thru Parkway traffic. We solved that - new marina next year! (I'm still pointed aft into prevailing wind, though).

Have the same hull slap problem when tied stern to in some marinas. Did hear about a device called a slap silencer that will help. Slap Silencer – Rest Soundly with Slap Silencer
Saw someone else use pool noodles as a lower cost attempt to reduce the slap.

 

[OS2Dude]

My boat is silent 99% of the time. Internal halyards with the external lengths of the halyards led to handrail/lifelines so they can not slap against the mast. Boom is tied off so it doesn't swing. Occasionally a burgee may hit the shroud if the wind is just right (wrong). That can be remedied by lowering/removing the burgee if it gets too bothersome. I have speakers in the cabin and the cockpit so I can listen to what I want without having to subject the entire marina to my musical selections. In a stiff crosswind my dock lines creek, but it could be the dock itself that is making that noise. (I do have shockles on each line.)

 

[Allowishish]

Jssailem, wow! Great writing.

My first night on our Catalina 27, all the noises were new. I was slightly freaked at first that water was leaking in.
Personally, I really like the water slap (when it’s gentle) on the stern. I find it relaxing, reminding me of where I am as well as where I am not.
Halyard slap however is just unacceptable.

we are now in the process of closing on a caliber 40 and I am looking forward to learning all of her sounds. I believe our new marina will be way quieter than our last too.

 

[Jan11]

My experience with boat owners who say they enjoy the halyards slapping are the ones who go home at night, or worse, go home for the season. They don't give a damn about their neighbors who spend many days or weeks in the marina working on their projects. Of course, they have the marina work on their projects so noise is not a bother.

City marinas where everyone goes home for the night are the worst. Anyone been in Shumway's in Rochester at night?

Go to a marina away from the city where the owners stay on their boats or an anchorage you don't hear the noise. If someone forgets to tie off a halyard his neighbor bails him out, but no real sailor says they like the noise. My opinion after 70 years on the water... YMMV.

 

[dLj]

Between slapping halyards, gurgling drains, a clanking keel, popping stringers, and creaking cabinets, do you need ear plugs to hear the radio?

How have you fixed the slaps, crackles, and pops, or was it easier to just live with it?

Share your noises and mitigation strategies here!

Slapping halyards get addressed with how it tighten and tie them off.. Sometimes i need bungee cords to control them.

Gurgling drains don't bother me.

A clanking keel would be fixed ASAP - but I don't have one that could ever clank... It's fully encapsulated...

Popping stringers are another I would fix ASAP, but also non-existent on my boat.

I do have some creaks in my floors - but only when walking about. Not bothersome...

I do not need ear plugs to listen to music - i have speakers for my music system in the forward cabin, main saloon and cockpit. I can select which ones, or all, that are playing music... It was lovely during my recent milk run to have birthday parties, Christmas and New Year's celebrations. We have videos of dancing while sailing and listening to music.... Music is wonderful to have on-board!

All sounds I do not understand their exact source will be investigated until found - and usually silenced...

dj

 

[Jan11]

To prevent hull slapping make a diaper out of noodles and cloth. I never had the problem but that's what the Hunter owners in my marina do.

 

[quadrille38]

Personally, I really like the water slap (when it’s gentle) on the stern. I find it relaxing, reminding me of where I am as well as where I am not.

Not when it’s a Hunter and our aft cabin (main berth) is aft. The overhang is significant enough that the slap is REALLY lound. I’m the unlucky soul that gets to sleep far aft. Not only do you hear thunk thunk thunk, you get to feel it too. LOL

 

[shemandr]

Halyards/wires slapping in the mast were a problem. Noodles/zip ties cured that. Other than that it's mostly music to me but also an alarm system. If there's a change it needs to be investigated.

 

[Tally Ho]

My stern also can be noisy if the waves are slapping that direction. And I had some nuisance noise coming from my stern mounted flag. The metal things that attach the flag to the staff made a racket in any breeze when the flag is mounted.

I now pull the flag before retiring for the night.

Other than that, if the winds are up and I am sailing, I just crank up the radio…loud!

Greg

 

[Davidasailor26]

Water slapping under the transom does keep me awake when sleeping in the aft cabin, but that’s usually not a problem at anchor. One night last summer it was keeping me half awake which I thought was odd, but I wasn’t awake enough to figure out why. The next morning my wife, who isn’t bothered by the water slapping, said she kept getting woken up by the sound of something in the rigging that she thought was a bird.

Turns out the current had caught the boat during light winds early in the night and pushed it right over the anchor. When the wind filled in the anchor line was trapped behind the keel, holding the boat perpendicular to the wind. I was hearing the water slap from being at that angle, and my wife’s “bird” was actually our club burgee twanging on a shroud it was able to reach instead of being blown straight aft.

 

[jssailem]

I now pull the flag before retiring for the night.

Flag etiquette

The flag (an Ensign) is considered “worn” by your boat. It identifies the boat’s country of origin to others.

Evening Colors (at sunset) is a traditional act. There is some logic to this act. Since it is dark no one can see the Ensign. Additionally it saves on bunting (cloth used to make the flag).

Beyond these trivial details there really are no rules.

In my home waters near the navy base one hears the bugler sound “Attention to Colors”. Many in the marina are observed to pause. A moment of reflection. In the San Juan Islands Roach Harbor celebrates Evening Colors with a piper, flag crew and a cannon. That does get your attention.

On my Caribbean adventure sunset is a gathering time on the beach. People appear like magic. Stepping to the waters edge to watch the sunset in the sea, perhaps to catch that final moment “the Green Flash”.

 

[All U Get]

Liquid soap on the dock lines will help.

 

[rgranger]

Liquid soap on the dock lines will help.

with creaking?

 

[quadrille38]

My stern also can be noisy if the waves are slapping that direction. And I had some nuisance noise coming from my stern mounted flag. The metal things that attach the flag to the staff made a racket in any breeze when the flag is mounted.

I now pull the flag before retiring for the night.

Other than that, if the winds are up and I am sailing, I just crank up the radio…loud!

Greg

Same flag issue for me. I’m a light sleeper and that rattling right above my head in the aft cabin keeps me awake