Snap crackle pop sounds

[Guest]

I hear snap, crackle pop (like the cereal) when docked in the Marina at night when things are quiet. I hear these sounds while in protected waters at anchor as well.
Is this marine life chomping at the marine growth on the hull or something else.
30' sail 2002

 

[Tim R.]

For safety's sake, unplug your shore power and see if the noise continues.

 

[kloudie1]

This would be the crabs and shrimp and fishes talking amongst themselves.. They are probably discussing the fareness of the keel to hull joint and wondering why the bottom isn’t scrubbed..!!

 

[Gary Kunkel]

We've often heard that (usually in San Diego, but other places as well.) We believe it's attributable to small "ghost shrimp" that click their pincers. It's sort of like what pistol shrimp do. Seriously, you can look 'em up. The sound is just like Rice Crispies. The second article in this link describes it:
http://www.48north.com/may2001/letters.htm

 

[Capn Dave]

What you are hearing are pistol or snapping shrimp. They are not talking to one another, they are shooting their prey with a sonic blast.

Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONQlTMUYCW4

Fair Winds

Dave

 

[Guest]

snap crackle post

It's not the ac shore power. Heard same sounds while anchored in Dana Point harbor and Mission Bay (some harbors are louder than others) Diver cleans hull every three weeks in summer so there is no buffet going on below the waterline.
Maybe its a Southern Calif thing... I'll google pistol shrimp. thanks

 

[Hermit Scott]

I know exactly what you mean. When my hull was freshly painted I didn't hear the sounds. Now that I have some slime, I hear it again. I have no shore power so it must be marine life partying it up in the slime on my hull. The po of my boat thought it was electric also, but it's not.

 

[Chuckbear]

Guys, the noise is shrimp and not from electricity or any of your boat systems. We hear it all over the Atlantic and Pacific whether your hull has been painted, bottom done or anything else makes no difference. Chuck

 

[zeehag]

you are hearing brine shrimp , or krill, snapping on your hull. the sound goes away when you drag at anchor. when you dive your boat, they will congregate in your warmest areas.

 

[okawbow]

You're lucky to only hear those shrimp. In the midwest, we have carp sucking on the hull. They are loud enough to make you think someone is whacking your boat with a stick or something. It's hard to sleep sometimes without ear plugs.

 

[Franklin]

It is a weird sound isn't it. I first heard it at anchor the night before the Rettaga De Amigos race. The trip down the ship channel that night was very rough (buried the bow about 10-15 times) so I was worried that it was some kind of warning side that my hull was hurting. Didn't hear it the following morning so I was happy that the crew didn't hear it.

The next time I heard it was the morning we were leaving VeraCruz to head back across the gulf. I was like "ummm....hmmmm....it was a very rough race and the boat took a pounding but I didn't hear it until now" so I tried to ignore it. I didn't want the crew to hear it and get worried so I ran the generator until it was time to leave.

The only thing I could think of was there was some static electricity seeping through the hull or something like that but I sure am glad I know what it is now. Thanks guys.

 

[Hugh4753]

It's probably barnacles opening and closing.

 

[Dan Johnson]

On the Chesapeake...

in the Spring at night in our slips we have female Carp slamming up against our hulls to dislodge their roe. Makes the hull resonate like a bass drum!

By mid-summer we have the ducks pecking at the algae growth along the waterline, especially if the boat isn't sailed very frequently. Hungry ducks don't sleep at night. Sounds like fiberglass woodpeckers at work!

Pistol shrimp, krill, whatever, might be an interesting change!

 

[zeehag]

ducks are so much louder than the krill---they peck at the weeds at the waterline and is like mini jackhammers.......

 

[Franklin]

It's probably barnacles opening and closing.

I just cleaned my bottom two days before so no barnacles around.

 

[butchrobbins]

I hear snap, crackle pop (like the cereal) when docked in the Marina at night when things are quiet. I hear these sounds while in protected waters at anchor as well.
Is this marine life chomping at the marine growth on the hull or something else.
30' sail 2002

I'm pretty sure its the current. Check the tide when you hear it-bet its rippin'

 

[Franklin]

I'm pretty sure its the current. Check the tide when you hear it-bet its rippin'

Nope...it's happened to me where there is no current.