Lake Norman and Exhaust Noise

[DaveA]

Here's an article that appeared in today's paper- folks that run on Lake Norman (and other Catawba River lakes) should be interested in what happens here. It'll probably spread to the other lakes if enough people either get behind it, or not enough objections are raised- or both.
Posted on Sun, Jan. 30, 2005
2 panels to tackle noise, buoy issues
Marine Commission will form separate subcommittees for each
ERICA BESHEARS
Staff Writer
The Lake Norman Marine Commission's preservation and safety committee decided Friday to form subcommittees to tackle two controversial issues: noise and illegal no-wake buoys.
Loud noise, particularly from boats that exhaust above the water, has been a recurring issue for about 15 years, marine commissioner Terry Davis said. The problem is that county noise ordinances are hard to enforce when it comes to boats, he said.
Technically, it is illegal to have a boat that exhausts above the water, said Davis, who is also a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police lake enforcement officer, but there are so many noncomplying boats that it would be difficult to remove them.
The subcommittee is going to try to log complaints, increase awareness of the issue and look for ways to address noise on the lake.
No-wake buoys are another tough issue.
It is illegal to make a wake within 50 yards of a boat launching area, bridge, dock, pier, marina, boat storage structure or boat service area on the lake.
But many boaters disregard the law, to the chagrin of homeowners who say the wakes hurt their docks and boats. The property owners like to put in no-wake buoys to remind boaters of the law.
But the Marine Commission or N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission must approve no-wake buoys for them to be legal, said Bob Elliott, executive director of the Marine Commission. The buoys approved by the Marine Commission cost $2,500, often shared by homeowners associations.
But many homeowners circumvent the lengthy and expensive process and buy their own buoys. The buoys often are less sturdy than buoys approved by the Marine Commission and placed without regard to the no-wake laws or boating safety.
Boaters say the illegal buoys are hazards to navigation. Homeowners say wakes are a bigger problem than illegal buoys.
To start with, the subcommittee will try to inventory the illegal buoys and ask owners to voluntarily remove them.

[Jr Jetter]

Getting harder and harder of us OT guys !!!!! Damn.....
Paper quotes above ..... "Technically, it is illegal to have a boat that exhausts above the water, said Davis, who is also a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police lake enforcement officer, but there are so many noncomplying boats that it would be difficult to remove them."
Actually the NC law states OT exhaust must have baffles and be water injected !!!! So is this a county issue or a state issue ?

[DaveA]

LKN Marine Commission website (http://www.lnmc.org/index.html)
Maybe we should start going to their meetings and see what the heck is going on before the blowboaters and homeowners start showing up in droves. The next one is Feb 14 Monday.
I'd love to see the regs for the 4 counties regarding any boat noise ordinance- if there is one. It's probably some catch-all deal like you can't make noise of such&such an amount with any kind of 'vehicle'. If the state regs say baffles/water in OT's then wouldn't those laws take precedence over local laws? This could get sticky. Guys like Terry Davis that believe that 'above the water' exhaust is 'technically illegal' could put a major cramp on legit OT's if he's not corrected. That is, of course, if he's wrong. There's alot of guys with their Fountains and Bajas, as well as the dealers, that have a whole lot more to worry about if that's the case. Let's do some asking around at the Boat Show this week. Who's going and when????
There was an Observer article back in the summer about boat noise that got some people stirred up, too.
What starts at Norman will no doubt spread up and down the Catawba chain to Mt Island, Wylie and even Lake James. :yuk:
Anybody know where the boat noise laws are found in the General Statutes?
.
.

[DaveA]

Getting harder and harder of us OT guys !!!!! Damn.....
Paper quotes above ..... "Technically, it is illegal to have a boat that exhausts above the water, said Davis, who is also a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police lake enforcement officer, but there are so many noncomplying boats that it would be difficult to remove them."
Actually the NC law states OT exhaust must have baffles and be water injected !!!! So is this a county issue or a state issue ?
As long as Terry Davis believes it would be difficult- even nearly impossible to enforce, then fine- leave us alone and go after the 'cutout' guys....but he's wrong on the OT stuff...
I know this is alot to read, but here's what comes up in NC State General Statutes:
§ 75A‑9. Muffling devices.
The exhaust of every internal combustion engine used on any motorboat shall be effectively muffled by equipment so constructed and used to muffle the noise of the exhaust in a reasonable manner. The use of cutouts is prohibited, except for motorboats competing in a regatta or boat race approved as provided in G.S. 75A‑14, and for such motorboats while on trial runs, during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately preceding such regatta or race and for such motorboats while competing in official trials for speed records during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately following such regatta or race. (1959, c. 1064, s. 9.)
This came up under Iredell County gen statutes:
§ 75A‑9.1. Muffling devices – Motorboats.
Every internal combustion engine with an open‑air exhaust which is used on any motorboat and which has a capacity of operating at more than 4000 revolutions per minute shall have effective muffling equipment installed on each exhaust manifold stack except for motorboats competing in a regatta or boat race approved as provided in G.S. 75A‑14, and for such motorboats while on trial runs, during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately preceding such regatta or race and for such motorboats while competing in official trials for speed records during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately following such regatta or race. This Article shall not apply to licensed commercial fishing boats. (1977, c. 737, s. 1.)
Sec. 7.5-23. Prohibited acts.
Without limiting in any way the provisions of section 7.5-22 above, the following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this article. It is expressly provided, however, that the following enumeration shall not be considered exclusive. Specifically prohibited acts include:
(3) Use of vehicle. The use of any automobile, motor-propelled boat, motorcycle, or other vehicle or motor-propelled craft so out of repair, so loaded or operated, or used as to create loud, unnecessary or disturbing noises.
Here's the real kicker:
Sec. 20-68. Motorboat noise limits.
(a) To limit motorboat noise on Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Norman, a local modification is added to G.S. 75A-9.1, which covers motorboat muffling devices. The local modification, G.S. 75A-9.2, reads substantially as follows:
(1) Noise limits; motorboats.
a. No motor shall be used on any motorboat unless it is equipped with an efficient muffler, underwater exhaust or other device which at all times adequately muffles or suppresses the sound of the exhaust of the motor so as to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and no motor shall be equipped with any cutout.
(Efficient muffler, huh? Baffles or water? Or both? I guess just what's deemed efficient, then. And it gets better as you read on. BTW didn't mention 'above water exhaust' as being prohibited in any fashion. Captain's Call owners- look out!)
b. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit the use of any type exhaust system or device, including those systems and devices that do not discharge water with the exhaust gases, if such system or device complies with subsection (a)(1)c of this section.
So baffles alone are legal...as long as they're 'efficient'. Hmmm.
Now read these next two paragraphs very carefully:
c. No person shall operate a motorboat at any time or under any condition of load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed a noise level of 86 decibels on the "A" scale measured at a distance of 50 feet from the motorboat or equivalent noise levels at other distances. A sound level meter shall be used which meets the requirements for type 1, type 2, type S1, or type S2A of American National Standards Institute S1.4-1971 (ANSI S1.4-1971). The operator of such a vessel may be ordered off the water upon failure to submit to sound level testing procedures.
d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the use of a noise meter or other equipment in prosecutions for violations of this subsection. :eek:
METER? NO METER? SO YOU CAN BE BUSTED BECAUSE THE BASSCOP SEZ YOU 'SOUND TOO LOUD' TO HIM?? GUESS SO...
e. The provisions of this section shall not apply to motorboats competing under a United States Coast Guard or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission permit in a regatta, in a boat race, while on trial runs, or while on official trials for speed records during the time and in designated areas authorized by the permit.
f. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of a vessel which is not equipped as required by this section or modification thereof.
g. Anyone violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00. Anyone convicted for a second or subsequent violation shall be fined the maximum fine of $500.00 per violation. Any law enforcement officer having the power of arrest on any of the waters covered by this section shall enforce its provisions.
h. Any motorboat motor manufactured and offered for sale in this state may be certified to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as having been tested and found not to exceed the noise limits prescribed in subsection (a)(1)c of this section. An outboard motor may be certified by the motor manufacturer; provided, however, that any motor may be certified by the motorboat manufacturer if it is offered for sale in combination with a motorboat.
(2) Applicability. This section shall apply to the waters of Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Norman located within or adjoining the counties of Mecklenburg, Gaston, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln.
(b) This section applies only to Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg counties.
(Code 1995, § 294.01)

[Big Boys Toy PE857]

Sounds as though it might be like the old song, "I fought the law and the law won." Gives them all the discretion. Hope not.

[Squirtin Thunder]

Dave,
I was tested on the lake at the Duke power ramp area on 36 by the bridge, a few years back. I passed with no problem. But if I was at Stumpy Creek I think I would have failed. I get stopped every time I was out on the lake. The key to the test is to be in an open area and to have them make sure that the meter is calabrated and zeroed. Also that there is no other boats in the area at the time.
Thank you
Jim
As long as Terry Davis believes it would be difficult- even nearly impossible to enforce, then fine- leave us alone and go after the 'cutout' guys....but he's wrong on the OT stuff...
I know this is alot to read, but here's what comes up in NC State General Statutes:
§ 75A‑9. Muffling devices.
The exhaust of every internal combustion engine used on any motorboat shall be effectively muffled by equipment so constructed and used to muffle the noise of the exhaust in a reasonable manner. The use of cutouts is prohibited, except for motorboats competing in a regatta or boat race approved as provided in G.S. 75A‑14, and for such motorboats while on trial runs, during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately preceding such regatta or race and for such motorboats while competing in official trials for speed records during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately following such regatta or race. (1959, c. 1064, s. 9.)
This came up under Iredell County gen statutes:
§ 75A‑9.1. Muffling devices – Motorboats.
Every internal combustion engine with an open‑air exhaust which is used on any motorboat and which has a capacity of operating at more than 4000 revolutions per minute shall have effective muffling equipment installed on each exhaust manifold stack except for motorboats competing in a regatta or boat race approved as provided in G.S. 75A‑14, and for such motorboats while on trial runs, during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately preceding such regatta or race and for such motorboats while competing in official trials for speed records during a period not to exceed 48 hours immediately following such regatta or race. This Article shall not apply to licensed commercial fishing boats. (1977, c. 737, s. 1.)
Sec. 7.5-23. Prohibited acts.
Without limiting in any way the provisions of section 7.5-22 above, the following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this article. It is expressly provided, however, that the following enumeration shall not be considered exclusive. Specifically prohibited acts include:
(3) Use of vehicle. The use of any automobile, motor-propelled boat, motorcycle, or other vehicle or motor-propelled craft so out of repair, so loaded or operated, or used as to create loud, unnecessary or disturbing noises.
Here's the real kicker:
Sec. 20-68. Motorboat noise limits.
(a) To limit motorboat noise on Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Norman, a local modification is added to G.S. 75A-9.1, which covers motorboat muffling devices. The local modification, G.S. 75A-9.2, reads substantially as follows:
(1) Noise limits; motorboats.
a. No motor shall be used on any motorboat unless it is equipped with an efficient muffler, underwater exhaust or other device which at all times adequately muffles or suppresses the sound of the exhaust of the motor so as to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and no motor shall be equipped with any cutout.
(Efficient muffler, huh? Baffles or water? Or both? I guess just what's deemed efficient, then. And it gets better as you read on. BTW didn't mention 'above water exhaust' as being prohibited in any fashion. Captain's Call owners- look out!)
b. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit the use of any type exhaust system or device, including those systems and devices that do not discharge water with the exhaust gases, if such system or device complies with subsection (a)(1)c of this section.
So baffles alone are legal...as long as they're 'efficient'. Hmmm.
Now read these next two paragraphs very carefully:
c. No person shall operate a motorboat at any time or under any condition of load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed a noise level of 86 decibels on the "A" scale measured at a distance of 50 feet from the motorboat or equivalent noise levels at other distances. A sound level meter shall be used which meets the requirements for type 1, type 2, type S1, or type S2A of American National Standards Institute S1.4-1971 (ANSI S1.4-1971). The operator of such a vessel may be ordered off the water upon failure to submit to sound level testing procedures.
d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the use of a noise meter or other equipment in prosecutions for violations of this subsection. :eek:
METER? NO METER? SO YOU CAN BE BUSTED BECAUSE THE BASSCOP SEZ YOU 'SOUND TOO LOUD' TO HIM?? GUESS SO...
e. The provisions of this section shall not apply to motorboats competing under a United States Coast Guard or North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission permit in a regatta, in a boat race, while on trial runs, or while on official trials for speed records during the time and in designated areas authorized by the permit.
f. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of a vessel which is not equipped as required by this section or modification thereof.
g. Anyone violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00. Anyone convicted for a second or subsequent violation shall be fined the maximum fine of $500.00 per violation. Any law enforcement officer having the power of arrest on any of the waters covered by this section shall enforce its provisions.
h. Any motorboat motor manufactured and offered for sale in this state may be certified to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as having been tested and found not to exceed the noise limits prescribed in subsection (a)(1)c of this section. An outboard motor may be certified by the motor manufacturer; provided, however, that any motor may be certified by the motorboat manufacturer if it is offered for sale in combination with a motorboat.
(2) Applicability. This section shall apply to the waters of Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Norman located within or adjoining the counties of Mecklenburg, Gaston, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln.
(b) This section applies only to Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg counties.
(Code 1995, § 294.01)

[Squirtin Thunder]

During the summer it might pay to stop by your local lake patrol boat and hand them off a soda or water. Kissing ass always helps.
Jim
Sounds as though it might be like the old song, "I fought the law and the law won." Gives them all the discretion. Hope not.

[VD CRUISER]

Dave A, get to work on this. I want to come to Norman this summer but I don't want to get arrested :confused: Everyone needs to be mindful of where they are when they get on the loud pedal though. If you piss off enough people, the law will come down on all of us.

[DaveA]

Dave A, get to work on this. I want to come to Norman this summer but I don't want to get arrested :confused: Everyone needs to be mindful of where they are when they get on the loud pedal though. If you piss off enough people, the law will come down on all of us.
Yea, yer right. It's one thing to be loud. Another to be obnoxiously loud. GasPedalCowboys do tend to get all the wrong kind of attention. I'm gonna have to keep tabs on this stuff and see how it develops.
I'll have to idle out to the NCWildlife boat and offer them some legal libations next time I see them. Heavy emphasis on 'idle'. Good Idea, S-T.
I've got baffles and a Banderlog set to go in the Bassetts this spring. Can't hurt. Much. Just mo'money.
S-T, which enforcers checked your boat at Pinnacle? County? State Wildlife? Wondering who's budget allowed the purchase of a dB meter! Maybe the first ticket could be dropped if the meter operator wasn't certified, kinda like speed radar.
I talked to the Coast Guard Aux boat ramp inspector (retired 74 yr old guy) back in Sept and let him look over the Raysoncraft. That was a hoot. The open headers didn't really bother him... or he really didn't notice...He kept telling me I was gonna need a set of running lights on that boat, or the Wildlife guys would give me trouble. :cool: He also said that my chances of being pulled and inspected quadrupled if I had a good lookin' babe on the boat. No problemo. Wife says she'll NEVER ride in that thang. Oh well. I'll have to thank her.
.

[Squirtin Thunder]

S-T, which enforcers checked your boat at Pinnacle? County? State Wildlife? Wondering who's budget allowed the purchase of a dB meter! Maybe the first ticket could be dropped if the meter operator wasn't certified, kinda like speed radar.
If I remember right it was the County Sheriff !!!
I did have baffles in and water, on full, kinda sounds wierd.
Jim

[Jr Jetter]

Yea, yer right. It's one thing to be loud. Another to be obnoxiously loud. GasPedalCowboys do tend to get all the wrong kind of attention. I'm gonna have to keep tabs on this stuff and see how it develops.
I'll have to idle out to the NCWildlife boat and offer them some legal libations next time I see them. Heavy emphasis on 'idle'. Good Idea, S-T.
I've got baffles and a Banderlog set to go in the Bassetts this spring. Can't hurt. Much. Just mo'money.
S-T, which enforcers checked your boat at Pinnacle? County? State Wildlife? Wondering who's budget allowed the purchase of a dB meter! Maybe the first ticket could be dropped if the meter operator wasn't certified, kinda like speed radar.
I talked to the Coast Guard Aux boat ramp inspector (retired 74 yr old guy) back in Sept and let him look over the Raysoncraft. That was a hoot. The open headers didn't really bother him... or he really didn't notice...He kept telling me I was gonna need a set of running lights on that boat, or the Wildlife guys would give me trouble. :cool: He also said that my chances of being pulled and inspected quadrupled if I had a good lookin' babe on the boat. No problemo. Wife says she'll NEVER ride in that thang. Oh well. I'll have to thank her.
.
Exactly.....just takes one fool to ruin it for the rest of us !!! :devil: :devil:

[Huffer]

DAVE LAKE NORMAN IS FULL OF THEM,LETS STAY ON MT.ISLAND WITH OUR LITTLE BOATS!HOPE TO SEE YA THIS YEAR,HUFFER!!! :messedup:

[Squirtin Thunder]

DAVE LAKE NORMAN IS FULL OF THEM,LETS STAY ON MT.ISLAND WITH OUR LITTLE BOATS!HOPE TO SEE YA THIS YEAR,HUFFER!!! :messedup:
Hoffer,
I have seen your boat from 77 a few times on Lake Norman. It is pritty hard to mistake being there aren't many out there like yours.
Jim

[mickeyfinn]

I like the section that doesn't apply to boats running less than 4000 RPM's. Kinda makes you wonder if the regs were just modified year after year until they got what they were looking for. If you built your engine to redline at 3900 with a really bigassed prop could you be exempted from that section?..LOL. Gonna get interesting everywhere I guess.

[Huffer]

Yes That Was I,i Love To Blast Beside The Cars With The Tail Up.thats Why Markist Always Calls Me Show-off!usually During The Week!

[orange peel]

yea huffer riding beside 77 is fun but i think spraying the cars on 77 is a lot more fun!!!!!!!!!!! :crossx:

[Huffer]

Long As The Po-po Not Watching!

[Aut]

They would prefer coffe & donut

[Squirtin Thunder]

Long As The Po-po Not Watching!
I have done that and there was a DOT cop right there. You know where that long strech right before exit 30. It is cool to pass those cars with the tail up.
Jim