TooMuchFun
07-07-2003, 04:42 PM
For those interested, AZ and NV decibel law follows. My earlier post operated on a flawed assumption regarding the lack of current law. Better to be armed with information, but the new laws do not portend well for performance/hot boats ...
Here is the current AZ law on noise. It's pretty vague and open to legal interpretation on both enforcement and violation sides given the lack of decibel specifications (i.e., excessive and unusual may be legally interpreted as something outside of manufacturer installation and typically for race oriented use):
5-336. Muffling devices
A. Every motor driven watercraft shall at all times be equipped with effective
equipment, in good working order and in constant operation, to prevent
excessive or unusual noise except as provided in subsection C.
B. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit the use of any type of
exhaust system or exhaust device, including those systems and devices which do
not discharge water with the exhaust gases, if such system or device complies
with subsection A of this section.
C. All watercraft actually competing in a regatta, boat race or official trials
for speed records, and within the time limits authorized by the sanctioning
body of such event are exempt from this section. Permits designating place and
time limits are required and shall be issued by the department prior to the
testing of watercraft on the water when sufficient evidence is provided by the
applicant that such watercraft is actually entered in an event sanctioned by a
national or regional organization having jurisdiction over the event.
Here is a link to NV law: http://www.boatnevada.org/laws/noise.pdf.
NV has specific dB levels and distances as follows:
75 decibel maximum as registered from shore.
86 decibel maximum as registered 50 ft. from the craft making the noise.
90 decibel maximum proximal to transom if the boat was built prior to 1/1/93.
88 decibel maximum proximal to transom if the boat was built on or after 1/1/93.
Most boaters on this site will not comply with the new NV statutes, for 86-88 decibels is when
you have to shout to communicate with someone in the same room, or in a boating case,
when you have to shout to get someone in the boat next to you to hear what you are saying. The test for me is when I have to turn off my engine to communicate with the occifer (no
not a misspelling) that is idling beside me he will be pulling out his noise tester.
I, for one, am not looking forward to installing electrical baffles at a grand or so. NV fines
are similar to safety violations (e.g., around $150.00 per and the potential of being towed to
the doc with a citation for non-use of the craft until re-inspected).
Perhaps the cops can purchase ear plugs, or perhaps I'll do more of my boating in AZ? http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif.
Hope the info. is helpful, though clearly disappointing.
TooMuchFun
Here is the current AZ law on noise. It's pretty vague and open to legal interpretation on both enforcement and violation sides given the lack of decibel specifications (i.e., excessive and unusual may be legally interpreted as something outside of manufacturer installation and typically for race oriented use):
5-336. Muffling devices
A. Every motor driven watercraft shall at all times be equipped with effective
equipment, in good working order and in constant operation, to prevent
excessive or unusual noise except as provided in subsection C.
B. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit the use of any type of
exhaust system or exhaust device, including those systems and devices which do
not discharge water with the exhaust gases, if such system or device complies
with subsection A of this section.
C. All watercraft actually competing in a regatta, boat race or official trials
for speed records, and within the time limits authorized by the sanctioning
body of such event are exempt from this section. Permits designating place and
time limits are required and shall be issued by the department prior to the
testing of watercraft on the water when sufficient evidence is provided by the
applicant that such watercraft is actually entered in an event sanctioned by a
national or regional organization having jurisdiction over the event.
Here is a link to NV law: http://www.boatnevada.org/laws/noise.pdf.
NV has specific dB levels and distances as follows:
75 decibel maximum as registered from shore.
86 decibel maximum as registered 50 ft. from the craft making the noise.
90 decibel maximum proximal to transom if the boat was built prior to 1/1/93.
88 decibel maximum proximal to transom if the boat was built on or after 1/1/93.
Most boaters on this site will not comply with the new NV statutes, for 86-88 decibels is when
you have to shout to communicate with someone in the same room, or in a boating case,
when you have to shout to get someone in the boat next to you to hear what you are saying. The test for me is when I have to turn off my engine to communicate with the occifer (no
not a misspelling) that is idling beside me he will be pulling out his noise tester.
I, for one, am not looking forward to installing electrical baffles at a grand or so. NV fines
are similar to safety violations (e.g., around $150.00 per and the potential of being towed to
the doc with a citation for non-use of the craft until re-inspected).
Perhaps the cops can purchase ear plugs, or perhaps I'll do more of my boating in AZ? http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif.
Hope the info. is helpful, though clearly disappointing.
TooMuchFun