Noisy v-birth

M

Marty

New member
At the risk of sounding like a landlubber, here goes. We bought a 1988 22 cruiser last year but due to several bugs didn't get to use it much until this past summer. We did several overnight trips but on one in the San Juans it became apparent that unless it's flat calm, there is a disturbing noise in the bow area. We were tied to a buoy in Shallow Bay at Sucia Is. There was a prediction of southerly wind 10-15 but we were well protected. In the middle of the night I was awakened by what sounded like blop...bloop bloop..blop...bloop and so on. I got up with a flashlight thinking there must be something in the water tapping on the hull or maybe the buoy. I just didn't know what it could be. The only thing I saw was a ripple on the water. Luckily we had earplugs which helped. In the morning, I noticed a Venture, which had tied to a buoy near us the night before was now stern tied to the buoy. I hopped in the dingy to go ask why. He had done it for the same reason I had been up looking around. He said the noise was from water slapping the lapstrake and turning the boat around helped some. Does anyone know if something can be done to get rid of the noise? We love spending nights on the boat, but it was loud and annoying, although my wife wasn't as bothered as I was. Are the compartments in the bow of earlier models hollow, because it sure sounded like it. Is there a fix or do you just get used to it? Thanks for any suggestions. Marty
 
Yep--that can be an issue--some find the noise "lapping of the waves" soothing, and some find it irritating. There is also the dreaded Tom Cat tunnel slap.

Both of those may be helped by mooring stern too. There is a general rule about not mooring stern too, or mooring fore and aft. That holds mostly for places where a current or wave might cause damage/swamp the boat from the stern.

In many protected harbors it is customary to tie of by the stern, or anchor fore and aft.

Nice music--run a fan? white noise--other ways of distraction....but most likely you may become acclimated.

One does develop a sense when things are "right" and "not right" on the boat--and some of us get up to be sure--and then go back to sleep. But a good question.
 
thataway":32bchb9a said:
One does develop a sense when things are "right" and "not right" on the boat--and some of us get up to be sure--and then go back to sleep. But a good question.
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Isn't that the truth. A new or "wrong" sound sure is an attention-getter. This fall's trip on Powell was my first time sleeping aboard the 22, and I had the good fortune to be able to spend quite a few nights aboard. Although each night was a bit different, due to variations in water state, how moored, etc., I did get used to the "normal" sounds of the water on the boat and found them pleasant (they are definitely there though!). Then one night "all of a sudden" there was a new sound and I didn't particularly like it... just didn't sound "right," and I couldn't figure out what it was. I think I laid awake most of the night listening to these "drums" in an endless (and annoying) pattern and wondering where they were coming from, and why all of a sudden? Finally, a couple of nights later, I figured out that it was the combination of three things: Leaving the motor down (at anchor in deeper water); the boat being "light" (as we were using up our provisions and fuel); and water slapping up under the Permatrim. Nice thing was that once I figured it out, raising the engine took it away and I was back to just my "nice" water sounds. Packing enough food to keep the stern down would probably also have taken care of it :mrgreen:

In the past I had a boat with a "step" in the bottom and for some reason that particular "lap, lap, lapping" drove me nuts. Must have struck others the same way as I noticed later there was a design option where you could fill in that area to stop it.

For me just figuring out what is making a given noise goes a long way to making it okay (of course stopping a "wrong" noise is good too).
 
We've been anchored overnight in everything from flat calm to gale force. In gales there's lots of noise all over. In calms, with a ripple or wake there can be a slap and gurgle. The boats are of lap strake look construction which means there is a spot for waves to impact above the water instead of most boats icky flat panel sides. Also makes the boat rugged and good looking We think the noise is a happy sound. Every boat has it's normal noise. You'll soon figure out your normal. Then anything outside that normal will have you up. I was skipper on a sailboat that had an overhang aft a few inches above the water. That boat would BONG! About every minute. Aggravating sound. Kerri On makes a happy sound. We have ear plugs aboard and Bose headsets for true noise. George :smiled
 
ghone":2exrel88 said:
In calms, with a ripple or wake there can be a slap and gurgle. We think the noise is a happy sound. Every boat has it's normal noise.
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It is a happy, sparkly water sound, isn't it. How nice to have boats that sound happy :)

(But Marty, I know what you mean and it was a good question. I'm in the camper van tonight and it's as quiet as a church in comparison to the boat overnight. I can see where it would seem really different/noisy at first.
 
Marty,

Yes for me it is a "happy" sound, but like Sunbeam says, that is after you determine what the cause is. Wavelets in the lapstrake or fore chine are most likely. Might help to add some weight forward to get that opening to the chine down completely into the water. That may help, if the wavelets can't get to that as an opening.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
my first night sleeping on the CD I set my alarm for every 20-30 minutes throughout the entire night to check the cockpit because some water had accumulated and I was concerned about where it came from. The next day (once finally 'awake' and thinking clearly) I realized it was rain water..... it was not enough to even bilge out but the fact that it was there at all had me concerned until I realized what it was.



I personally look forward to the slap of the water against the hull. I love the sound, it reminds me of spending weekends in grandma and grandpas cabin next to the creek. You really only heard the water rushing by at night while in bed.

the little things in life.... :cigar
 
The sound of water slapping a boat is what we live for. I sleep so much better in a boat with the waves slapping the side then I do at home. And it almost drowns out susan's snoring.

I do know what you mean about unfamiliar noises. I hate and wake up in instance if some thing changes or is new. Which is a great survival trait to have.

Its also a matter of taste. Susan loves the summer here at the house because we have frogs and crickets. I HATE FING crickets. And I really go crazy with one cricket if its in the house. Have to find and kill it or I cant go to sleep at all. Just a matter of what you like and are used too.
 
there are only three sounds I can think of that drive me nuts when trying to sleep.

1. barking dogs (funny, howling coyotes dont bother me at all)
2. talking kids (like bonfires, etc while I"m trying to sleep, man I'm getting old)
3. roosters crowing (time of day confused)

most natural or 'farm' sounds are pretty soothing for me though. One time I slept under the stars in the forest in colville (not tent) and woke up surrounded by "wild" cows. that was scary. those animals are so dumb I could see one stepping on my face.
 
Spray inside with a ceramic insulation from 'Mascoat' or 'Tempcoat' (there are some big old threads on this site about them) or carpet as I did. Also stops condensation and makes better music. Lots of work though :| either way, but to spray it is easiest and probably cheapest. The Classics might be less noisy, they have a missing strake :)
 
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