GL-Thought you’d heard it all?

Since Alan or Moj haven't enlightened everyone yet, and since it happened with my boat, I'll share this load of this CRAP with the gang.

Deep breath: Well, Marshall and myself headed back up to GL this past weekend to get the truck and camper and do some last minute terrorizing (more relevance later) with my blue Mustang. Had a great ride up with Alan and Dana in the Bounder after staying at their place Friday nite by the way. Anyhow, I pick up the camper and head to Hattie Sherwood while Marshall gets the boat launched by the super folks from the Shoreline Boat Center. Marshall drops the boat in, idles out of harbor, runs out in the lake a 1/2 mile to charge up the week battery and then idles back in only to be greated by Barney Fife and a siren (the same old codger cruising around last month)and is informed, and get this, that the boat is TOO LOUD for GL. Seems WI has a boat noise Ord. Marshall called me as I was required to be present as the boat's owner, and was subjected at the dock to a sound test with a "2000 dollar" handheld piece of equipment, held facing the transom just 5' away as I was required to start the engine at the dock. First crack of the engine at idle sent it to 87db which was over the limit of 86. Then it settled to 82-83 as it idled. "But you know this will be way over the limit as it runs at full speed," he tells us. So we were forced to pull it from the lake or at least not run it or get hit with a $175 ticket. We told him about last months event and all the older boats we had there. "Oh yeah, sure I remember you guys," he says. "Bunch of nice boats, but if I'd had my meter at that time, I'm sure we'd have written some people up." Then after we informed him that we've got even bigger plans for next year, he proceeds to concur that "...you won't be able to come back here next year", and "anyplace else in Wisconsin for that matter." What a jackass.

Our take at this point is that back in July he knew he'd have an issue on his hands if he attacked us during the reunion, but saw the opportunity to make a statement with us/me this time. Unfortunately the deputy is missing the boat on who this regulation was actually set up to regulate. I asked him about all the old rumbling wooden runabouts living on the lake there, and he quickly said they'll be targeted as well. My butt. BoatDr called the state DNR who basically said they don't care how much $$$ we bring to an area, the law is the law in that the property owners spoke and didn't want loud boats. Another over-zealous shortsighted idiot. He also said enforcement was typically up to the discretion of the officer.     

So I called Bill (Chamber head) from the Bayview, and he was quite surprised and said he would talk to the powers that be. And basically said to not cancel reservations just yet as he thought smarter heads would prevail and promised to speak back with me or to Dave in the coming week, after he's had a chance to speak with others.

Oh, one final point of ignorance on Deputy Dog's behalf; he actually asked Marshall and then myself if we were familiar with a Captain's Choice type exhaust system. He wasn't even familiar enough with an inboard drive system to realize that wasn't an option. With the way he described that they could measure the exhaust db, all the mufflers in the world wouldn't make some of our boats quite enough at full throttle.           

All you Wisconsin residents need to get a hold of your congressman, and request that a grandfather clause be put in place or something else that would help more accurately define the actual intentions of the rule, as well as the means for measuring the sound. Or maybe Bayview Bill can just convince Super Trooper to ease up for at least 4 days a year.

I thought I'd heard it all............

Hollywood wrote: So Barney plans on following all of us around next year and writing tickets one by one? He's going to have a hard time chasing 30 boats going in different directions!

He's got nothing else to do so why not. It's not just the ticket, he wanted the boat off the lake or he'd issue another one. Reid had just enough beers in him for he and I to brave a run later after Barney hung his boat up for the night though.

I'm not sure what the outcome of this is really going to be but it will get addressed.

81nautique wrote: I'm not sure what the outcome of this is really going to be but it will get addressed.

How about quinner blasts some Kid Rock at Barney while everyone takes off for the sand bar. Anyone that's too loud split the cost of that 1 ticket.

Reid , Thats a bunch of crap . I dont know why they wouldnt have a grandfather , for atleast all of the old boats that live on the lake . I do understand that there should be some kind of law for all those newer big boats with the open above water exhaust with the very large or even twin engines . These boats are very loud, probably way louder than ours .

So how was your trip over all ? I hope you had a good time despite the circumstances .

Quinner , Whats a possums pecker look like ? And how would you know ?

That really pisses me off, and it doesn't even effect me directly. I spoke with 81Nautique about this the other night, and he said it was the same cop that was googling the boats at the sandbar on saturday, and then putted up to the pier to look at them on sunday. It seems like he would have something better to do than harass people that bring a lot of money into his little piss-ant town. I would venture a guess that the group of CCfans is probably among the safest boaters on the lake. Sounds like he just needs to get laid.

Rob

So where we meeting next year. Green Lake was getting old anyway. Would be great to visit another state/lake. BKH

I know I'm preaching to the choir,but what makes me mad is no grandfather rule. How can you be expected to comply with a law written 40 yrs later?Our older cars are exempt from such nonsense.I also understand the problem with the knuckleheads and their over the tramson cutouts but a simple year cutoff would solve that problem.Hopefully cooler heads will prevail, at least it was not dropped in our laps at the last second.I don't know if anyone noticed,but I do have mufflers on mine.

Here is the ordinance we have on the Chain and the Fox river-
1. All motorboats shall be equipped and maintained with an effective muffler
or underwater exhaust system. For the purpose of this Section, an
effective muffler or underwater exhaust system is one that does not
produce sound levels that create excessive or unusual noise, or sound
levels that are in excess of 90 decibels when subjected to a stationary
sound level best as prescribed by the Society of Automotive Engineers in
its procedure J2005.
2. No person shall operate a motorboat on the Waterway in a manner to
exceed a noise level of 75 decibels measured as specified in the Society
of Automotive Engineers in its procedure J1970 from any point on the
shoreline, or from any point on the water within 20 feet of the shoreline of
the body of water on which the motorboat is being operated.
July 2006
5. This Section shall not apply to:

Antique watercraft, defined as watercraft with a hull that is more
than 30 years old or boats which have been granted Heritage
Watercraft Identification plaques from the State of Illinois. The
Illinois registration number and, if applicable, the Heritage
Watercraft identification number, shall be deemed evidence of the
applicability of this exception

quote
In general, do not modify your factory exhaust if the result makes it louder!

Basicaly the Wisconsin DNR is clarifying there statement. Either that or they are contradicting themselves . I would say that in a court that this statement would win it for any classic boats .

BKH , You got any input on this subject or statement?

I think the only one that would have a problem would be Trbenj.

So many problems in the world and we're enforcing a single DB!

Chuck

Maybe we can do somthing like this to the cop boats next year!!

Man I love BKH bein' on here...don't always understand all he says but I love the way he says it!

john

The Lake wrote: So many problems in the world and we're enforcing a single DB! Chuck

Chuck,
Today its one decible, tomorrow its two.... pretty soon before you know it , it'll be two and a half, or maybe even three.

The Lake wrote: Yea, then the next thing you know we will all be forced into Bayliners--they're quiet.