We have several people told they must remove their boats from the lake or be arrested. They will not be allowed back until they meet the 86 dB level. Almost impossible and very expensive.

We are writing everyone we can think of including the media. We had pretty much a blow up Sunday at the lake. As a 38 Formula was being escorted away to be tested, bunches of boats fired up and rev'ed their motors. It was ugly. Not only is this new law wasting law enforcements time where it could possibly be better spent focusing on safety issues, it has now created a major rift between us (power boaters) and house boaters as we have told them that if we get checked, we will insist that they get checked also. Lots of the older house boats will not pass. I hate to do this but fair is fair, right?

Totally rediculous, This is why we have manditory flare guns, 99% of boaters have cell phones along and a majority have marine radios. Its all about the $$$ to cash in. What a bunch of water running bandits.

So stop bit**in and come north! I don't recall anyone up here gettin messed with for sound. The water cops here are pretty chill for the most part. Just watch out for the Coasties!!! Reguardless...Lake Charlevoix, and Little Traverse Bay on Lk MI is a great place to boat, with little or no harassment.

You are kidding about Vermont.... They are one of the toughest states going, if you sneeze to loud they will write you up and then if you don't use enviroment safe tissue you will get another violation.

Vermont, Above 82 decibels Prohibited = Civil Violation $300

Saugatuck, MI is a fun place to go! I was just down there this past Saturday and had a great time! I got back and took the boat back down Sunday. Partied on the docks all night walking around with drinks in hand and the cops came up and shot the **** with us all night. Grand Haven is just having a bad year. Hopefully it will turn around next year and it will be back to normal.

I agree up north is great! I boat on the Bay and Torch lake 90% of the time and the cops don't even give me a second look. But I am concerned that this may spread throughout the state.

And the fact that these cops are pulling this crap and getting away with it irritates the chit out of me! :angry-smiley-055:

When a police officer orders you to start your engine for a db test, politely refuse. It's not like a breath test that counts against you if you refuse. I would love to see what they try and cite you for when you refuse. I'll take that citation before a judge every day of the week and have the officer explain that he ticketed you for refusing to pull your boat off of a sandbar and start it up.

The intelligent alternative to the inane demand of making you start the boat is to make all boats pass a noise test the same way a car has to pass an emissions test. You would be required to have your boat tested once a year or once every two years to be certified as complying with the noise regulations. You would get some form of paperwork after the test showing compliance.

Now, you're all thinking that they will never go for this since you could just change the exhaust right after the test, but the same is true for emissions testing and that has been around for years since the Fed gov made such tests mandatory. Propose an alternative to the legislature rather than merely *****ing about how things are currently done. Politicians are stupid. Do the work for them, let them take the credit and enjoy the fruits of your labor later.

Last year was just as bad. They have decided noisy boats don't have a smuch clout as rich homeowners.

Somehow we spent the weekend in GH right before Coast Guard fest and were not bothered at all. Then a few weekends later down in Holland same Sheriff dept stopped us.
Told me to stop using my silent choice & wrote a R&R ticket.

Just 1/2 hour prior I had spoken with manager at Eldeans Shipyard on seasonal slip rentals with lifts. I e-mailed him the following week & said forget that & explained why. I rec'd a thoughtful reply from Wade Eldean.

I also spoke with Marine Sargent who is in charge of all this mess trying to get clarification on R&R. He said homeowners assoc. bought them equipment for every boat & will provide anything they need. Homeowners also have sheriifs dept on speed dial, and call to complain at every opportunity. They were also quite upset about a cove called "Hankey Pank". The guy was ok and we talked about the whole subject for quite a while, but obvoiusly disagreed.

I feel for you guys up there, but for me its going to be a long frinkin time before I go back there.


About 12 yrs ago there was a poker run out of St. Joe headed north, when the boats entered So Haven some rum dum DNR guy ticketed every boat. Afterward everybody raised hell and I think tickets were overlooked and the guy got in trouble. Officers went out of their way to be nice for a long time. My brother-in-law as well as many others would not go back to that port for 10 yrs afterwards. And we finally took him there this summer. I think there's been enough turn over in various depts that no one remembers now.

We were there last nite, Larry says the rest of the dock is going to be slips next year, no more Oral Gables:greenchainsaw: I can't believe they sold out to the dock sitters, we used to get 50+ boats on that dock. Saugatuck is now closed and dead. Go to Pigeon Lake (Port Sheldon), it has become a good spot but no nite life.