As far as noise and neighbors go, I'll add my story...

About a year ago, a kid bought a house in my subdivision (quiet and kid friendly) during a estate auction (got it way below value). He drives a diesel pickup with a big stack through the bed. After about a month of him tearing up and down the street, I had a not-so-nice talk with him about it. A couple months later on a Saturday afternoon, I pulled my prostreet camaro out to warm it up and take it for a short drive since it sat a lot. He is a car guy and came down with another diesel guy to check out my car.

He said, "Nice car! How come I've never seen it out before?!"

Me, "Because my 8 month old son doesn't appreciate the noise or being woke up from his nap."

Ever since then, the kid babies his truck down the street and I'm very appreciative of it.

Happens in the winter too.... people buy houses on or near a busy snowmobile trail and then complain about the noise. Sometimes nothing happens and other times, if they complain enough, an entire trail has to be routed through the woods or worse if it runs through the complainers property it is closed altogether!

I should also point out the other end of the spectrum.....took my boat up to a friends cottage for a weekend.....they're in a tight little bay with four other cottages all shoulder to shoulder.....when I was mucking around anywhere near the dock I would hit the silent choice to be respectful.....a couple hours in to the first day the owner of one of the other cottages marches out to the dock (I see him coming and think oh oh) and tells me "theres no need to make it quiet around here, let 'er rip buddy!" and gives me a big thumbs up.....so it was open exhaust for the rest of the weekend....made sure everybody in the bay got lots of rides it was a great weekend.

you retirees and you loud boats!!! geesshh! When are you gonna learn!

just kidding! Tell that communist to go stick it!

I was returning to the CT River from the east end of Long Island one day and docked the boat while I ran to get the trailer. While I was doing that a small fishing boat had pulled in right behind me. One of the 'ol timers was hanging at the bow drinking a Coke in a cup when I fired up the engines, it startled him so much he jerked the cup of soda back and drenched himself. He wasn't mad but I made it a point to make sure if there were people around, especially those who I thought had no clue what was going to happen or had small kids I always warned them that it was going to be loud before I fired up the engines. Never had an issue after that.

Also agree with those who said that the loud inconsiderate ones who make it hard for the rest of us when noise laws come down the road. In CT we now have a noise law.

Also agree with those who are puzzled by those who buy homes next to an airport, et al, and complain. I live near Lime Rock, a race track in upper CT. A lawyer bought a house directly across from the track and sued it for noise stating that on Sunday's it interfered with her ability to worship. She won and now the track can't host a race or club event on Sundays.

I'm lost for words. Oh, well, happens once a year.

So were a lot of people when it happened. And the lawyers on this site wonder why some here are losing respect for their profession.

As a kid growing up on the north shore of Lake Simcoe in Ontario I remember with great fondness the sound of open piped boats ripping down the bay. My brother and I would go running down to the dock anytime something unusual showed up. My parents would roll their eyes and occasionally complain that the noise was unnecessary. We'd explain very carefully to them how impressive some of that machinery was and how much work went into building those pieces of art. The didn't buy it.

One day without telling them we loaded our boat on a trailer and returned with it a week later - motor raised, nose cone and low water pickup added and two big holes drilled in the shaft to relieve the exhaust. They were not happy...

One summer evening a bright yellow Apache with bright red stand-up bolsters came blasting by, it was unbelievably loud. I loved it and spent the weekend chasing it down just to hear it start up. That was around 88/89, never did find out who owned that boat.

Back then 100MPH was a huge deal. Now when I go and visit I can sit and watch literally dozens of triple digit capable boats go by each day. The rigs running up Kempenfelt seem to stick mostly to the middle of the bay so the noise levels aren't all that loud. 20 years on and my brother and I still jump up from the dinner table to catch a glimpse of what is running by. That'll never get old.

This past summer at the Naples town docks in Maine i started my scarab and a lady standing towards the back of the boat jumped and screamed! When I turned and looked at her she gave me a nasty look and said something but I couldnt hear her anyways

I guess now that I think about it I could have yelled "fire in the hole!"

My mistake!

I bought a set of muffs before I came to Florida for the winter. Sux to cave in but... I did and I even like them now