Wisconsin noise laws (per MR. dick)
 

You think your noise laws are bad? This is the heartland of Mercury performance and testing area up in Fond-u-lac area.
I too have had problems with the DNR pulling me over for noise on Sunday. Total ****heads. Mr. DNR told us in no uncertain words " We do not want you kind of boates on our water. Our job will be done when you are no longer here" Can you friggin beleive this????? the DNR here think that they are above the almighty and certainly have the attitude to go along with it.
As boaters, we all need to form some kind of alliance to combat this serious problem. There will be no waterways to boat on if this is allowed to keep happening. There happened to be a poker run back a couple of weeks ago, and numerous boaters received tickets from the DNR for noise. Rumor has it they will be waiting at the Sturgeon bay run, waiting for the boats to be taken off the trailers and fired up. What the heck is happening here people?????
I guess the wonderful state of Wisconsin does not want me to spend any of my money here and does not give a flying ****.
Any ammunition that anyone has regarding this, please let me know. I am going to begin proceedings to try and get this resolved. Little Tommy

Ok, I am starting think the environmentalists have already jump started this crusade nation wide. Is it me? Or does it seem to be the year of the noise complaints?
Here is a message for the people of NJ:

Anyone that does boating in NJ with a powered vessel be it Outboard or Inboard should do their best to attend this next meeting. This meeting is being held at Bay Head Yacht Club, July 9th 10:00AM and I can assure you, every sailboater and environmentalist will be there. Rumor has it, that the next attack from these groups is about Noise Pollution. Whether you have a center console fishing boat, hi performance boat, or a cruiser, we all will be affected. They are already rallying their people to attend. So here I will do my part to inform the powerboat community of the coming meeting. Hopefully many can attend and we will see who's voices are the loudest ......
Use link below for further information...

The chariman of the Sturgeon Bay run, Jeff Tebon, said that a new state law was passed in WI. Maximum noise is 86db. I still don't have any idea how that is measured, but maybe a searc on the WI state website would help.

He said that the DNR has told him they will NOT be testing on the day of the S.B. Poker Run, but they WILL be testing the days before and after it.

Jeff runs a 42 Fountain and was installing mufflers this past weekend - guess that says it all

This sucks!! :mad: :mad:

little tommy for president!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Current WI law states that:

Your boat MUST have mufflers AND maintain a db level not to exceed 86db. If they determine that you are running without mufflers, they do not even have to test you because you are already quilty.

I was stopped years ago and the DNR guy had a small briefcase full of goodies. First thing he asked me is "are you running mufflers", I was, the next thing he did was pulled out a db meter, PVC pipe and some fittings. He put the contraption together and measured my idle at <3' back> and <3'up> and took a reading. That was my last boat and it read 84db so he pushed away and said "have a good day".

What really gets me is the damn Harley's on the street. Damn near everyone out there is louder than any performance boat and everyone seems to praise them for being loud... go figure.

How to fight it?, I would bring up the Harley scenario and yell and scream at my Politicians. :mad:

Jeff, I agree about the Harley issue. I heard the DNR wrote 100 tickets for noise yesterday in Winneconne. At $138 a crack it should not take long for them to get themselves a nice bonus.
They actually set up so that they could get there reading as the boats went by on plane at Duck Island.
There's a lot of people looking to make there boats quiet.

Bill

doesnt any of these law makers know loud boats save
lives too :(

if someone is coming up behind me i sure know it before my perifial (sp) vision does.

I was up on the river this past Sunday. When I was there, my dealer warned me that the DNR was busting every performance boat they came across. He stated that if I went up river that I would be stopped and cited. They apparently are now starting a crack down and that this is some sort of policy from a higher level. Wisconsin unfortinatly does not recognize a operable muffler-the system must be full time. This really sucks because the only solution is to have some sort of tumor hanging off the back of the boat. The good news is that CMI is comming out with a new muffler thats supposed to be effective AND affordable. Too bad it isn't pretty. :(

I was also one of the people that got a ticket, I was going to pay the ticket and say the hell with it, but what I think we should do is show up in court on Aug the 6th, I think we all have the same court date. If we flood the courts over this and point out that we are getting harrassed, the judges are not going to be all to happy.

RonS - Now that's thinking! There's strength in numbers and we'll all be pullin' for ya'. If I didn't live in TN, I'd be right with you.

Good luck with it and let us now the outcome.

Jeff