Quest for Speed

New sound measurement law AB-1555 goes into effect January 1, 2005. Boats will be measured at idle from 1.5 meatures from exhuast and can not exceed 88dbs for boats manufactured after 1993 and 90dbs for those before. The one good part for now is that the law only applies within one mile of the shoreline. For those that have silent choice their "may" be a loop hole.

I know that I wrote a letter to my Assemblyman and tried contacting him several times as well as sending him information regarding sound levels of everyday items such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, street cleaners etc. that would not pass this test and are more disruptive on a daily basis than our boats.

I hope some others sent their thoughts on the matter to their assemblyman.

I just wish that we were as organized as the guys with the sail boats that initiated this law.

By the way, I have yet to get a response from my Assemblyman and noticed he did not vote on the bill. I have sent him an e-mail to find out why and ask him if I would have his support in challenging the new law.

Tom

Does this law apply to ocean, bay and other coastal water, or just lakes?

DanB

Wont be long before the rest of the states follow suit. Damn!!!!
Thats why I left CA. Every nutcase in the world that has a bull$hit cause gets there way in CA. and then everybody else tags along. You guys need to get The Arnold elected. And get that a$$hole Davis kicked out!!!! Wish it was like the good old days when Reagan was Gov.
Sorry to hear it guys.

Peconic

Guys, don't think this is just a CA issue. When it comes to environmental legislation, CA sadly is a harbinger of things to come in YOUR state.

NASBLA ( http://www.nasbla.org/ ) and their friends at the Bluewater Network ( http://www.bluewaternetwork.org/ ) are working hard at driving our boats to extinction.

As it stands, it looks like the only way to comply with AB-1555 is below the waterline exhaust.

This is not a local issue. Fight it now.

Peconic

Tom: It applies to all waters. From the CA Dept. of Boating and Waterways legislative report:

"AB 1555 (Nakano). Motorboat Noise, New SAE Standards. Existing law prohibits the operation of motorized recreational vessels, in or upon the inland waters of the state, that exceed specified noise levels specified in Society of Automotive Engineers standards.

AB 1555 would:

delete the existing SAE J34 procedure for measuring recreational motorboat noise, establish, for recreational vessel engines manufactured before January 1, 1993, a maximum noise level of 90 dB(A) when subjected to a stationary sound level test conducted in accordance with SAE standard SAE J2005,
establish, for recreational vessel engines manufactured on or after January 1, 1993, a maximum noise level of 88 dB(A) when subjected to a stationary sound level test conducted in accordance with SAE standard SAE J2005, establish, for recreational vessel engines, a maximum noise level of 75 dB(A) measured as specified by SAE J1970, a shoreline sound level measurement procedure. Allow the aforementioned motorboat noise provisions to be operative within coastal waters, which are presently excluded.
Sponsor: Bluewater Network "

PhantomChaos

Can you post this info on the SCOPE board too please?????

Peconic

.. with friends like this, who needs enemies:

From the website of the Soputhern Californian Marine Association
( http://www.scma.com/gov_watch.htm )

SCMA PROPOSES AMENDMENT DRAFT COPY TO AB 1555

In response to AB 1555 (Boat Engine Noise) which was introduced in the California Assembly on February 21, 2003 by Assemblyman George Nakano, SCMA has submitted amended draft copy to our Sacramento lobbyist which would defer and raise the proposed decibels limits on boat engine noise. In its present form, AB 1555 calls for immediate decibel limits of 88 dB(A) (engines manufactured after January 1, 1993) and 90 dB(A) (engines manufactured before January 1, 1993) measured under SAE J 2005 (stationary test) criteria. It also stipulates a maximum of 75 dB(A) under SAE J 1970 (shoreline test) criteria. SCMA’s proposed amendments ask for higher decibel limits and a longer implementation period. Under J 2005 protocol, decibel limits would be modified to read: engines 1993 and after; 92 dB(A), 90dB(A) — January 1, 2005, and 88 dB(A) — January 1, 2007; engines 1993 and before; 94 dB(A), 92 dB(A) — January 1, 2005, and 90 dB(A) — January 1, 2007. Under J 1970 protocol, decibel limits would be modified to read: 82 dB(A), 78 dB(A) — January 1, 2005, and 75 dB(A) — January 1, 2007. SCMA has taken this position based upon input from numerous Southern California based performance boat manufacturers who feel that AB 1555 requires unrealistic decibel limits given available marine exhaust silencing technology."

So the position of this industry group was: Nothing wrong with the law, but give us some extra decibels and a little more time. And they failed.

They also tried to prevent boat owners from selling their boats via eBay. And thankfully, they failed also. (Same website..)

Tom

This section does not apply to motorized recreational vessels
competing under a local public entity or United States Coast Guard
permit in a regatta, in a boat race, while on trial runs, or while on
official trials for speed records during the time and in the
designated area authorized by the permit. In addition, this section does not apply to motorized recreational vessels preparing for a race or regatta if authorized by a permit issued by the local entity having jurisdiction over the area where the preparations occur.


Perhaps I can claim to be doing a trial run for a race since mine looks like a race boat.

Quest for Speed

Sorry I have not been able to reply to responses today, I actually had to work, hate that! All of the previous responses are correct! This applies to ALL waterways in CA including the ocean!!

Peconic is right, the only boats that will pass are well insulated gas engines with exhaust below the waterline. If you have poor engine compartment insulation you may not pass because the engine itself, not the exhaust may read over 88dbs.

The only things I see giving us a short term reprieve is that the testing procedure is full of loopholes if the inspecting officer does not follow procedure to a T, AND you get a judge that is willing to follow the law as written (yah right). The only other loophole I see that MAY be possible is that the law only applies to within 1 mile of shore. IF and its a big if, you have an exhaust diversion like silent choice you may be able to idle out to 1 mile and then let loose. This does make all rivers and most lakes off limits in a little over a year!!!

I have tried to get support from OSO, SCOPE and a couple of fishing websites I frequent (yah, yah, laugh if you must) and have not gotten much support to oppose this law. I do not understand why power boaters do not have the same conviction that sail boaters do?

Phantom, I did post a small blurb on the SCOPE site but It looks like most of the members read OSO more often than the SCOPE board. I hate to put you on the spot but YOU are the one person that could bring at least the offshore guys together. I am willing to put in time and energy to fight this and can contact some of the people I know in the fishing community to help us. The hard part about the fishing guys is most of them have bellow the waterline exhaust and will be tougher to get support unless I can convince them that this will affect them in the future if not now.

PLEASE, everyone that has an interest in saving this sport, across the country, contact your local government officials and SCREAM for your RIGHT to own an offshore boat!!!!