cfischer

I am sure alot of businesses are hurting from this. Kirby was never packed this year except for Coast Guard. I have a weekly rental property downtown and all rentals were down 40% this year. It's not only the boys in brown on the water, it's also the boy and girls in blue on land. I have never seen officers treat people more horribly in my entire life they way they do in GH. Example: Me and some friends were sitting in front of my house on the porch and in a couple chairs in MY yard on the other side of the sidewalk that I pay taxes on just talking and having a couple of beers when 2 cop cars pulled up and 2 on bikes threating us with tickets for drinking on the other side of the sidewalk. We were all grown men doing nothing wrong and 5 officers come to my house for some bull**** like having a beer in my hand in my yard but on the other side of the sidewalk. Unbelievable!! That's probably another reason they are cracking down because they are spending so much or our tax dollars for **** like that that they need to make it up somewhere so they are cracking down on noise. I am just hoping it all goes away and we get through this year and next year we'll all be back playing hard again!!

As for Granholm, that ***** is more worthless then the fly on the wall!! Her adding more and more alcohol to the fuel is hurting boaters just as much!!

Todd Hartigh

I will have a petition and questionnaire completed mid next week that when submitted will send a copy to local congressman and myself. The ones to me will be brought to the chamber of commerce and a local city meeting.

I think the numbers will be very high. So far there are allot of people that say they came to grand haven every weekend but now avoid it.

Most power boaters spend 300-400 locally per weekend. Multiply that by X many weekends X that many boaters and your talking some serious numbers that local businesses would probably like to hear about.

BL6

Good job Todd!

Why don't all you noisy boats come down to St. Joe for the weekend!

Scott

Wow glad I took the time to read this! Mary and I were planning a trip to G.H. to spend a weekend with friends at Keenan Marina. I called him this morning and invited them to our fall Poker Run on the Detroit river at Ford Yacht club. They accepted! Sorry G.H. you just lost more money I don't need the hassle life's just too short.

If it is the new condo owners complaining I guarantee one of the residence is the "fun police" and has stirred up the enforcement. I hope you folks can beat this or at least make some type of reasonable compromise. Hard to believe a handful of folks complaining and stomping their feet can get their way!
When did my generation become such prudes? I don't understand this! We have more and more laws protecting us from ourselves or making one person happy at the expense of thousands. I can't believe these are the same people that we grew up with. Has it become greed? I am sincerely confused.

But the fact remains because of this thread I have changed my plans. Good luck with your efforts to make someone understand how a few complaints have effected so many.

cfischer

A lady that works for the Grand Haven Tribune is looking to do a story about the noise and harrassments and needs people to call in with their complaints. Will everyone please take 5 minutes and give this lady a call or leave her a message? Please tell your friends.

Marie Havenga
Grand Haven Tribune
616-847-2628

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

In doing some more research, I was unable to find the 90dB noise ordinance listed anywhere on Grand Haven or Ottawa County's web sites, but CORSA's web site did indicate that Michgan has a 90dB limit, measured to SAE-J2005 standards:

"The noise emission test measurements shall be made with the sound level meter at a distance of at least 4 feet above the water at a point where the transom gunwale and port or starboard gunwale intersects. The vessel being tested shall operate its engine at low throttle setting in neutral gear."

In my case, I would agree that the meter was 4' above the water, but it was also in the center of the transom, about 1' back right in line with the center mufflers. I don't know how much difference it would have made 1' forward and at the corner, but it sure as he!! worked to my disadvantage.

Bottom line: If the law is on Michigan's books, it will be hard to fight providing the test is properly administered. The better suggestion may be to apply more leniancy to first-time offenders (and out-of-towners!), and to allow operation in any mode that meets the limits, whether it be Captain's Call or single-engine idling. After all, the point is to keep the noise down, isn't it? Why should anyone care how it's done, as long is it meets the requirements?

Any proposals from the condo owners as to how to quiet down the trains or ship's horns????

Todd Hartigh

C-Spray, If it was a foot of the transom then it was wrong. And if you had passengers they would be a witness as to how the test was performed. Not that you would fight it from out of town.

The rules are 4-5ft above the water and no closer that 3.3ft from the most aft part of the boat.

If they do it from their boat, the test boat will hang past the transom of your boat. That will create an echo, increasing the total db's.

That’s why they don’t want anything within 25' from the transom because it will affect the reading.

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure that I would meet the 90dB limit no matter how the test was done (I measured 97.5 dB!), but I only got a warning anyway. The point was that I was given no grace or slack as an out-of-towner.

KAAMA

iTrader: (1)

I grew up in St. Joe and come down there to run my boat a few times a year and like to run down to Grand Mere and Warren Dunes. I was there during Venetian Fest and may have seen your boat. My friend Ken has an all yellow 32' Active Thunder just like mine with open exhaust he runs a lot out of St. Joe and South Haven.

I live in the Grand Rapids area and I totally AVOID Grand Haven! St. Joe and South Haven are very friendly towards our kind of boaters as long as you're a cool player. I also trailer my boat up to Grand Traverse Bay, Torch Lake, Charlevoix, and some other areas up there a few times a year too.

Nice thread!!!

Queenie

Ohio law is not more than 90db's. They can be really tough on you if they choose to, but they don't go around testing boats for the fun of it.

Fortunately the CG does not check, only ODNR. Sheriff doesn't care.

We were pulled over by ODNR 2 years ago and they checked us using a machine in which the battery was dying. We didn't pass but we didn't get ticketed either because of the battery dying.

We were up in Grand Haven a few weeks ago and saw some of the PVC piping they had coming off the mufflers....that really takes away from the look of a some great looking hardware.