Like most on this website I have never actually been around a turbine boat. Only watched YouTube videos.

I do notice though that noone ever has ear protection on - The sound on the videos always sounds like it would be unbearable after a couple minutes, but what is it like in person? Do the video cameras exasserbate the sound or pick up the worst frequencies?

Do you think over the long haul that kind of noise is more or less harmful than regular unmuffled engine noise that the majority of us are exposed to?

As someone that made the transition from Big chief PSI 557,s
to Turbines. Turbines are a totally different sound. Very high pitched. Long rides will where you down without ear protection.
Piston engines are without a doubt louder up close aswell
as from a distance.

Videos will not record the frequency of the 26000 rpm turbine.
I would guess that the decibels created by a big block would
be physically worse.

Wearing ear protection takes the edge off the people on-board
telling you to slow down aswell.

I would think headphones would be almost necessary on a turbine boat...

Just seems like that high pitch whine would leave you with a ringing in your ears after a while - the kind of ringing that would never go away.....

wheres JBS Jeff at ?????

Wearing ear protection around any engine is preferable if you are concearned about hearing loss over longtearm exposure.
Turbines are deafening when standing anywhere near them.They dont sound loud while running-you realy are hearing the props violating the water.
The turbine noise inside the boat (with a helmet on) is non-existant and very tollerable without any hearing protection.

the damaging noise from a turbine you dont hear use to run them in test cells were told to always wear head sets or ear protection had my ears tested and i have trouble with high pitch sounds not hearing them from the turbins ran them for about ten years

Yeah - I guess what I was really getting at was given the same amount of pleasure boating each year is that turbine whine worse for your ears than a couple big blocks.....

JBS - I was really wondering about open cockpit pleasure boats. I've just never been around one (and probably will never have the opportunity to be) so I was just curious....

Both my AME and the regional flight surgeon have warned me about the hearing damage that will occur if no attempt is made to protect the ears near an operating turbine engine or especially when flying. I imagine it would be the same for a turbine powered boat. It's the sounds not detected by the human ear that apparently do the damage. I guess that's why most of the old high time guys I know who didn't wear any ear protection throughout the years all wear hearing aids now.

i`cant hear a word you're sayin............