Generator Etiquette

[defever]

Don Lucas...i totally agree w/ you---w/ 2 major exceptions...BBQ smoke??? nuthin better to my nose... cooking smells??? if it's from a good cook (w/ tons of garlic, of course), let 'er rip!!!

the noise of an on-deck generator (i don't give a rat's a@s if it is a honda) is very irritating---even in the day... otherwise, if it's going thru some type of muffler it's fine w/ me as long as the gen-set boat doesn't anchor all over me--but that's another story..

[Lucky Larry]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I'm not quite sure the reason for this thread when I read the last post. Is it to justify bothering others? If you have had complaints then your generator is bothering other boaters. If not, then you have a quiet generator and it should be no worry. One does have to be aware that sound travels very well through water most boats are very poorly insulated, so sound travels into the boat easily.

I didn't state the question very well.

I've never had any complaints, nor witnessed any visual signs of irritation on the faces of any nearby boats. On our next outing I'll start the genset and paddle away in the kayak to get a better idea of how far away it can be heard. I'll try to position us at least that far from other boats when we arrive in an anchorage. And if I see someone anchoring inside that range I'll let them know our plans.


Lucky Larry

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

- halyards slapping

This is my #1 marina annoyance.

All night long, CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG.

It takes ten seconds to tighten your halyards.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

This is my #1 marina annoyance.

All night long, CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG.

It takes ten seconds to tighten your halyards.

tightening doesnt do anything except for a few minuets--- is easier to befoul em around the shrouds and keep em off the mast entirely--also better for the halyards' longevity factor.

most of the problem with gensets, per se, is the diesel exhaust into the boat directly down wind of it....

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by zeehag

tightening doesnt do anything except for a few minuets--- is easier to befoul em around the shrouds and keep em off the mast entirely--also better for the halyards' longevity factor.

+1

Right. Tightening halyards doesn't do anything against slap. You have to frap them, or loop them around a shroud.

[clockwork orange]

My #1 marina annoyance is all the boats with airconditioners on shore power with the sound of running water 24/7, even when the boatowner has gone for the week, hell, some of these boats have multiple appliances continually running water into the bay, cant the stuff a hose into the thru hull to lead it to the water without all the racket, im glad i dont keep my boat in a marina. They should group them all together away from the quieter boats. And yes,halyards are annoying but east to fix as others have pointed out.
Steve

[zeehag]

lol--mine doesnt pee water into the bay--just dribbles off my decking and down my hull...but it does make a very nice quiet sound of a motor running, and sometimes a lil plastic on plastic vibration noise...would prolly drive ye to drink!!!

[David M]

I don't think there are any rules of etiquette to this. Just look around and see who you might be upsetting. I think someones right to a peaceful anchorage has a higher priority than someone else's right to air conditioning.

[Khagan1227]

I'm in the halyards slapping being the biggest noise maker crowd.

@Larry, thanks for being thoughtful and asking the question. We try to anchor in places so we have the anchorage to ourselves. Occasionally someone will wander in and anchor nearby. My opinion, if you come to the party late, don't complain that I already picked out the music.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by David M

I don't think there are any rules of etiquette to this. Just look around and see who you might be upsetting. I think someones right to a peaceful anchorage has a higher priority than someone else's right to air conditioning.

unless in tropix-- then airconditioning is a life saving deevise....but, again, i will betchye that yours will drown out the obnoxious noise from the neighbors......

geez--all this intolerance---- wow.... havent really found that ou t here--- i did find an obnoxious halyard slapper with no indication he was a problem----boat name says synchrony-- stay to other side of anchorage from him---his halyards slap noisily in 10 kts-15 kts wind. they are in sea of cortez--i do hope he learns how noisey his boat is---he leaves before wind comes up and doesnt return until well after the noise has ceased

[David M]

Originally Posted by zeehag

unless in tropix-- then airconditioning is a life saving deevise....but, again, i will betchye that yours will drown out the obnoxious noise from the neighbors......

geez--all this intolerance---- wow.... havent really found that ou t here--- i did find an obnoxious halyard slapper with no indication he was a problem----boat name says synchrony-- stay to other side of anchorage from him---his halyards slap noisily in 10 kts-15 kts wind. they are in sea of cortez--i do hope he learns how noisey his boat is---he leaves before wind comes up and doesnt return until well after the noise has ceased

Well yeah, if you pull into an anchorage that already sounds like an R/V campsite with the music going, the dogs barking, the kids yelling and the gensets going then sure, fire up the genset.

[Cheechako]

All night? Bad behavior! Are you going in the summer? Never felt the need for ac in 3 years in the carribean, except on the hard in trini.

[ReMetau]

If somebody wants to run their generator all night, then that is their business.

[zeehag]

in mazatlan in summer, is a different story than caribean--in caribean there are anchorages that do not provide massive anchor drag in more than 20 kts breeze--mazatlan doesnt have that. this cheap LG window unit is not heard from my boat to others--i have it mounted in a window on other side of boat from neighbors....i cannot hear other folks's aircond or generators over it. i CAN smell their ciggy smoke when they stand on my dock and smoke directly upwind from me--is strong. is no reason for anyone to be standing on my dock, as i am only boat on it.

when i am anchored, i havent need of airconditioning. after my repairs, damn thing is for sale.......

[Bill Lee]

What ever happened to "do unto others....". Some people are quite picky but it all comes down to what is reasonable. Generally speaking, there comes a point in the evening IN AN ANCHORAGE when sleep should be respected. If you are tucked out of the way somewhere and some bozo comes in to crowd you out - sink his ship - OK, that's a little extreme - how about just set fire to his dinghy? I'm kidding! Just because he's a jerk doesn't mean that you should be. Again, it all depends and there's usually a mid point between what we want and what others don't want. Cheers,
Bill