BA campaigns against engine running

[Polly]

I really welcome the news in our BA newsletter that engine running is being highlighted as antisocial and contravening the byelaws.

There will be posters at moorings and the boatyard keys will hopefully carry a fob with 'Wear it' in one side and a message re engine running on the other.

Last time we were at Salhouse I had fears for our health and safety on the score of the boat next door running with a hot exhaust next to our cockpit awning. We had fumes coming in, so being British, we moaned and did nothing for some time,  then I got really spooked and was about to approach them when they cut the engine and we could literally breathe easily again! (The carbon monoxide alarm stayed silent so I was hoping it was right!)

Classic  sailies have a very low freeboard so are vulnerable to this kind of thing. 

[BroadScot]

Intesting news Polly, I wonder what Richos will do with all the new boats like Broadway as there is a notice on the dashboard lights, if it drops to a certain colour, run your engine!

Iain

[Hockham Admiral]

Even more alarming, Poll, is if you're moored next to a high-freeboard boat and its heating exhaust is anywhere near an open window on your boat.

Why, Oh Why, don't they put ALL diesel heaters' exhausts on the same side???

They definitely DO pour out CO...   

[JennyMorgan]

I agree with Pauline on this one although i think that the campaign is a tad overdue. Will folk who have paid a premium to hire a 'super' boat take heed of the notices though? They have paid big bucks for all the comforts of home, blow the poster, start the engine! 

[BroadScot]

I wonder what Clive thinks of the latest development? The notice I mentioned, is stamped on the dashboard.

Iain

[johnb]

I think at least if there are signs we can refer to, we have a little more behind us than just being accused of moaning for the sake of it. Most people must know of the dangers of breathing in exhaust fumes. It's the noise that really winds me up though. (Maybe the fumes will put me to sleep and I won't hear the noise!

[Liberty]

Totally agree with the noise, especially between 8 and 8.  I would say, however, we need more electricity points to counter the increasing demand on the electric systems aboard.  I know this has been done to death but there has to be an alternative to running engines on offer.  I have no issue at all in paying the occasional £1 to charge batteries and run other goodies.

[ChrisB]

Wonderful news, anything that limits this antisocial nuisance is welcome.

I would not worry so much about CO as it would not normally build up once out of the exhaust but the diesel soot particles from unfiltered engines are highly cancer forming and very dangerous to anyone with respiratory problems.

[ChrisB]

Forgot to say. You would not willingly stand by a truck or bus exhaust for a couple of hours or more so why should you be subjected to carcinogenic atmospherics at a mooring because you probably can't go elsewhere.

[Hockham Admiral]

A BA provided SUV?

[ChrisB]

Some years ago it was an X type that he got out of to take guests on Ra when it was at Barton.

[Gracie]

I have never understood why people feel the need to run their engines for hours on end at moorings, it's rude, anti social and a ruddy nuisance. We cruise long enough to have hot water for showers and the like in the evening, if not boil a kettle. In the main we normally hire older Boats, no mod cons, just the basics but more than adequate after a few hours cruising for hot water and heating etc.The way I see it, you are on a Boat, in the middle of all things country side and nature, why on earth would you want a whirlpool bath, flat screen tv and the like, stay at home or in a posh hotel, take it for what it is, a boating holiday not a ruddy cruise ship.

Grace

[LondonRascal]

I've gotta disagree about Broadsman being a quite boat externally as I have found them very noisy particularly when one passes you underway.

This is because there is only a small silencer between the engine and exhaust exit and very little space between that and the exhaust on the hull so there just is not the opotunity for sound to be reduced to the degree it could be without running the exhaust to exit further down the boat.

Frequency has a lot to do with ones perception of sound too - a low frequency sound is harder to 'place' as to where it may be coming from, and often more annoying than a higher frequency.  A good example was when aboard Brinks Rhapsody - while it had a Beta Marine engine, the exhaust was of the underwater sort, so you only had to deal with the noise of the engine coming through its soundproofed enclosure (this was small) what you heard a lot more of was the cooling fans for both the AC generator attached to the engine and cooling fans for the charging system.  Since these were of a higher frequency than an exhaust note, they caused a great deal less disturbance.

Some boats also have double silencer systems - a smaller plastic water lock will lead into a larger drum like metal pot (they can also be plastic) and result in virtually no engine noise leaving the exhaust just the splash of the cooling water.

There are however far far more boats out there - especially older ones with BMC/Perkins that do cause a lot more smoke and noise. In many ways therefore the older generation less modern boats will cause the most noise pollution.  Their heating systems will be older and perhaps have less silencing on their exhausts too, their alternators will be of a lower amperage and often only have one - meaning batteries take longer to charge.  With older strip lighting sucking more amps than modern LED units it also means the (on average) 2 domestic batteries will be 'well used'.

I have nothing against the running of an engine, even at a mooring but not really early in the morning and not in the evening it about respecting those around you - or doing as I try to, being away from other boats, or moored at the end of a mooring so should I need to depart early I am least likely to disturb others.

 

 

[ChrisB]

Agree with Robin re Broadsman. Last year one passed us going downstream near Acle. It was admittedly flat out but it was making a hell of a racket. We both said that it was the next generation of connoisseur in the making!

[ChrisB]

Forgot to say again. Don't just blame the hire fleets for this problem. There are plenty of private ones guilty as well. Although often boats outed by the hire companies I admit.

[Polly]

I think NBSA are getting the tags for members too.

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, Jonzo said:

This is the problem - It'd be lovely to have absolute quiet at every mooring wouldn't it....

I think the problem is likely to be the older boats, which have flourescent lighting, knackered batteries and noisy old engines. They're much more likely to need to run the engine, and you're much more likely to notice it.

Having run a Broadsman on a mooring (during daylight hours), you can barely hear them ticking over, and the engine is exhausted on the starboard side where you never moor, so all that sort of stuff has been thought through.

As others have said, if PacMan wants quiet moorings then he needs to provide hookup.

Jonzo, just curious, why would you never moor on your starboard side? If I arrived a little early at Yarmouth, coming from Reedham, and caught the tail of the ebb then I would most certainly want to lay with the starboard side to the bank.

I don't think that it is just Packman that wants quiet moorings, for once most of us agree with him!

[JennyMorgan]

I rather like the title of this thread, 

BA campaigns against engine running

[johnb]

Peter, do not give them ideas, not even in jest!!

[BroadScot]

I assume that the BA rangers will be starting work earlier, or working later to catch the offending engine runners? Just a thought.

Iain

[BroadScot]

1 minute ago, Jonzo said:

In their purpose-built electric-powered stealth boat?

Ah that's the reason for the Toll increase then

Iain

[ranworthbreeze]

I guess we have all been in the situation of encountering an hire boat (all electric, no gas) that has to use the engine to heat the water for a shower or boil a kettle.

Our worse case was at Loddon where a boats engine was on for 3 hours in the late afternoon/evening.

Most of the crews do not have an idea how noisy the engine is from inside their boats.

As already stated we have talked this topic to death over the last few years.

Regards

Alan

[LadyPatricia]

Just turn you music up, that does the trick. Cliff Richard booming out full volume usually drowns out their engine noise and 8 out of 10 tend to move on somewhere else 

 

 

Steve

[Gracie]

Steve, I find blasting out Justin Bieber pretty much leaves you with plenty mooring options

Grace

[LadyPatricia]

I'd find just blasting Justin Bieber quite calming