22 replies to this topic

[cl@rkey]

How well does sound travel between boats moored along a towpath? For instance, can you hear each other's TV's and radios? I sometimes like to pretend I can play guitar, but would hate the thought of subjecting any neighbours to my tuneless twanging! Do bulkheads offer much in the way of soundproofing? Or will I need to create a special soundproofed cubbyhole for me and my guitar?

[Mac of Cygnet]

How well does sound travel between boats moored along a towpath? For instance, can you hear each other's TV's and radios? I sometimes like to pretend I can play guitar, but would hate the thought of subjecting any neighbours to my tuneless twanging! Do bulkheads offer much in the way of soundproofing? Or will I need to create a special soundproofed cubbyhole for me and my guitar?

Don't worry. Surprisingly little sound penetrates to the outside of boats, even with windows open. I have to turn my speakers up to a level that would be deafening inside even to hear it on the back deck only 15 ft away, and another boat length away it's again inaudible.

[cotswoldsman]

Don't worry. Surprisingly little sound penetrates to the outside of boats, even with windows open. I have to turn my speakers up to a level that would be deafening inside even to hear it on the back deck only 15 ft away, and another boat length away it's again inaudible.

maybe you need to go for a hearing check!!!!
Where are you going this year??

[Joshua]

We recently bought our first narrowboat and it had a ridiculously loud domestic water pump (under sized and stupidly fitted), it reverberated throughout the boat. It was so bad that we made arrangements to replace it immediately.

I cringed every time a tap was turned on and imagined all the neighbours must be getting annoyed so I stood outside the boat while it was running just to hear exactly how bad it was and was absolutely amazed that I couldn't hear it at all!

Thinking about it, when walking around the marina where our boat is temporarily based and where there are hundreds of boats, I don't recall hearing any 'living' sounds from any boats, in fact the peace and calm is one of the features of marina life that has impressed and surprised me most.

Of course, once sound has escaped your boat it will travel well across water because there is nothing in its way to stop it.

Perversely, I wonder whether the sounds of rowing couples might be more common than on land. Warring partners in a house have the option to take flight to a remote room, whilst on a boat, the towpath might be the only escape route, where of course one suddenly goes public.

Then again, I suppose that is unlikely because everyone on the cut loves each other, don't they.



Joshua

[carlt]

I wonder whether the sounds of rowing couples might be more common than on land.

More common, definitely, but the sound of the oars crashing on the ground would be noisier than them gently splashing on the water.

Progress would be much slower, too.

Edited by carlt, 11 March 2012 - 08:27 AM.

[Mac of Cygnet]

maybe you need to go for a hearing check!!!!
Where are you going this year??

Staying oop North, where there's enough water to float the boat. Why, do you want to stay out of earshot?

[cotswoldsman]

Staying oop North, where there's enough water to float the boat. Why, do you want to stay out of earshot?

As I am ooop North this year just wondered if we were going to bump into each other again!!!

[PiRSqwared]

Everyone on the marina where we are knows when I'm practising my trumpet!!

[cl@rkey]

Don't worry. Surprisingly little sound penetrates to the outside of boats, even with windows open. I have to turn my speakers up to a level that would be deafening inside even to hear it on the back deck only 15 ft away, and another boat length away it's again inaudible.

Weird... and wonderful! I really wasn't expecting that answer! My thanks to you & Joshua.

Everyone on the marina where we are knows when I'm practising my trumpet!!

Do you get any complaints?

Or requests?

[Pentargon]

Backing up all that has been said, I can't hear my trannie, (which is permanently on in the galley) from outside! Even when walking down the gunwales with the windows open. At first I was puzzled about this until I realised that Pentargon is a steel tub with maybe 2" of rockwool insulation held in in by 1/2" marine ply and carpet covering the ply in most places. It's one great sound-proof shed.

Edited by Pentargon, 11 March 2012 - 12:50 PM.

[cl@rkey]

Backing up all that has been said, I can't hear my trannie, (which is permanently on in the galley) from outside! Even when walking down the gunwales with the windows open. At first I was puzzled about this until I realised that Pentargon is a steel tub with maybe 2" of rockwool insulation held in in by 1/2" marine ply and carpet covering the ply in most places. It's one great sound-proof shed.

And yet somehow I'd gotten it into my head that bricks and mortar would have the same, if not slightly better, sound insulation - I'm very pleased with that! Where I live currently I wouldn't dare play my guitar at full volume, having heard how thin the walls are when neighbours have argued.

[PiRSqwared]

Do you get any complaints?

Or requests?

I try to keep practice to sociable hours, so no complaints so far - just the odd ribbing. My neighbour tends to turn up his Leonard Cohen up a bit...but that's not a problem as I quite enjoy it!!

[Giggetty]

I try to keep practice to sociable hours, so no complaints so far - just the odd ribbing. My neighbour tends to turn up his Leonard Cohen up a bit...but that's not a problem as I quite enjoy it!!

I looked into this recently as I charge my batteries from the engine (Bukh 20 hp) only.

After installing soundproofing in the engine bay the combined noise as measured by noise meter at steerer's ear level(2m from deckboards) is 83 dBc mainly from the exhaust.

At double the distance and assuming symmetrical propagation and the inverse square law i.e 4m, this falls to 71 dBc and at 6m 59 dBc. This corresponds to an observer on the towpath and is just above and just below normal conversation respectively.

At 10m e.g for someone on the opposite bank, this falls to 35 dBc-whisper levels.

All this is probably irrelevant to your guitar.

[cl@rkey]

All this is probably irrelevant to your guitar.

Yep, my guitar is staring at me rather blankly.

I, on the other hand, admire the levels you went to in measuring the volume:distance ratio of your engine. Bravo!

[Timleech]

I looked into this recently as I charge my batteries from the engine (Bukh 20 hp) only.

After installing soundproofing in the engine bay the combined noise as measured by noise meter at steerer's ear level(2m from deckboards) is 83 dBc mainly from the exhaust.

At double the distance and assuming symmetrical propagation and the inverse square law i.e 4m, this falls to 71 dBc and at 6m 59 dBc. This corresponds to an observer on the towpath and is just above and just below normal conversation respectively.

At 10m e.g for someone on the opposite bank, this falls to 35 dBc-whisper levels.

All this is probably irrelevant to your guitar.

It won't be symmetrical propagation, surely, with an engine exhaust, at least not if it's a horizontal exhaust. Anything roughly in line with the exhaust pipe will receive much more sound than if at, say, 90 degrees or greater to the line. Something conveniently forgotten by some people sitting inside their boat with the engine running to charge batteries, they might be scarcely aware of the engine while someone 'in the firing line' might be having a rather different experience.
That bit is not relevant to the OP's guitar though. Best bet is to stick to social hours, don't turn it up loud if it's electric, and if you have regular neighbours as for instance in a marina, ask them.

Tim

[Bloomsberry]

Yep, my guitar is staring at me rather blankly.

I, on the other hand, admire the levels you went to in measuring the volume:distance ratio of your engine. Bravo!

We use to take both acoustic and electric guitars when we went on canal holidays.

Never had any complaints, even after we'd got back from the pub !

[cl@rkey]

We use to take both acoustic and electric guitars when we went on canal holidays.

Never had any complaints, even after we'd got back from the pub !

Nice one! I only have a cheap old acoustic, so this is all very reassuring.

But I think I'll give any rooftop gigs a miss.

Thanks for all the info!

[Sir Nibble]

I was once kept awake all night by music emanating from a boat a mile away! Having said that, it was deliberate on the part of the noise maker.

[Giggetty]

It won't be symmetrical propagation, surely, with an engine exhaust, at least not if it's a horizontal exhaust. Anything roughly in line with the exhaust pipe will receive much more sound than if at, say, 90 degrees or greater to the line. Something conveniently forgotten by some people sitting inside their boat with the engine running to charge batteries, they might be scarcely aware of the engine while someone 'in the firing line' might be having a rather different experience.
That bit is not relevant to the OP's guitar though. Best bet is to stick to social hours, don't turn it up loud if it's electric, and if you have regular neighbours as for instance in a marina, ask them.

Tim

Of course you're right with respect to the symmetry of engine noise propagation. I measured it from my perspective, standing for hours at the tiller and at some distance from the exhaust. But it is kind of relevant to the guitar, played inside or outside the boat, on one side of it or in relation to sound reflecting surfaces, dock walls etc.

Perhaps he'd better get a noise meter too(I got mine because she is always complaining that I have the telly up too loud-I can clinch things by pointing to the reading and say-there you are 90 decibels, same as it always is)

[Flocal]

Theres is currently issues on the K & A at Honeystreet between the local Parish Council, BW, Police and villagers about the noise issues from moored boats opposite a row of houses.
Its been raised at a past meeting and again this Thursday. People are complaining about engine and generator noise and that the hours of 8am and 8pm are not acceptable.