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"Loud Airboats" just a thought............

A

Anezangl

Well-known member
I was driving home from work tonight thinking about the airboat noise subject, (There are a couple active threads that are touching on this " touchy" subject.) when I looked down at my temp gage and realized my little truck was overheat'n! All I had to put in the radiator was a bottle of "Power aid", I poured it in and continued on my way still think'n about noisy airboats.

Let me say I FEEL all arguments that have been made BUT, you all agree that "Its the Law" and I know that having a law repealed don't happen to often!

Keep in mind this is a ROUGH draft of an idea coming from someone who doesn't even own an airboat but has dreams of that day! ( That counts right?)

Many of you on one thread or another have spoke of how you believe that our "Passion", Heritage, sport, right, therapy, anger management and or family time, might be taken away because of the fellow airboaters that are not in compliance with the current muffler law. I hear of counties were we are already banned!

On other threads many have spoke about a need to be seen in the public eye as the good , hard working, law abiding folks that you are.

Others have stated that the powers that be do not know us and our life styles and will pass laws etc. based on what they read and hear about us. ( I write like I'm one of you!:D )

I was thinking, if we really want to put mufflers on our "Passion", impress the "Powers that be", and show the public that we are who we want them to see we are then what better way than to Police our own 'Passion" , heritage, sport, right, therapy, anger management and or family time. At the next counsel meeting tell the powers that be that we want them to help us help them make airboat noise enforcement happen.

1) We set up a committee of some sort, appoint, vote in, volunteer, ourselves to take notice of the boats we see when we are out ride'n. Simply take down FL numbers of those that do not have mufflers as required by law.

2) When a airboat in violation of the law is spotted the FL numbers get reported to a collection database ( maybe right here on SA )

3) The committee takes these numbers and cross reference them to a data base we request from the powers that be and identify the owner of the boat in violation.

4) We send the owner a letter in the mail very happily explaining our position on the law and that we are simply looking out for ALL airboaters , both them and us so that we might protect the "Passion" for generations to come. All while introducing them to SA.

5) We make available verification check points in different counties every so often at the favorite launches, on a certain hill, on a dry marsh, marked by a flag flown on an identified airboat, to enable these folks to drop by and show off their new mufflers.

6) For those that don't want to play......after a certain length of time ( decided at the start of program) we turn their FL number over to the "powers that be" and let them send them a double fine or some form of discipline.

I said it was a rough draft of an idea but, if youre serious about protecting our "Passion" then it could be a start. Think of the media we could get from this!

You know I think that power aid actually gave my little truck more horse power or something, it seemed to have more pep the rest of the way home! :D Thunder! I may be on to something! :p
 
gee think aboat the a$$ kickin ya might get . I hope we dont become rats or para military air boaters big brother is bad enough

.
 
Mike - you are a boater and the fact that you are working towards your dream of owning an airboat makes it fine when you say "us". The way I see it you are an airboater - looking for your boat.
Heck, you are approaching this better than some folks who have a pile of cash, and order a boat and THEN begin to learn the ways of airboating. You are to be commended for your research before the fact.

A thought about your plan....

Overall - it's mostly good the way I see it. I agree that some form of self policing that has some teeth and meaning would be a good thing. As was once mentioned: PEER PRESSURE.

I fear the abuse of it though.

Wether it's enforcement by us or by other ways - we need more enforcement.

I have a new-found respect for those waterfront homeowners who complain.
At the recent Freedom Ride on the Kissimmee chain when camping on the edge of the lake.... we were all awakened saturday morning by some boats out frogging. I stood there and took a compass heading - later compared it to the map - those boats that woke us all up were over a mile and a half away and behind some trees (up on dead river). NO MUFFLERS - one had a warp drive prop which was also loud. We heard a lot of motor sound - if these boats had mufflers - they were not very effective.
I was rather surprised at how loud it was and how well the sound carried across the water.

I like the idea of self policing - but not to hand out a citation - but maybe submit the hull # to the FWC or FAA and have them send out some literature and persuasion. And possibly followup to see if they have put mufflers on.

But not to be a muffler rat squad or gestapo brute squad.
I know that's not what you had in mind.
 
Airboat NAZI'S aint going to work but I do agree that it's about time for everyone to get on board with the mufflers. I am one of those people that has a loud boat "I KNOW THIS AND TRY MY BEST TO BE AS COURTEOUS AS POSSIBLE TO EVERYONE AROUND ME" Ifin peer pressure works great but turning in someone's hull numbers is just going to create more tension in our ranks. (and probably a few a fights between boaters that would lead to just more bad press) There's a law on the books that states that you must have mufflers and sooner or later the FWC and other LEO's are going to start to inforce this law, In a perfect world everyone would have mufflers and no one would get ticketed ( MAN WOULD THAT MAKE US LOOK BETTER IN THE EYE'S OF JOHN Q. PUBLIC) But we all know that this aint no perfect world. This is just my 2 cent$ and anyone and everyone is aloud to disagree with me, Last I checked we were still a free nation so disagree all you want but like I said my opinon is still just my opion.

JUST PUT THE DAMN MUFFLERS ON YER BOAT

SAFARI RICK
 
Airboats Nazi's wasn't what I meant to sound like. :( I live backed up into a federal wildlife refuge, it backs up to basically the St. Johns. There is nothing between me and the river but marsh and fences etc....Safari it must be you I lay in bed and hear loud and clear many nights! :D I love hearing you guys running out there, doesn't bother me at all.

Here in Brevard as in several of the coastal counties we have a group called "Coast Guard Auxiliary", they help out LEO w/ the enforcement of power boat rules and reg's. They are all voluntary and use their own boats. You see many years ago folks finally came to realize that law enforcement could in no way enforce all the rules and reg's that were being written to satisfy the whining, constantly complaining folk from the northern direction who bought our waterfront properties along the inter-coastal only to build their new homestead and then begin the task of changing us. ( The same scenario is why Orlando now has help from the guardian angels, LEO simply can not handle the load)

I was simply thinking a program like the Coast Guard Auxiliary might work for the airboat community. It works very well for the power boat community. On any given weekend you may find one of their volunteers on a spoil island, at a ramp, under a pavilion or in one of our canals doing safety checks (only when asked too by the boat owner , they never approach you unless you are endangering someone, you must come to them in most cases ) and then they place a sticker on your windshield. It is a very pleasant experience, No Gun & badge attitude is used. If a owner operator has attitude they simply do not approach this person. FL #'s are recorded without this person even knowing and turned into a data base.

I was headed offshore one morning for a day of drowning Bali-who and as I passed thru the locks I was stopped by LEO. Just my luck, in my hurry to load the boat I forgot one life jacket and the flare kit. This can be a large fine but, because I had that little sticker on my windshield LEO simply wished me luck on the days trip and ask me to be certain to have them on the next trip.

I have been involved in the marine industry most my life right here in Brevard, was a manager w/ one of largest production yacht builders in the country so boating issues were a concern. We watched as these problems that were so kindly identified by our northern friends were put in check with this simple, lazy paced program. There was no "Kick ass and take names" intimidation used. It took a few years but considering the large number of boats on the water it does a great job, those that still don't conform are welcome because LEO still has to eat and have an income. :wink: All he has to do is set at the ramp and look at FL #'s, spot the one he is looking for, take alittle stroll and perform his very own inspection. LEO stays the bad guy in their eyes and writes the tickets without even launching his boat. :) But , your correct no system is perfect.

I just thought since some of us feel strongly that our 'Passion" could be in jeopardy because of a few stubborn people that alittle communication might go along way. Just a organized group of good old boys and girls being observant while they are play'n, taking alittle time to look at another's ride when ask, casually talkin up "Passion preservation" while BS'ing on the hill and the next thing you know your trying to remember a time when airboats were considered loud. :wink:
 
i was into off shore fishin for many years never seen the aux stop any one but was aproached many times when docked or loading and politely asked if i would like a free safty check if ya passed they give ya a sticker it was cool an they wernt pushy about it was a take it or leave it deal they leagaly have no authority . maybe something like that might work but aiboaters are awhole differant breed than most the skipper and gilangan types by the way i vote for maryann 8)
 
I wont belabor the point, but I have made this statement quite a few times and it is largely ignored and overlooked, but here it is again.

In my soul and bones I do not believe a defensive battle will win us anything. The only way we will ever accomplish anything long term is to fight an offensive battle against those who would restrict and limit us. Against those who would cater to them. Against those who would legislate for them.

A castle and a bunker are defensive fortifications and have proved throught history to be nothing more then stone coffins. Defense is a no win battle. Dont defend against anyone, go on the offense and destry their credibility, their finances, their communications and their fan base.

Ok I said it again, now Ill hush.

Scotty :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
WB good point. as far as wanting to start your own little rat squad your asking for alot of trouble we have cops and gfc for a reason let them do there job we can fight the battle in other places. and hope that the people understand that we are all not drunk rednecks at least while the suns up :twisted: :twisted:
 
well my opinion is Fl is one of the most over enforced states I have ever been in. and to me it seems like they target certain groups like airboats and duck hunters compared to those SOB's in the bass boats. anyway that's my two cents worth on the topic


Whitebear,
I could not have said that any better
 
well, in "theory", the plan seems like a good idea... however i dont find it very effective due to the fact that as a group, us airboaters need not turn on each other and rat each other out.... this plan u speak of may cause conflict and seperation between us and thats not wat we need at the time.... the best solution i can think of is to just go with the flow and put mufflers on ur boat... i put some on mine and there aint hardly nothing to them at all but they are legal as far as FWC is concerned and i havent noticed a difference what-so-ever as far as how the boat runs.... it aint that big of a deal about the mufflers, but i kno wat some of u guys are talking about by not wanting to put them on your boat because if we do this for them, then something else might come up that we'll have to do next.... give 'em an inch and they take a mile type of thing so maybe we should abide by this muffler thing by just making them happy (as i did with the so called "mufflers" i have on my boat) but not let our guard down by any means at all..... well, take it easy ya'll.....
 
I don't want to pick on you sLeAzY. I've seen your posts and you sound like a pretty cool person.
So don't take it as bitching at you as much as it is for other folks who say the same thing.... (and I include myself in this..... my boat is not very quiet either)

DO YOU RUN YOUR BOAT AT NIGHT?
DO YOU RUN YOUR BOAT WITHIN A MILE OR TWO OF HOUSES?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, the bare-minimum mufflers you installed are going to have no effect, and ARE GOING TO GENERATE COMPLAINTS..... which will lead to stricter and tighter laws - just as you predict.

Muffling up your boat does not protect against future restrictions, but NOT muffling it demands future restrictions for all practical purposes.

Now, I have no complaint about the guys who run the 'glades and are never within a few miles of ANYONE night or day. ... and not just the glades.... Lots of Lake O and any other remote area such as southern St. Johns, etc. For those boats who do not run near any homes I feel ya.... It sux to have to comply because development has invaded other airboater's back yards.

But if you do run within a mile or two of houses AT NIGHT, (maybe half mile during the day) you better have EFFECTIVE mufflers on your boat or you'll generate complaints.

I have a boat that is a DD chevy350. I get stuck a lot. (that is some loud stuff I know) But I'll bet I don't generate any complaints because I don't run near houses at night, I'm as considerate as I can be around other boats including bass boats and especially canoes. When I get a quieter boat, I'll run a little more at night. I'll run closer to houses. But until then, the boat is quiet - in the back yard. We need LESS COMPLAINTS!!!! I'm tryin to do my part.
 
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