Hull Popping Noise?

T

Texas Steve

New member
My wife and I have stayed aboard our R21-EC probably 60 nights since we bought her, but we had an experience this weekend that was unique in our experience. I'm wondering if anyone has some insight or suggestions.

I can only assume that the noise we heard was a fish sucking on the hull of our boat, but the noise was very loud, so much so that it was hard to sleep. You could hear the same sound resonating up and down our pier.

Has anyone come up with a way to stop this from happening as it really wrecked an otherwise gorgeous weekend on our boat. The only option I can come up with is to move the boat away from the slip and anchor out on the lake. We are located in North Texas and the boat was in our slip. We had a very unusual cool spell this weekend close on the heels of record high temperatures.

Steve Frisch
 
Texas Steve,

That loud sound is fish feeding on the algae on the hull bottom. The less you use your boat, the thicker the algae and the more loud popping and thumping you'll hear.

If you are in somewhat sandy,muddy waters, simply driving the boat around for long periods will reduce the algae coating. Around here it diminishes after the first good freeze.

That problem is shared by even the largest craft in our harbor.

On top of the feeding noises, there are some fish that at times love to come up and flutter along the length of the hull from underneath. That is a weird sound!

Other than a lift, or a good hull cleaning, just driving around in abrasive waters is the only way I know to help out.

John
 
That's about what I figured. I had the bottom painted thinking it would prevent algae growth, but the last time I hauled her out, there was still a thin coating that came off easily with a power washer. I guess it was just weird for us being the first time.

Hauling her in and out is a bigger project since I had hernia surgery, so I guess I'll just have to live with it until I feel up to putting her back on the trailer this fall for a trip to the Gulf.

Thanks!

Steve
 
Fish sucking algae off the bottom of the boat....

You learn something new everyday. I rather liked this thread, it was fascinating.
 
In some areas of salt water there is the sound of "pistol shrimp" probably not as loud as fish slapping, but people wonder until they learn what the cause of the sharp sound is. Of course wave action against hulls, wing decks in cats, spray streaks etc also cause noise at night.
 
In salt water at night shrimp feed by snapping their body creating a shock wave that stuns the small animals that they feed on. If you are real quiet you can hear this snapping and cracking. I usually tell a new boat guest that it is "underwater termites" eating the bottom of the boat. This gets them excited and nervous real quick.

The name of my C-25 is "CHARITY", cause that is where all of my money goes.
 
I think you're listening to shrimp, but not necessarily cleaning your boat.

The loudest I ever heard were in the Miami Beach Marina. It sounded like fireworks when they would get going at night. We once caught some kind of mantis shrimp there that was about 6" long, with HUGE jaws. I have heard that they clack those jaws together to stun nearby fish.
 
Being on the water seems to expose us to a wide variety of noises, from water slapping the hull at anchor, to the fish/shrimp that pop and snap along the bottom.

As I mentioned before, driving the boat fast or a long way will minimize the noise, but your neighbors' boats will still pop and snap, regardless of what you do.

I used to listen to some old cassette tapes of old, wooden, multi-masted ships at sea and love the creaking and popping of the ropes, wood and rigging. When our local fish decide to pick on my boat for the popping, it drives me crazy when I picture the fish banging up on the hull, etc, BUT, if I envision myself on a huge, old, four-masted shooner, and pretend those noises are the ropes and joints creaking and poping, it seems very relaxing.

Also,when at anchor in a rough sea and trying to sleep or avoid sea sickness, I envision myself on a rocking horse or one of those old gliding swings and just lean into the to and fro movements.

So , a little creative thinking can make a nuisance into a relaxing environment.

John
 
Back
Top