Hull Slap

[Harmony 34]

Correction to slap stopper size

My memory is bad. Actual size is 4 ft. long, 6 in. wide, 2 in. thick.

 

[tpfbdf]

A hunting buddy of mine has a mantra that "you need to be in the woods for three nights" before you get used to the noises. Same for me on a boat... night three is when sleep improves dramatically. Peace - Pete

 

[BevinB]

I’m glad this subject came up. My boat has been trucked to a shipwrights for a transom modification. Might ask them while it’s there for their suggestions on a solution. Personally I don’t mind the slap but the wife hates it to the point where we sleep in the guest cabin.

Happy wife happy (boating) life ...

 

[BevinB]

This is only a problem on boats with the master cabin as a V-berth. Next time, get a boat with an aft cabin and problem solved!

No matter what you do, there will be times when you encounter hull slap noise - depends entirely on the height of the wave-lets. Perhaps some soothing music for a relaxing background noise that will blend in with the hull-slap.

.

One things for sure, your guests won’t be coming back in a hurry... Not if they’re looking for a good nights sleep that is ..

 

[BevinB]

We have a queen island berth forward and the waves slapping on the hull are annoying. Was thinking of spraying a can of car undercoating on the inside of the hull to deaden the sound. Has anyone tried this, or have other solutions? Thanks.

Just fired off an email to the shipwrights doing some major mods to my boat now. You just gave me an idea for my next project.

My wife can’t stand the noise, and unlike most of the lucky guys here, I ain’t about to convince her to stop using the guest cabin as our master until the noise is eliminated ..

I’d even be too embarrassed to put our guests in there so an aft cabin isn’t really a solution either.

 

[DDW]

The successful method has been to simply fill in the spray rail, or most of the spray rail depth, tapering it out about 2' each side of the real waterline. The chop then has no flat surface to slap against. It is a simple glass job, but then the finishing, re-gel coating, color sanding and polishing take all the time.

 

[BevinB]

The successful method has been to simply fill in the spray rail, or most of the spray rail depth, tapering it out about 2' each side of the real waterline. The chop then has no flat surface to slap against. It is a simple glass job, but then the finishing, re-gel coating, color sanding and polishing take all the time.

Thanks, I’ll definitely be passing this info on to my shipwrights. ?

 

[Nepidae]

Bow noise

The problem inherit with pilothouse and other designs which put a stateroom in the bow. Most don't think of that issue before they buy.

There isn't a solution short of a boat with the MSR in the stern.

As someone said, ignore it or earplugs.

Good luck.

 

[jimdavi]

Sure glad our North Pacific 45 has engineered this annoyance out of the bow.

 

[Njlarry]

I would think it would be worth trying the self stick foam backed sheets used in van and rv conversions. I think it must be an inprovement but how much only trial would show. This is a common topic and I for one would likd to hear what others have actually tried besides ear plugs.

 

[DDW]

There are several NT and AT owners who have filled the spray rail, and report a huge improvement in the 80 - 100% reduction range. So it may not be accurate to say there isn't a solution. In fact NT modified their mold in just this way to fix it on new boats. Boats with an aft cabin can still have this when stern tied or in a berth with a chop coming from the stern, but a lot less likely at anchor.

Gonna be hard to get that sticky back to stick on a wet underwater surface. Pretty much everyone I've read about trying internal sound insulation report at best a modest improvement. Pool noodles or cloth guards reportedly work well if you can get them positioned and keep them there. There was even a commercially available fabric curtain design, don't know if it is still out there but it sure looked fiddly to deploy.

 

[BevinB]

Sure glad our North Pacific 45 has engineered this annoyance out of the bow.

Be curious to know how as there still seems to be a flat surface on the chine?

 

[OldDan1943]

take your hearing aids out, have a stiff brandy and most of it should go away. LOL

 

[BevinB]

take your hearing aids out, have a stiff brandy and most of it should go away. LOL

I normally do that when the wife’s in the room ..

 

[OldDan1943]

I normally do that when the wife’s in the room ..

I used to turn my hearing aids down during meetings and nod off.