News Release

COLUMBUS, OH -- In preparation for a new state law to take effect next year targeting powerboat noise levels, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will offer courtesy noise testing at several lakes across the state beginning July 31. The new law, part of boating safety legislation approved by the Ohio General Assembly in 1997, builds upon the existing requirement that all powerboats be equipped with an adequate muffler by establishing specific noise decibel limits for boats and standards for determining such limits.

Beginning January 1, 2000, powerboats that exceed a decibel limit of 90 at a stationary sound test will be prohibited from operating on Ohio waters. Boats will also be prohibited from operating at a decibel level higher than 75 when tested from the shoreline.

The decibel limits will primarily affect boats powered by high performance inboard motors. Most powerboats, including personal watercraft, fall below the 90-decibel standard for stationary testing, according to the ODNR Division of Watercraft. "There is a small group of boats that will be affected, but the bottom line is that we want all Ohioans to enjoy our waterways," said Jeff Hoedt, chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft.

Hoedt also explained that the shoreline test has been designed to determine whether a boat is operating too close to shore. "Noise levels fall with increased distances, and a boat that fails the initial shoreline test may be within acceptable decibel levels as it moves farther from shore," Hoedt said.

Hoedt said the courtesy testing will provide boaters with an early opportunity to determine if their boats will meet the new noise levels, while also giving watercraft officers some familiarity with sound-testing equipment and procedures before the law goes into effect next year.