Noise from Small Vessels The number of complaints about noise generated by high powered pleasure craft has increased significantly over the past few years. This has taken place not just on Lake of Bays, but on lakes across Canada. Provisions to reduce offending noise originating from small vessels were introduced in the April 1, 1999, amendments to the Small Vessel Regulations. The enforcement community have found these provisions difficult to enforce because any component present in the exhaust system could be considered a "noise abatement mechanism" even though its effectiveness in reducing noise could be insignificant. Representations have been made by various shore property owners/users both at Canadian Marine Advisory Council, to the Canadian Coast Guard and at the political level. The intensity of these representations has increased in the recent past, exacerbated by the ever increasing number of large powerful and noisy craft such as "cigarette boats". The enforcement community anticipates that the regulations will be easier to enforce with a definition of muffler being added to the regulations and clarification of the wording. With easier to enforce regulations and mufflers in good working order, it is anticipated that noise and complaints about noise from shoreline property owners/users due to high powered pleasure craft will be reduced. As there may be a few boats that require a small conversion to become compliant with the new regulations, owners will have thirty days after the regulations are registered. Some stakeholders are in regular contact with government officials to indicate that it is preferable to have the regulations in force as close to the beginning of the boating season as possible rather than later.