SURFACE VEHICLE J34™ JUN201 8

RECOMMENDED PRACTICE Issued 1 973-04

Revised 201 8-06
Superseding J34 JULY201 1
Exterior Sound Level Measurement Procedure for Recreational Motorboats

RATIONALE

Update references, minor editorial (format) changes.

1 . SCOPE

This SAE Recommended Practice establishes the procedure for measuring the maximum exterior sound level of
recreational motorboats while being operated under a variety of operating conditions. It is intended as a guide toward
standard practice and is subject to change to keep pace with experience and technical advances.

2. REFERENCES

2.1 Applicable Documents

The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise indicated, the
latest issue of SAE publications shall apply.

2.1 .1 IEC Publication

Available from IEC Central Office, 3, rue de Varembe, P.O. Box 1 31 , CH-1 21 1 Geneva 20, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 91 9 02
1 1 , www.iec.ch.

IEC Standard 61 672-1 Specifications

IEC Standard 60942 Specifications for Sound Level Calibrators

2.2 Related Publications

The following publications are provided for information purposes only and are not a required part of this SAE Technical
Report.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAE Technical Standards Board Rules provide that: “This report is published by SAE to advance the state of technical and engineering sciences. The use of this report is
entirely voluntary, and its applicability and suitability for any particular use, including any patent infringement arising therefrom, is the sole responsibility of the user.”
SAE reviews each technical report at least every five years at which time it may be revised, reaffirmed, stabilized, or cancelled. SAE invites your written comments and
suggestions.
Copyright © 201 8 SAE International
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SAE.
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SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 2 of 1 1

2.2.1 SAE Publications

Available from SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 1 5096-0001 , Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA
and Canada) or +1 724-776-4970 (outside USA), www.sae.org.
SAE J1 970 Shoreline Sound Level Measurement Procedure for Recreational Motorboats
SAE J2005 Stationary Sound Level Measurement Procedure for Recreational Motorboats
2.2.2 ASA Publications
Available from Acoustical Society of America, http://asa.aip.org, or from American National Standards Institute,
http://webstore.ansi.org/.
ANSI S1 .1 Acoustical Terminology
ANSI S1 .1 3 Measurement of Sound Pressure Levels in Air
2.2.3 ISO Publications
Available from International Organization for Standardization, ISO Central Secretariat, 1 , ch. De la Voie-Creuse, CP 56,
CH-1 21 1 , Geneve 20, Switzerlandor from American National Standards Institute, http://webstore.ansi.org/.
ISO 8665 Small craft -- Marine propulsion reciprocating internal combustion engines -- Power measurements and
declarations
ISO 1 4509 Measurement of Airborne Sound Emitted by Powered Recreational Craft
2.2.4 IEC Publications
Available from IEC Central Office, 3, rue de Varembe, P.O. Box 1 31 , CH-1 21 1 Geneva 20, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 91 9 02
1 1 , www.iec.ch.
IEC Standard 60942 Specification for Sound Level Calibrators
IEC Standard 61 672-1 Specifications
2.2.5 National Marine Manufacturers Association Test Report
Available from NMMA Engineering Standards Department, 231 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2050, Chicago, IL 60604, Tel.
31 2-946-621 3, www.nmma.org.
DOC072201 0 Powerboat Sound Level Engineering Report. October 1 6, 1 987
3. INSTRUMENTATION
The following instrumentation shall be used for the measurement required.
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 3 of 1 1

3.1 For Type Testing a sound level meter which meets IEC Standard 61 672-1 Type 1 Specifications for Sound Level
Meters.
3.2 For Monitoring Tests, a sound level meter which meets IEC Standard 61 672-1 Type 1 or Type 2 Specifications for
Sound Level Meters.
3.3 A microphone windscreen that does not affect the overall reading by more than ±0.5 dB(A).
3.4 A sound level calibrator which meets IEC Standard 60942 specification for Sound Level Calibrators.
3.5 A wind speed anemometer.
3.6 An engine speed tachometer.
3.7 A calibrated speedometer or radar gun.
3.8 A range finder.
4. TERMS, DEFINITIONS, AND ABBREVIATIONS
4.1 Type Testing
Type testing is performed to prove that the operational sound level of a boat, or an outboard motor while using a standard
boat or a stern drive with integral exhaust system complies with sound specifications or prescribed limits.
4.1 .1 Standard Boat Specifications for Outboard Motor Type Tests
Any series production boat with a V-hull shape meeting the dimensional and weight characteristics given in Table 1 may
be used as a standard boat.
Table 1 - Standard boat specifications
Declared Propeller
Shaft Power
(According to ISO 8665)
of the Outboard Length of Hull
Motor Under Test According to ISO 8666 Mass Without Engine
(kW) m/ft kg/lb
P<6 3.8/1 2.5 1 35/297
6 ≤ P < 25 4.2/1 3.8 220/484
25 ≤ P < 55 4.7/1 5.4 400/880
55 ≤ P < 1 1 5 5.5/1 8.0 800/1 760
1 1 5 ≤ P < 1 50 6.2/20.3 1 1 00/2420
P ≥ 1 50 7.5/24.6 1 650/3630
A variation of ±20% is allowed in the dimensional characteristics and a variation of ±25% is allowed in the weight of the
craft. In addition, the craft shall have no covers over the outboard motor or unusual extensions behind the transom which
could affect the sound level.
Outboard motors shall be installed on the boat per the manufacturers’ instructions. Additional damping or absorbing
materials are not permitted.
4.1 .2 Standard Boat Specifications for Stern Drives with Integral Exhaust Type Tests
Any series production boat with a V-hull shape meeting the dimensional and weight characteristics given in Table 2 may
be used as a standard boat.
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 4 of 1 1

Table 2 - Standard boat specifications for spark ignition engines

Declared Propeller
Shaft Power
(According to ISO 8665)
of the Stern Drive with Length of Hull
Integral Exhaust System According to ISO 8666 Mass With Engine
kW m/ft kg/lb
P < 78 5.0/1 6.4 700/1 540
78 ≤ P < 1 1 5 5.8/1 9.0 1 600/3520
1 1 5 ≤ P < 1 59 7.0/23.0 1 900/41 80
1 59 ≤ P < 226 7.7/25.3 2200/4840
P ≥ 226 8.7/28.5 2600/5720
A variation of ±20% is allowed in the dimensional characteristics and a variation of ±25% is allowed in the weight of the
craft. Stern drives with integral exhaust shall be installed in the boat per the manufacturers’ instructions. In addition, the
engine cover shall not have non-series absorbing or damping materials and the boat shall not be fitted with unusual
extensions or materials on or behind the transom which could affect the sound level.
4.2 Monitoring Test
Monitoring tests are performed to determine if the operational sound level of a recreational motorboat complies with
regulated sound level limits. Monitoring tests are used primarily in those jurisdictions where there are no sound level
certification requirements prior to the sale of boats to the general public. Monitoring tests are also performed to ensure
that a boat/motor/exhaust system have not been modified subsequent to prior testing.
4.3 Maximum AS-Weighted Sound Pressure Level for Recreational Motorboats

Lpasmax - The maximum sound pressure level (SPL) of a passing recreational motorboat under specified operating
conditions measured with “A” frequency weighting and with “S” slow time weighting according to IEC 61 672-1 .
5. TYPE TESTING PROCEDURE
5.1 Measurement Site
A suitable site is the shore of a body of water or a dock projecting out from the shore into the body of water. If the
measurement is made from a dock, the dock shall be of open construction so that it presents a minimum of reflecting
surfaces. The area around the microphone and boat being measured shall be free of large obstructions or reflective
surfaces, such as buildings, high embankments, sea walls, hills, large piers, or breakwaters, etc., for a minimum distance
of 30 m (1 00 feet). Three markers (buoys or posts) shall be placed in line, 50 m (1 65 feet) apart, to mark the course the
boat is to follow while being tested. The site should be set up similar to that shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 1 - Type test measurement site diagram

SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 5 of 1 1

5.2 Boat Operation

5.2.1 The boat shall be operated with an equivalent two-person load (1 50 kg ± 40 kg) except for boats intended for
single person operation (PWC included).
5.2.2 The propeller/impeller shall be selected such that at level trim the full throttle engine speed falls within ±4% of the
mid-point of the full throttle specified engine speed as recommended by the manufacturer.
5.2.3 The boat shall pass all three markers within a distance of 3 m (1 0 feet) maximum on a straight course at full
throttle with the engine operating at the midpoint of the manufacturer's recommended full throttle rpm range or
70 km/h+0/-3 km (43.5 mph+0/-2 mph) if the boat’s full throttle speed exceeds 70 km/h (43.5 mph).
5.2.4 For boats with motors or drive systems which are equipped with adjustable trim, the trim angle shall be adjusted
so that the propeller thrust is parallel to the plane of the hull.
5.3 Measurements
5.3.1 The microphone shall be placed 25 m (82.5 feet) from the line determined by the three markers, normal to the line
and opposite the center marker. It shall be positioned 3.5 m ± 0.5 m (1 1 .5 feet ± 1 .6 feet) above the water, and, if
mounted on a solid surface, shall be positioned at least 1 .2 m (4.0 feet) above that surface. The microphone shall
be placed within ±0.5 m (1 .6 feet) of the edge of the surface above which it is mounted.
5.3.2 The meter shall be set for slow response and the A-weighting network.
5.3.3 The observer reading the meter shall not be closer than arm's length from the microphone and no other person
shall be in such a position so as to affect the sound field.
5.3.4 The meter shall be observed during the entire pass-by with the boat passing within 0.5 to 1 m (~1 to 3 feet) on the
far side of all three markers. The applicable reading shall be the highest sound level measured during the pass-by
provided that the ambient sound level is at least 1 0 dB lower than the maximum AS-weighted sound pressure
level of the boat being measured.
5.3.5 A measurement shall be invalid if changes in the ambient sound level affect the applicable reading. Ambient
sound level includes wind effects, noise from boats other than the one being measured, wave action, boat wakes,
and other extraneous noises. Peak readings due to hull slaps which create intermittent sound levels shall be
disregarded.
5.3.6 Measurements shall be made only when the wind speed is below 1 9 km/h (1 3 mph).
5.3.7 The observer shall record the applicable reading and the ambient sound levels taken immediately before and
immediately after the applicable reading.
5.3.8 At least two measurements shall be made for each side of the boat. The sound level for each side of the boat
shall be the average of the first two readings for each side which are within 1 dB of each other. The sound level
reported shall be that of the louder side of the boat.
5.3.9 If readings are required to be taken at a 1 5 m (50 feet) distance, it is permissible to add 2.6 dB to the sound levels
recorded during the above tests at the 25 m (82.5 feet) distance.
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 6 of 1 1

6. MONITORING TEST PROCEDURE

6.1 Measurement Site
6.1 .1 A suitable measurement site is the shore of a body of water or a dock projecting out from the shore into the body
of water or anywhere in the water or inland from the water’s edge or anywhere on a body of water in a boat of
open construction (cabin-style boats are prohibited). If the measurement is taken from a boat the sound level
meter shall be held at arm’s length over the side of the boat while pointing in the general direction of the boat
being measured.
6.1 .2 The area around the microphone shall be free of large obstructions or reflective surfaces, such as buildings, high
embankments, sea walls, hills, or any large vertical reflective body, etc., for a minimum distance of 3 m (1 0 feet).
6.2 Boat Operation
6.2.1 The boat may be operating in any mode other than the stationary mode during testing.
6.3 Measurements
6.3.1 The sound level meter may be either hand-held or mounted on a tripod. The surface beneath the sound level
meter is unspecified (sand, grass, water, etc.). The vertical distance between the sound level meter and the
underlying surface shall be any distance equal to or greater than 0.91 m (3 feet).
6.3.2 The microphone shall be pointed in the general location of the monitored boat. The person reading the meter shall
not be closer than arm's length from the microphone and no other person shall be in such a position so as to
affect the sound field.
6.3.3 The distance from the microphone to the boat shall be determined with a range finder. To determine if the
operational sound level of the measured boat complies with regulated sound level limits, apply Equation 1 -
illustrated graphically in Appendix A:

L = 1 6.7 *log 1 0 (d 2/d 1 ) (Eq. 1 )

where:

d 2 = distance from the microphone to the measured boat

d 1 = distance at which the noise ordinance within the local jurisdiction has been lawfully established
6.3.4 The AS-weighted ambient sound level shall be at least 6 dB below the maximum AS-weighted sound pressure
level during passage of the boat being monitored. The reading shall then be corrected as specified in Table 3.
Table 3
Difference in the Maximum Sound Pressure Level Correction in dB to be Applied to the Maximum
of the Boat and the Ambient Sound Pressure Level Sound Pressure Level of the Boat
≥1 0 0
6 to 9 -1
6.3.5 The observer shall record the applicable reading and the ambient sound levels taken before and after the
applicable reading.
6.4 Test Report – See Appendix B
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 7 of 1 1

7. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
7.1 The measurements shall be conducted only by persons qualified by training to perform these measurements.
7.2 Proper use of all test instrumentation is essential to obtain valid measurements. Operating manuals or other
literature furnished by the instrument manufacturer should be consulted for both recommended operation of the
instrument and precautions to be observed.
7.3 Proper acoustical calibration shall comprise the complete measurement system including extension cables, etc.
Field calibration shall be performed before and after each test sequence.
7.4 The use of the word “shall” in the procedure is to be understood to be mandatory. The use of the word “should” is to
be understood as advisory. The use of the word “may” is to be understood as permissive.
8. NOTES
8.1 Revision Indicator
A change bar (l) located in the left margin is for the convenience of the user in locating areas where technical revisions,
not editorial changes, have been made to the previous issue of this document. An (R) symbol to the left of the document
title indicates a complete revision of the document, including technical revisions. Change bars and (R) are not used in
original publications, nor in documents that contain editorial changes only.

PREPARED BY THE SAE MARINE TECHNICAL STEERING COMMITTEE

SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 8 of 1 1

APPENDIX A

REDUCTION IN SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL AS A FUNCTION OF DISTANCE

L = 1 6.7*log 1 0(d 2/d 1 ) where d 1 = 50 ft. (1 6.7 yds.)
30.0

25.0
CORRECTION TO 50 FT. DISTANCE (in dB)

20.0

1 5.0

1 0.0

5.0

0.0
0 1 00 200 300 400 500 600
DISTANCE (d 2) TO NOISE SOURCE IN YDS.

Figure A1
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 9 of 1 1

APPENDIX B - SAE J34 MONITORING TEST REPORT DOCUMENT

Required Equipment: Sound Level Meter (SLM), windscreen, calibrator and range finder

SLM Settings; “A” frequency weighting; “S” (Slow) time weighting

Sound Level (L) is recorded as “maximum AS weighted Sound Pressure Level (SPL)” in dBA;

Microphone height: 3 feet or higher above any surface (water, sand, grass, etc.)

Ambient noise level must be 6 dB or less than the maximum measured SPL - (Ambient correction required when the
maximum AS-weighted SPL is in the range of 6 to 1 0 dB higher than the ambient SPL)

MEASUREMENTS & CALCULATIONS

Ambient AS-weighted SPL – Pre Test ________ dBA Date ___/____/____ Time __: AM/PM

Distance (Microphone to Boat) ______________ft/yd Boat Type ___________________________

Maximum AS-weighted SPL of boat - ________dBA Officer Location – Shore/Boat*/Other______

Ambient AS-weighted SPL – Post Test ______ dBA

Ambient Correction
Enter the larger of the two ambient SPL measurements _______ dBA
Difference in the Maximum Sound Pressure Level Correction in dB to be Applied to the Maximum
of the Boat and the Ambient Sound Pressure Level Sound Pressure Level of the Boat
≥ 10 0
6 to 9 -1

Background correction (-) ____________dBA Regulated sound level limit _________ dBA

Distance correction – The sound level (L) from motorboats decreases by 5 dB when the distance from the boat to the
sound level meter doubles. Expressed in mathematical terms; L = 1 6.7*log 1 0 (d 2/d 1 ) where d 1 is the specified distance in
the regulation and d 2 is the distance from the sound level meter to the boat.

Table - Distance correction table based on 50 feet (16.7 yards) regulation

d 2 (yd) 30 40 50 75 90 1 00 115 1 25 1 50 1 75 200 225 275 300 350 400
Correction (dB) 4 6 8 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

From the table determine the distance correction in dB: +____________ dBA
Add the correction in dB to the regulated sound level

LpASmax =____________ dBA (The corrected maximum AS weighted SPL)

SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 1 0 of 1 1

APPENDIX C - SAE J34 MONITORING TEST REPORT

The Clean Air Act of 1 970 empowered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Office of Noise
Abatement and Control (ONAC) which eventually led to Congressional legislation and the establishment of the Noise
Control Act of 1 972. This legislation authorized EPA to label machinery including recreational products to determine
feasible goals for product noise reduction and to require federal certification prior to sale on the open market.
Consequently, the marine industry initiated activity within the Society of Automotive Engineers in the early 1 970s to
develop a measurement standard for certifying compliance with the intended federal regulation. Development of this
standard began in 1 971 and eventually became known as SAE J34, the Exterior Sound Level Measurement Procedure for
Pleasure Motorboats. After some period of time had elapsed EPA decided it would not attempt to regulate sound
emissions from pleasure motorboats and other commercial/recreational products as earlier indicated. Subsequently,
individual states began enacting legislation to establish state boat noise regulations that were based on SAE J34, a
procedure designed as a manufacturers’ test and one that did not lend itself to on-the-water enforcement due primarily to
safety concerns.
With the 201 1 revision of this standard, SAE J34 now provides a two-part procedure; one for Type Testing which allows
manufacturers to certify engine/boat combinations and one for a monitoring test which allows law enforcement personnel
to safely and accurately determine compliance with state boating noise regulations (see Section 4 for terms and
definitions, Section 5 for the Type Testing Procedure and Section 6 for the Monitoring Test Procedure). While Section 5 is
currently in widespread use via a similar procedure (ISO 1 4509-1 ), Section 6 is a completely new approach to ensure
compliance with state boat noise regulations where pre-sale certification of compliance is not required. The procedure
entails a sound pressure level (SPL) measurement of the ambient sound level before and after each test, a SPL
measurement of the boat being measured and a distance measurement from the microphone to the boat which allows
conversion of the measured SPL to the legislated limit for a given jurisdiction. Distance conversion for powered
recreational craft sound level has been established as an increase of 5 dB for each halving of the distance between the
microphone and the boat (see 2.2.5). In those situations where the difference between the measured SPL and the
ambient SPL is less than 6 dB, the measurement is considered invalid.
Proof of the accuracy and reliability of the SAE J34 Monitoring Test could only be accomplished by testing a diverse
variety of boats under typical boating operational conditions. Consequently, in an attempt to verify the accuracy and
repeatability of the Monitoring Test a total of 1 32 boats were measured and analyzed for compliance with a typical state
boat noise regulation of 86 dBA at a distance of 50 feet. Following is a summary of those results:
1 32 Total number of boats tested
74 Total number of transom/side (above water) exhaust boats tested at planning speeds
53 Total number of boats with inadequate exhaust muffling that exceeded by >1 dB the 86 dBA limit
36 Total number of boats with prop exhaust, none of which exceeded by >1 dB the noise limit of 86 dBA at 50 feet
15 Total number of boats with under water exhaust one of which exceeded by >1 dB the 86 dBA limit
9 Total number of boats with adequately muffled transom exhaust none of which exceeded by >1 dB the 86 dBA limit
7 Total number of tests disqualified due to high ambient noise levels
1 Number of boats that exceeded 1 00 dBA at 50 feet
0 Total number of transom exhaust boats equipped with adequate mufflers that exceeded by >1 dB the 86 dBA limit at
50 feet.
SAE INTERNATIONAL J34™ Proposed Draft MAR201 8 Page 1 1 of 1 1

Summarizing the test data for boats operating at planning speeds:

Large off-shore boats with multiple engines when equipped with adequate mufflers did not exceed the 86 dBA limit.
Runabouts configured with “thru-propeller” exhausts were shown to correlate with the EU requirement of 75 dBA at 25 m
or 78.6 dBA at 50 feet, thereby confirming the veracity of the Monitoring Test as compared with the internationally
accepted Type Test.
All data is listed as A-weighted decibels. Sound level meters measure sound pressure in units called Pascals and then
convert the values to a logarithmic scale where 0 dB is the threshold of hearing. The following table illustrates the
relationship between dB and Pascals while demonstrating the percentage increase in sound pressure above the 86 dBA
limit. Consequently the loudest boat in this test produced sound pressure that is >400% higher than the regulated limit
corresponding to roughly three times louder than the lawful maximum of 86 dBA.
Table C1
% Increase Above 86 dB
dB Pascals Sound Pressure
86 0.3991
87 0.4477 = +1 2.2%
88 0.5024 = +25.9%
1 00 2.0000 = +401 .1 %