Duncan Kent’s full report on how to choose the best marine engine soundproofing for your yacht, can be read in the June 2014 issue of Yachting Monthly.

Guidelines on installing marine engine soundproofing:
Foil/cloth and hard barrier soundproofing is best cut with a sharp modelling knife – but it’s easier and neater to cut the foam using
a serrated blade. Thinner sheets cut well with good scissors.

Self-adhesive sheets are easy to peel
and attach, but you must position it correctly first time. Plain-backed types
require spray or brushed contact adhesives – the latter being more controllable
in tight spaces. Mechanical fixings should be added to all horizontal upper
surfaces.

Suppliers advise that all joints are covered
using special joining tape to avoid ‘leakage’. Self-adhesive foil tape
works excellently on foil-covered material, but white plastic tape
from Vetus will peeled off easily.

Ideally, soundproofed bulkheads should
totally encase the engine area, separate from any tanks, which can resonate -
amplifying the sound. Engine noise can ‘flow’ along the bilges, so where
possible bulkheads should continue down to the hull, leaving only limber holes
for bilge water.

Remember to provide enough airflow for
combustion. Open air holes will ruin the insulation, but a simple baffle will stop most of the noise escaping.

Finally, all cables and pipes should pass
through snug-fitting rubber grommets, while any covers or side panels should
fit snugly with a noise-tight seal.