Questions: Coast Guard Maximum Capacities

[Gabbyg88]

Ok, I have maybe a dumb question onthe Coast Guard Maximum Capacities listed in every boat. So what is the true danager with adding more ballast then Coast Guard Maximum Capacities and how many of you add more ballast then listed? I am sure the boat commission could fine you for being over weight.

Thanks

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[bergermaister]

Ha - loaded question. My placard says 1725 lbs I believe. That's about half the ballast weight I will run surfing, not including any people or gear...

If I recall if your vessel is over 19' then that is only considered a "recommendation" by the Coast Guard but don't quote me on that.

The true danger? Your boat on the bottom and all your gear (and passengers) floating downstream...

[sandm]

grabbed this from the BoatUS page. since it's from a reputable 'zine and in print, would assume they did the research...
from what I read, the coast guard dictates under 20ft. beyond that for a boat to be recognized by the NMMA, they must carry one but it is not a CG requirement.
there is some verbage that the CG can deem your vessel unsafe regardless of the capacity plate and direct you back to shore. they cannot fine you for the overload however if you do not follow the back to shore order, then they can for failure to follow the CG directive.

FROM BOATUS...
Recreational monohull boats up to 20 feet in length are required to have capacity labels indicating what's safe to carry in terms of engine horsepower, cargo (including gear and engines), and passengers. Hull displacement — the mass of water a hull displaces when floating — is the basis for all weight capacity calculations. "Persons" capacity information includes both the number of passengers who may be carried safely, as well as the total weight of those passengers. It's the most prominent information listed on the capacity label, because people are considered to be the "live load," meaning they can move around inside the boat, affecting stability. Overloading a boat reduces freeboard and increases instability and the risk of swamping in rough weather.

Vessels of more than 20 feet aren't required to have labels, although boats up to 26 feet built to the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standards adopted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) do. An estimated 94 percent of recreational boats sold in the U.S. are built by 145 companies, all of which are members of NMMA and are required to follow the organization's boat and yacht certification guidelines.

[Gabbyg88]

Great info! My wife has been seeing a lot of boats under water on soical media and started questioning how does this happen? She automatically thinks since, I am adding about 2400 lbs of ballast that it could happen to us. I guess it could but we are very selective on conditions when we add ballast to go out surfing. However, this has started to get me thinking, am I adding to much ballast for the boat to handle? Just curious, how much ballast you guy are adding vs the stated capacity?

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[sivs1]

From what I understand boat manufacturers play games with this number. Some like Skiers Choice realize ballast will be added and the typical standard ballast amounts from the factory are not part of this weight limit. The weight limit is set on top of the standard ballast. Other manufacturers do not include ballast and therefore the ballast amounts will reduce your placard weight capacity.

It's all smoke and mirrors. read what you want, trust what/who you want etc. Have you seen a SC boat sunk on social media, with all the extra flotation foam and work they put into designing their boats I doubt it.

[Gabbyg88]

From what I understand boat manufacturers play games with this number. Some like Skiers Choice realize ballast will be added and the typical standard ballast amounts from the factory are not part of this weight limit. The weight limit is set on top of the standard ballast. Other manufacturers do not include ballast and therefore the ballast amounts will reduce your placard weight capacity.

It's all smoke and mirrors. read what you want, trust what/who you want etc. Have you seen a SC boat sunk on social media, with all the extra flotation foam and work they put into designing their boats I doubt it.
Thats true, I have not seen a SC boat under water.

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[gregski]

The Rangers here will write tickets if you are over passenger capacity but they don't really have any way to verify ballast weight. I could imagine that they might call it unsafe and issue a ticket if the nose is submarined. They mainly use it a mechanism to shut down the over-the-top party scene, otherwise they're pretty reasonable as long as you are operating safely.

All current boats are required to be buoyant when fully swamped. This doesn't mean that it won't be nearly underwater and ruined, just that it won't go to the bottom. Water ballast won't sink you to the bottom but lead will.

[wolfeman131]

All current boats are required to be buoyant when fully swamped.

I believe this is only true for NMMA certified boats and I think there are a few manufacturers that have not yet pursued this.

[sandm]

^ you are correct and I do know mb is not nmma certified due to the subfloor ballast displacing the foam needed to float the boat. dealer when i was shopping told me this. boats i looked at did not have a capacity sticker.

I would challenge a people capacity ticket. it's voluntary on anything over 20ft. doubt it would hold up in court. now under 20ft is coast guard directed and will.