Capacity plates over 20'

PascalG

PascalG

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http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/521891-new-york-senator-seeks-boat-capacity-limit-legislation Chucky-the-regulator is at it again... Although to some extent I think there should be capacity limits for many boats larger than 20' considering what we see out there

But then he shows his ignorance of existing CFRs by mentioning the NY tour boat accident which was an inspected vessel subject to capacity limits.

So, if capacity limits dont work for inspected vessels, why more regs?
 
I don't see the problem with requiring capacity plates on vessels larger than 20'. Some people who are not around boats often don't realize that the captain may be overloading his boat, and THEY need to be warned.
 
quote:
Originally posted by EdFitz

I don't see the problem with requiring capacity plates on vessels larger than 20'. Some people who are not around boats often don't realize that the captain may be overloading his boat, and THEY need to be warned.

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It is a stupid idea, proposed by a stupid person, in attempt to convince stupid people that they are safe from stupid acts of other stupid people.

How many guests have ever asked to see a capacity plate on your boat?

If someone is unable to figure out a boat is being overloaded, then perhaps the gene pool needs thinning.
 
I've had guests ask before. I think you're wrong to assume that someone who has never been on a boat before would know if it's overloaded or not.
 
I suppose its because I've never unnecessarily overloaded my boat, but, no, no one has ever asked me to see my capacity plate other than a CGAux examiner.
 
First thing my guests usually ask is, "where is the beer?"!
 
quote:
Originally posted by EdFitz

I've had guests ask before. I think you're wrong to assume that someone who has never been on a boat before would know if it's overloaded or not.

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If a guest asks such a question I would think the boat may be overloaded or your pushing the limit obvious even to the uneducated mind?
 
Its the same thing when going into a restaurant, can only fit X amount of people by order of fire marshal.

When I was in business, the larger limousines had to have on the side of the front two doors seating capacity. People used to call for a 10pax limousine and say well I only have 11 people. I said yes, thats 2 more then what I am able to put in the back of the limo. 10pax limousine, 9 in the back, 1 up front which is the driver. nothing more only less.

You go onto a party boat and they have plates that say X amount of people allowed.

Its stupid to have it on a personal boat, do personal cars have them? I see people driving with 4 people in the back seat all the time, and the rear of the car is just about touching the ground. Great way to F up the undercarriage and the suspension system.

People today are just stupid, flat out stupid.
 
There's not always enough seating for the number of people on the boat, especially in the cockpit, so yes, sometimes people ask, "Is the boat big enough for all 10 of us?". Can all 10 "sit" in the cockpit? No, so must ride in the cabin, or stand. But, I'm still under capacity at 10.

Cars have a certain number of passengers allowed as well. According to state law, a car can only have passengers equal to the number of seat belts.
 
quote:
Originally posted by BoatCrazy

Its stupid to have it on a personal boat, do personal cars have them?

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I'm going to disagree here. I have a 24 foot vessel, its useful to know that the manufacturer thinks I can put 10 people on board. What's even more useful is dividing the max weight by 10 and realizing that they think a person is 142 lbs. Most of my friends are about a person and a half (or more) according to that. And, oh, ice chests can count as people too as I'm lugging them down the dock.

No, the number of people capacity is a joke, but the vessel weight limit of passengers and equipment listed below it...now that's useful.
 
"Cars have a certain number of passengers allowed as well. According to state law, a car can only have passengers equal to the number of seat belts."

So if a front seat has a bench seat with three belts, the arm rest is down covering the seat and belt, does that mean they can fit 4 in the back seat? still the same amount of people per belts, just formulated differently...
 
Just my opinion, 10 people on a 24' boat may be pushing it
our first boat was a 23 footer and maybe we had 6 people on it max
could it handle more, sure, but who wants to deal with that?

RE: number of seats n the boat

Our boat has seating* for 37 people
*i used number of people that can sleep for the staterooms 

2 people in each stateroom= 6
1 person in each head  =2
6 people around the dinette=6
Lower helm seat =1
6 people sitting in salon =6
4 people seating in the ckpit=4
12people seating on bridge    =12
bunch of dogs all over the place

I don't think we ever had more than 12 people + a few dogs on the boat at any time!  Its not fun with more than that

 
 
"

I'm going to disagree here. I have a 24 foot vessel, its useful to know that the manufacturer thinks I can put 10 people on board. What's even more useful is dividing the max weight by 10 and realizing that they think a person is 142 lbs. Most of my friends are about a person and a half (or more) according to that. And, oh, ice chests can count as people too as I'm lugging them down the dock.

No, the number of people capacity is a joke, but the vessel weight limit of passengers and equipment listed below it...now that's useful."

Thats where common sense comes into play. You proved my exact point. You ever ride in an elevator and it says max 12 people or 1500lbs, thats 125lbs per person. On a 24ft boat, I wouldnt put more then 5 people. I used to run a 23 foot boat and I had seating for 6. The boat wasnt under powered, had a 5.0 yamaha I-O 240hp, and it was sluggish with 5 people.
 
If the skipper was stupid enough, yes, I said stupid , to put that many people on that size boat and people were stupid enough yes I said it again then what makes that yahoo Schumer think that a capacity plate is going to make them less stupid?
 
There is a capacity limit. How the load is distributed will make a difference as to what that capacity is. So there is not a capacity plate that will cover every potential loading. My 26' express has cockpit seating for 6-9 people, including myself. If all were 200lbs+, then I doubt they would be comforatble unless I was at the minimum. It's really up to the operator to decide how many passengers he will allow aboard knowing how the boat handles with the gear that he already has on the boat. My boat would struggle to get on plane with 5 extra large adults.
 
I've seen 21 to 23 foot wakeboard boats with 12+ people onboard
Then they fill the ballast tanks to make a huge wake
 
It should be noted that the Ethan Allen[/i, the NY tour boat was not inspected by the CG. Rather she was inspected by the state of NY. Lake George is not the USCG juristiction.

This most recent "accident" is really a case of classic poor judgement. It is difficult to believe that any capacity plaque would have had any influence on this operator. If you can not fathom that 27 people on a 34' Silverton is overloaded, a plaque will have no affect. You can't fix stupid.

John
 
Capacity plate (which used to be on my boat) said I could carry 4 people. Or 550 lbs. Now more than 2 aboard and feet start to tangle around fishing gear and weight starts to approach that 550 range. But then my boat has nothing to do with anything that shmucky shumer is talking about anyway. He is just a complete waste of protoplasm.
 
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