Coast Guard weight ratings

[Andy in NY]

okay, this is one thing that confuses me. i've seen info plates that say 1100lbs or 4 persons, and ones that say 1200lbs or 8 persons. i understand they mean persons and gear totaling 1200lbs, but im sorry unless there are 8 children, the weight will never be under 1600.i do not understand how this system works.

the plate on my 14' MFG says 1175 persons, motor and gear, and i know the motor weights 195. that puts it just under 1000, and based on most people i know it would be 4 adults + gear TOPS.

how can a boat be rated for 1200 and up to 8 people?!?!?!?!

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

I would check and make sure you read that one right. I agree it does not seem right.

When looking at a boat I ignore the weight and just look at max people allowed. The Coast Guard wont take out a scale and weigh your passengers and gear but if you have more people than what it is rated for you are going to get a violation.

(BTW your post has a typo and it doesnt say how many people your mfg can hold. unless you really can hold 1175 people!!)

 

[gcboat]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

When the USCG issues their rating plate info there are a lot of variables that come into play. It's not only the weight but also balance of the individual craft. Let's say that a 20 foot so and so will be issued a rating plate for X amount of this and only four people. Take that same length boat and it's a pontoon then the people placard will read a lot more bodies. Since the USCG has no idea of what type engine you will be adding all of those rating plates are usually issued without consideration to an engine. They will issue that rating deeming that you will not be foolish and place a 200 hp motor on a boat they feel safe with a 100 hp unit. Since the issuance of rating plates came out in 1972 ( COLREGS ) I'm pretty damn certain that it could be updated a little. And I'm not all that certain that the mfgs follow the intent of the law to the letter either. They are there as a safety guidline for the consumer. The plates are also issued with the consideration that each individual onboard will be an adult. There is a standard weight rating for both men and women that both maritime and aviation use to compute their weights. I think for women it's 120 lbs and men is 160 lbs. Again, just an average and a guess.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

maybe just the way i worded it... but i dont know how many people. cant read the tag on the boat, only can make out that the boat weights 800lbs and capacity is 1175, combined of motor, gear and people.

in the thread "boat i am interested in" the poster has a link to the dealer selling the boat, and this is the description...

DESCRIPTION
1992 BAJA 204 Islander, NEW ARRIVAL! A Very Clean 1992 Baja 204 Islander Bowrider with TI Single Axle Trailer. This boat is Powered Well with a Mercruiser 4.3 Ltr. LX V6 205hp I/O with Alpha Drive and Aluminum Propeller. ONLY 431 Hours! Coast Guard Certification for (8) Persons or 1200 lbs. There is a Jensen CD335X CD Player/Tuner and (2) West Marine Speakers for Stereo Entertainment. A Great Entry Level Bow Rider or an Excellent Second Boat for Running Around. Just Listed, this Boat is Ready to Go! Come Take a Look!

 

[gcboat]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

O.K. Andy - what year model is your boat? If it a pre 1972 then the plate is from the mfg with no Coastie endorsement. If you just can't read it then my suggestion would be to use some good ole' common sense when loading. You know your boat better than anyone. So just by some simple math you would be allowed a total "weight" of bodies not to exceed 375 pounds. And no, you can't put 37 ten pound people in there. So roughly figure you, your fishing buddy and a couple pounds of fishing gear should max you out - weight wise. Figuring you each average 187.5 lbs. So don't be too overly concerned with "how many" - just "how much". Certainly hoped that helped a little.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

O.K. Andy - what year model is your boat? If it a pre 1972 then the plate is from the mfg with no Coastie endorsement. If you just can't read it then my suggestion would be to use some good ole' common sense when loading. You know your boat better than anyone. So just by some simple math you would be allowed a total "weight" of bodies not to exceed 375 pounds. And no, you can't put 37 ten pound people in there. So roughly figure you, your fishing buddy and a couple pounds of fishing gear should max you out - weight wise. Figuring you each average 187.5 lbs. So don't be too overly concerned with "how many" - just "how much". Certainly hoped that helped a little.

my boat is a 73 MFG Gypsy 14, but i just got it so i dont know it well at all. it has a plate, but is so worn out that i cant make out what it says. i CAN read that it says MAX CAP. 1175 LBS, and being an outboard, i would have to assume that means people, gear and motor... leaving 975 for people and gear.

so if i cant see how many people the cap is, how do i know?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

average 14 is 4-5 people.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

average 14 is 4-5 people.

thats what i figured, i just wanted to find out for sure.

 

[joed]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

The person part of the rating is probably the seating position count for the boat. You couldn't put 8 persons in a boat with only seats for 4 even if the weight rating was high enough.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

The person part of the rating is probably the seating position count for the boat. You couldn't put 8 persons in a boat with only seats for 4 even if the weight rating was high enough.

how is an ope bow considered in a situation lilke that? i have 4 regular seats, but also have the open bow (albeit small) that would seat 3 children or 2 adults...

 

[bekosh]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

The person part of the rating is probably the seating position count for the boat. You couldn't put 8 persons in a boat with only seats for 4 even if the weight rating was high enough.

Not at all. Number of seats has nothing to do with it. My boat has seating for 6 (2+4 on the bench) and is rated for 10 people or 1500lbs. The flip side of that is some of the deck boats have more seats than capacity. I think it was the 20ft Bayliner deckboat that has seats for 10-12 but a capacity of 8.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

When looking at a boat I ignore the weight and just look at max people allowed. The Coast Guard wont take out a scale and weigh your passengers and gear but if you have more people than what it is rated for you are going to get a violation.

That might be true of the Coast Guard, but its not true of the Tennessee Wildlife Agency agents and our lakes. Here it is considered a guideline. You can have more people if you are under the weight and not get a ticket, and have even less people than it says but if your over the weight you will still get one.

 

[jollymon]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

Coast Guard looks at seats and weight, but according to the Coast Guard tha average american adults only weighs 140 or 160lbs. Oh how I wish!!!!

I got this number from the CG when going thru a stability test for an offshore certifications for a dive boat.

 

[joed]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

Here it is. The full description of how the numbers are calculated.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/backyardboatbuilders.pdf

this is the part about number of people. I seems 141 pounds is the average weight they use.

COMPUTING PERSONS CAPACITY IN NUMBER OF PEOPLE
1. Add 32 pounds to your maximum persons capacity.
2. Divide the sum by 141.
3. Round off the result to the nearest whole number.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

I think the average weight ratings are based on 150lbs per person, 8 people = 1200lbs
According to this then, I guess I'm equivalent to 2 people well not quite

 

[sidechoke67]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

Just saw this on a Coast Guard site:

Question: Capacity Plate: Capacity plates list both number of people and weights. Are both absolute upper limits? Or can you allow more people aboard if the total weight has not been breached? For example the capacity plate says 10 people or 1050 lbs. Can the boat be allowed to carry 1 adult and 12 kids if the weight of all totaled 1040 lbs (adult 200# + 12ea 70# = 1040#).

Answer: Exceeding any of these capacities takes the vessel beyond the safe limits determined by the manufacturer. Federal law does have a provision which allows citation for "unsafe operation" and that can be the justification for citing an operator who exceeds any of the capacity limits.

http://www.safetyseal.net/QandA.asp...ew+=+1+Order+by+DatePosted+Desc&startwith=155

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

Here it is. The full description of how the numbers are calculated.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/backyardboatbuilders.pdf

this is the part about number of people. I seems 141 pounds is the average weight they use.

COMPUTING PERSONS CAPACITY IN NUMBER OF PEOPLE
1. Add 32 pounds to your maximum persons capacity.
2. Divide the sum by 141.
3. Round off the result to the nearest whole number.

not that i am doubting you, but i have to question this.

my boat lists 1175 for people, gear and motor.

i know the motor weighs 195.

1175-195=980

980+32=1012

1012/141=7.1773 (rounded to 7)


7 people on a 14' boat? kind of scary, isnt it?

 

[joed]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

The calculation for people uses the weight of the maximum size motor allowed not the weight of the motor you have installed.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

From Sickwilly:

That might be true of the Coast Guard, but its not true of the Tennessee Wildlife Agency agents and our lakes. Here it is considered a guideline. You can have more people if you are under the weight and not get a ticket, and have even less people than it says but if your over the weight you will still get one.

They really make everybody get off the boat and weigh them??? And take all the gear off and the gas out and weigh that too???

Some of the ladies that go out on my boat would be beating a wildlife agent with a boathook before they would get on a scale in front of a bunch of other people ........

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Coast Guard weight ratings

From Sickwilly:


They really make everybody get off the boat and weigh them??? And take all the gear off and the gas out and weigh that too???

Some of the ladies that go out on my boat would be beating a wildlife agent with a boathook before they would get on a scale in front of a bunch of other people ........

They told me that what they do is look at how the boat is riding in the water and make a judgment call, and issue a ticket based on this. They do not weight any of our good looking ladies -- even in uniform they would be scared to do this!