Wrong Coast Guard Placard

dirtyoldman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
359
I have an 87 Sea RAY S21 that has a placard for only 8 people. I always thought that seemed odd, I thought most boats that size say 10. Anyway, while looking at it over the weekend it says the model of the boat is a S19 - the 19' boat. It's not a huge deal except that my family will soon be six people and it really affects who we can bring with us. I'd like to find out if my boat should have a different capacity than it does and how I can go about getting it changed. It looks like my placard was for a smaller boat.
 

109jb

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,590
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Call Sea Ray.
 

dirtyoldman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
359
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Call Sea Ray.

I've been trying. For an hour.

They don't have a phone number. The dealer doesn't want to deal with a 20 year old boat, and I can't hardly blame him. But sea ray has no phone number I can find.
 

blifsey

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
Messages
769
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Won't help you get the right capacity plate but do searches on iboats classified and boattrader.com for a close year to yours. You will probably find a picture or two that shows the capacity plate that can be read. At least then you'll know that its worth pursuing the right one :)
 

xeddog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
182
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

My question would be: "Are you really certain that you have the S21?"

Wayne
 

109jb

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,590
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I've been trying. For an hour.

They don't have a phone number. The dealer doesn't want to deal with a 20 year old boat, and I can't hardly blame him. But sea ray has no phone number I can find.

Took about 10 seconds to do a yellow pages search and found this:

Sea Ray Boats
2600 Sea Ray Dr
Knoxville, TN 37914
(865) 637-6614
 

ajgraz

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
1,858
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Get out the tape measure and make sure. Manuals and labels can be bought on EBAY.
 

shrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Here is the numer for US Marine:

US Marine: 1-866-937-8202

It will connect you to Parts, Technical Support and Warranties. You can reference Technical Support and they should be able to help you out. US Marine is the US based division of Brunswick which owns a number of brands, including Bayliner, Maxum and Searay.

See if technical support can help you out. You may have to have your HIN available to verify the year, make, and model.

Good Luck
 

glengold

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
310
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I just did a quick google search for the sea ray s21 and a few of them described it as an 8-person bowrider.
 

dirtyoldman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
359
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I just did a quick google search for the sea ray s21 and a few of them described it as an 8-person bowrider.


It has eight seats - but several boats have a maximum capacity that's different than the number of seats. I looked in google too and never found anything.
 

rwidman

Lieutenant
Joined
May 27, 2004
Messages
1,396
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I have an 87 Sea RAY S21 that has a placard for only 8 people. I always thought that seemed odd, I thought most boats that size say 10. Anyway, while looking at it over the weekend it says the model of the boat is a S19 - the 19' boat. It's not a huge deal except that my family will soon be six people and it really affects who we can bring with us. I'd like to find out if my boat should have a different capacity than it does and how I can go about getting it changed. It looks like my placard was for a smaller boat.

I would think eight people is plenty for a 19' boat. You don't want them falling all over each other and you need room for life jackets for each person, other safety equipment, and I suspect, food and drinks.

I had a 24' sport cruiser and the capacity plate said "ten persons". Ten people on that boat would have been a load unless I was smuggling immigrants into the country. :rolleyes:

Capacities and regulations are one thing, but safety trumps them all. You may be allowed to have eight (or more) people on the boat, but in your own judgment, is it a safe situation? What happens when you encounter bad weather? A large wake from another boat?
 

dirtyoldman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
359
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I would think eight people is plenty for a 19' boat. You don't want them falling all over each other and you need room for life jackets for each person, other safety equipment, and I suspect, food and drinks.

I had a 24' sport cruiser and the capacity plate said "ten persons". Ten people on that boat would have been a load unless I was smuggling immigrants into the country. :rolleyes:

Capacities and regulations are one thing, but safety trumps them all. You may be allowed to have eight (or more) people on the boat, but in your own judgment, is it a safe situation? What happens when you encounter bad weather? A large wake from another boat?

I'm not trying to argue. Last weekend I had eight people on the boat. Three adults and five kids. It would have been nice to have five adults on there. Total weight would have been about 1100 lbs. Kids were 5,4,3,3,2 - all little.
 

phxvalkry

Cadet
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
12
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

You said it was 23 feet including the swim platform, I dont believe the swimplatform is included in the length of the boat. I have a 2005 Four Winns 234 Funship and it is officialy listed at 23 feet, the swimplatform makes it 25 feet unofficialy. I have been guilty of using the 25 foot in "mine is bigger then yours bar discussions".
 

glengold

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
310
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I'm not trying to argue. Last weekend I had eight people on the boat. Three adults and five kids. It would have been nice to have five adults on there. Total weight would have been about 1100 lbs. Kids were 5,4,3,3,2 - all little.

Kids don't count as a person.... seriously. There is no way a LEO will ticket you for more that 8 people when more than half of them are kids. The person rating is an estimate and there should be a weight rating under it. I'd say 2 kids = 1 adult.

With that being said, having a load of children in the boat without proper safety gear ON THEM might get their attention.....
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Does your title list the model number of the boat? My title on my 1960 sea king has the correct model listed on it..
 

rwidman

Lieutenant
Joined
May 27, 2004
Messages
1,396
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

I seriously doubt that the factory or anyone else accidentally put the wrong capacity plate on your boat.

"Kids" are people. Before you assume that they are not, contact your state DNR in writing or via e-mail and ask. Keep a copy of the answer on your boat to show any LEO. Or, in case there is an accident and one is injured.
 

2ndtry

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
239
Re: Wrong Coast Guard Placard

Ask your local wildlife officer or LEO that patrols your lake. Around here, it is up to them to make the judgement if you are overloaded, it doesn't really matter what the plate says. I'm sure they may take it under advisement, but the plate is not he law.
 
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