Weight/people capacity

[dirtyoldman]

I have a sea ray s-21. It has a capacity of 8 people or 1200 lbs. My wife and I weight under 400 lbs combined, and my three little kids are less than 100 lbs combined. We try to keep lean on the gear on board. I have eight seats.

My question is about carrying other people on board. Would we be allowed to carry say 9 people as long as we don't go over the 1200 lbs and have life vests for everyone on board. I am not sure of that placard is to be interpreted as the "lesser of" 1200 lbs or 8 people, or the "greater of."

My little one is a lap baby still, for the most part. She gets scared if she sits by herself and we go very fast.

 

[skargo]

Re: Weight/people capacity

8 people or 1200 pounds MAX.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Weight/people capacity

8 people or 1200 pounds MAX.

So you are saying it is the lesser of 8 people or 1200 lbs?

 

[shrew]

Re: Weight/people capacity

The 1200 lbs is people, gear and motor. Unless the boat is filled with supermodels, you will most likly hit the weight limit long before the people limit. I would use the "Whichever is reached first" theory. Motor, Gear and people until you reach 1200lbs OR until you reach 8 people. I would not exceed the number of people just because the boat is full of 110lb horse jockeys.

an easier Rule of Thumb is to ask yourself "AM I going to get into a theoretical debate over 'safety' with fish and game, shore patrol, coast guard, etc, as you both point to the capacity plate and debate its interpretation while he's writing out a citation?"

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Weight/people capacity

8 ppl or less / 1200lbs or less. Can't go over either number.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Weight/people capacity

Don't know why this is so hard for folks to figure out. Ever watch one of the TV shows where they show people that need to be hoisted out of bed with a gantry crane. These folks can weigh 700 pounds. Do you really think you could plop two of these folks in your boat and be within the 8 people OR 1200# limit. 1200/8 = 150# which for Americans means they are about 30 pounds under weight (tongue in cheek of course). Now start adding the weight of motor, gear, adult beverages, etc and you see how 8 people would need to weight 120# to be under the 1200 limit. Because your boat can "seat" eight does not mean it can carry 8. 7 kids plus adult driver yes -- 8 200 pounders no!

 

[convergent]

Re: Weight/people capacity

My understanding is that the enforcement of the sticker varies by location. It does mean "OR", so whichever you hit first. From a safety perspective, the weight is the thing that really matters because the hull obviously doesn't know how to count people. In fact, if the weight is distributed over more people and items, vs. one big 1200 pound blob, you can much more easily balance the weight in the boat... which is safer.

So the real question is if you want to be at risk for getting a ticket. You'd probably be best off to call your local enforcement organization and ask them. From the sounds of your situation, if they ticketed you for being one over with a baby in the mother's arms, that would seem like they were being a bit of a jerk, but they can certainly do it if the local laws call for enforcement.

My boat has a max of 4 people and when we are tubing or skiing, I will sometimes go out with 5 in the no wake zone, and then someone is always in tow while we are out there doing water sports and we don't have more in the boat than the sticker says. This is a very small lake. We would be at risk of getting a ticket from the ramp to the edge of the no wake zone, and I know that. From a safety perspective, I am not all that concerned about capsizing the boat in the no wake zone, and if we did, then everyone in the boat is able to swim back to the ramp.

 

[nor2345]

Re: Weight/people capacity

Water Officers have it no different than "road" officers. They must go by the rules or face negligence on their part if something happens and they did not do anything concerning a violation. All boats have a sticker that states the max. person or max weight. Mine also states the max person/weight and weight including the motor. The motor weight was added because a lot of folks up-grade to a larger motor thus more weight. Boating laws also state "the operator of the boat is responsible for making sure all safety rules/guidelines are strictly adhered to".

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Weight/people capacity

My boat has a 8 person 1160 pound weight limit.

I interpret that to mean that there are 8 places for people to sit- three across the back bench, two front seats and 3 in the bow. That's pretty darn crowded.
The weight limit would allow about 6 people, assuming an average weight of #150 per person so call that #900, leaving a couple hundred more pounds to allow for cargo, etc.......

There cannot be more than 8 people in my boat legally because there isn't anywhere for them to sit, and I can't carry more than the 1160 pounds because it'd overload the boats safe carrying capacity.

Someone else said it well- if you max out your 8 passengers and they all weigh #200, you are way over the safe weight limit.

I'd worry less about getting tagged (although on my lake it's a strong possibility because the water patrol is fairly agressive) and more about saftey.

It's like your vehicle's trailer rating? Can you tow a thousand or two pounds over your vehicles' rating? Yeah, you'd possibly get away with it, but that doesn't mean it's safe, or a good idea.

In the end, it's our boat, and our responsibility for the saftey of the crew.
We have guidelines we can choose to follow or not, at our own peril.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Weight/people capacity

i'm with others and ain't gonna test out either limit...
it's either/or. don't exceed either max cap. or max weight.

fwiw. my boats rated for 6 persons and weight cap. of 1100 lbs. i had 5 onboard the other day. figured i came up just short of 1k lbs of people. with gear and fuel i bet i was right on the limit of max. weight. felt like it too... won't do that again either as i didn't like how it performed filled up to max capacity...

personally. i like to run light if possible.....people and weight

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Weight/people capacity

My boat has a max of 4 people and when we are tubing or skiing, I will sometimes go out with 5 in the no wake zone, and then someone is always in tow while we are out there doing water sports and we don't have more in the boat than the sticker says.

I've seen game wardens enforce this one either way, personally I believe if someone is on an inflatable it shouldn't count, waterskis/wakeboard should. My reasoning is that the inflatable is a craft by itself, no different than someone out floating on a tube, or a kayak, or even towing a disabled boat. (Plenty of people float down the river I boat on, with nothing more than a couple regular watersports tubes lashed together. They certainly are a watercraft in that sense.)

Its a really slippery slope... So if you count a regular tube in your capacity count, there is very little difference between a tube and a small inflatable rubber raft. So by that theory, I couldn't legally tow a rubber raft to safety if they are stranded, but not in immediate danger. Sorry, it would put me over capacity! (same goes for towing any vessel for that matter)



But for waterskiing, yep, you should count the person on the rope as part of your capacity total.

 

[geeco1]

Re: Weight/people capacity

My boat has a max of 4 people and when we are tubing or skiing, I will sometimes go out with 5 in the no wake zone, and then someone is always in tow while we are out there doing water sports and we don't have more in the boat than the sticker says. This is a very small lake. We would be at risk of getting a ticket from the ramp to the edge of the no wake zone, and I know that. From a safety perspective, I am not all that concerned about capsizing the boat in the no wake zone, and if we did, then everyone in the boat is able to swim back to the ramp.

I am not claiming to know the exact law on this, but I don't think that having a person on the tube vs. in the boat would change things. It's kinda like holding the open can of beer out the car window, so that you don't have an open container in the vehicle I'm not saying that you are right/wrong, just my thoughts.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Weight/people capacity

I am not claiming to know the exact law on this, but I don't think that having a person on the tube vs. in the boat would change things. It's kinda like holding the open can of beer out the car window, so that you don't have an open container in the vehicle I'm not saying that you are right/wrong, just my thoughts.

how about an open beer held by someone riding in a 5th wheel behind the truck? (yes, i know, riding in the 5th wheel isn't legal, but for sake of discussion...)

Holding your beer out the window is more analogous to having a barefooter on a boom beside your boat. Yep, that should be counted. The 5th wheel is a vehicle by itself.

 

[RobbyA]

Re: Weight/people capacity

A couple of weeks ago when I got pulled over by the game warden, she looked at my tag to see capacity/ weight limit for the boat. She strictly told me go by the people count. My boat is 6 persons or 1000lbs. She said if you have 7 people in the boat, no matter if it is you and 6 children who weigh 50lbs a piece, she is writing a ticket. She told me that is her pet peave. Note to self: Only 6 people in the boat at all times. She told me that tag is for what ever number you hit first. So I guess I cant put six 200lb people in the boat either. Now I don't think she would weigh everyone, but one number she can control is the amount, so I see her point.

 

[mbgaski]

Re: Weight/people capacity

The 1200 lbs is people, gear and motor.

Not necessarily. Many boats list separate numbers for "persons weight" in addition to a total weight capacity that includes motor and gear as well. I'd have to check my placard for my total but I know that for instance mine lists a 3 Person/435 lbs capacity that's a max person weight (for some reason Triton doesn't list the regular max online).

The Tracker Pro 16 for example, which has a similar carrying capacity to mine, has a 435 lbs max person weight but a 855 lbs max total weight (persons, motor, and gear).

 

[Thad]

Re: Weight/people capacity

personally I believe if someone is on an inflatable it shouldn't count, waterskis/wakeboard should. My reasoning is that the inflatable is a craft by itself, no different than someone out floating on a tube, or a kayak, or even towing a disabled boat. (Plenty of people float down the river I boat on, with nothing more than a couple regular watersports tubes lashed together. They certainly are a watercraft in that sense.)

Its a really slippery slope... So if you count a regular tube in your capacity count, there is very little difference between a tube and a small inflatable rubber raft. So by that theory, I couldn't legally tow a rubber raft to safety if they are stranded, but not in immediate danger. Sorry, it would put me over capacity! (same goes for towing any vessel for that matter).

First off, if that tube is attached to your boat, it and the people on it are considered part of your boat. It is the same for a wave runner pulling a tube. There MUST be a seat on the craft for the person on the tube. So, no less than a three seater. Because you need a spotter here in Illinois.

As for the "pulling someone to safety", that is not the same thing.
You are required to render assistance to any person or craft on the water in an emergency.

My capacity plate says 11 persons OR XX weight people and gear. (I forget the weight.) There is no way on Gods blue waters I would ever think of putting that many people on my boat, but it is what it is. I am more concerned with the overall weight and everyone being comfortable. 8 people is pushing the comfort level.

So as to the OP's question, it is the LESSER of the two. No ifs ands or buts. Now the chances of having to pull your boat out and take it to the scales are a bit slim. However, an overloaded boat IS easy to spot, that is when a closer look is warranted.

Hope this helps.

 

[convergent]

Re: Weight/people capacity

I've seen game wardens enforce this one either way, personally I believe if someone is on an inflatable it shouldn't count, waterskis/wakeboard should. My reasoning is that the inflatable is a craft by itself, no different than someone out floating on a tube, or a kayak, or even towing a disabled boat. (Plenty of people float down the river I boat on, with nothing more than a couple regular watersports tubes lashed together. They certainly are a watercraft in that sense.)

Its a really slippery slope... So if you count a regular tube in your capacity count, there is very little difference between a tube and a small inflatable rubber raft. So by that theory, I couldn't legally tow a rubber raft to safety if they are stranded, but not in immediate danger. Sorry, it would put me over capacity! (same goes for towing any vessel for that matter)

But for waterskiing, yep, you should count the person on the rope as part of your capacity total.

This is why I started out the comment with saying there are two issues here... safety, and getting a ticket. I'm more worried about safety than the ticket, personally. So I don't see this a lot different than driving 70MPH in a 65MPH zone. If I get a ticket, then I'll pay it and not complain about it. I boat primarily in a very small lake that at peak may have 20 boats on the whole lake. I've never seen a game warden or coast guard boat on the lake.

My understanding is the coast guard/manufacturers calculate the capacity based on the boat's dimensions, and so in my mind a skier is not going to cause the boat to displace any more water. If it did, then how would anyone ever tow a stranded boat to the dock? A skier is 150 pounds. A towed boat is several thousand pounds.

Hopefully I'm not going to get beat up too bad on this... I'm just giving my opinion and being real here. I know I'm not the only one going a little over the speed limit on the highway, so I assume I'm not the only person that has gone over the capacity limit on their boat.

 

[dirtyoldman]

Re: Weight/people capacity

This is why I started out the comment with saying there are two issues here... safety, and getting a ticket. I'm more worried about safety than the ticket, personally. So I don't see this a lot different than driving 70MPH in a 65MPH zone. If I get a ticket, then I'll pay it and not complain about it. I boat primarily in a very small lake that at peak may have 20 boats on the whole lake. I've never seen a game warden or coast guard boat on the lake.

My understanding is the coast guard/manufacturers calculate the capacity based on the boat's dimensions, and so in my mind a skier is not going to cause the boat to displace any more water. If it did, then how would anyone ever tow a stranded boat to the dock? A skier is 150 pounds. A towed boat is several thousand pounds.

Hopefully I'm not going to get beat up too bad on this... I'm just giving my opinion and being real here. I know I'm not the only one going a little over the speed limit on the highway, so I assume I'm not the only person that has gone over the capacity limit on their boat.

I don't want to do anything unsafe OR get a ticket. That's why I am asking.

Like I said in the post, the kids are all small. All three weighed together wouldn't hit 100 lbs. So, the whole family and gear is half or maybe more the weight capacity. I'm certainly not going near that number.

I just wanted to know if it was OK to have more people if you were still under the 1200 lbs. It sounds like the answer is "NO!"

 

[convergent]

Re: Weight/people capacity

It is definitely "NO" based on the interpretation of the sticker, but from what I've read, not all localities enforce that sticker. You could call and ask them and then you'd know for sure. Or you could just avoid going over either weight or people based on the sticker and never have to duck when the enforcement boat rides by!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Weight/people capacity

My understanding is the coast guard/manufacturers calculate the capacity based on the boat's dimensions, and so in my mind a skier is not going to cause the boat to displace any more water. If it did, then how would anyone ever tow a stranded boat to the dock? A skier is 150 pounds. A towed boat is several thousand pounds.

The reason I had skiers/wakeboards in a different category than tubers is that at some point, you probably will have them in the boat. Certainly if they are hurt, you need the excess capacity. Whereas with a tuber, the tube itself is a craft to some extent. (aka, if floats!)