USCG plates on a boat

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fastcajun

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I thought ya'll might like to read this. This was found on another forum and I am just copy and paste it here.


Here is some info from the USCG on another forum. This pertains to a recreational hull but as you can read the plate has no real requirement and is nothing more than recommended cautionary safety info. per the USCG themselves. I will say that I have ran several commercial hulls and my last Weldbuilt commercial hull had a sticker that said "commercial use only" and no plate. Just get yourself a piece of aluminum scrap and a letter punch kit and make your own. Bet they would not question it.

There is no Federal requirement for the owner of a boat to have a capacity plate. Federal regulations require the manufacturer of a recreational boat that is less than 20 feet in length to place a capacity label on the boat when it leaves the factory. This manufacturer requirement is in place for informational purposes for the purchaser of the boat. There is no Federal regulation requiring the owner to retain or maintain the capacity label nor to comply with the information on the label. With all that said, however, some states have passed a state law requiring boat owners to have a capacity label on their boat and to strictly comply with the information on the label. Alabama is one of the states that has such a law but, unfortunately, in enacting the law, they offered no avenue for boat owners who do not have a capacity label to get one. Since it appears that you have the information that should be on the label, I suggest that you place this information on a 3X5 card, laminate it, and glue it inside the boat. Since your boat is a Correct Craft I assume it is an inboard or sterndrive less than 20 feet in length. If so, the label should read:
U.S. Coast Maximum Capacities
6 Persons or 850 Pounds
1100 Pounds, persons, gear

However, if your boat is an outboard the label should read:
U.S. Coast Maximum Capacities
6 Persons or 850 Pounds
1100 Pounds, persons, motor, gear
240 Horsepower

Phil Cappel
Chief, Recreational Boating Product Assurance Branch (CG-54223)
Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, United States Coast Guard
Phone: (202) 372-1076 Fax: (202) 372-1933
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: https://www.uscgboating.org
 
very good info. I believe we must have a capacity plate here in PA., we can get one from the state. I was going to get a buddy,who owns a sign shop, to make me one. guy at tracker said-thats illegal. apparently not. of course,when you'r getting $75 for the replacement you don't want them made for way less. thanks for post!
 
I'm pretty sure Chief Cappel is taking a rather broad view on the subject...

Contacting you local DNR / game warden will probably get you closer but...

Using the Coast Guards Handbook for Boat Builders will help you determine your loading and how to determine it. Changing the boats configuration changes the load plate. Something as simple as remote steering makes the plate invalid.

That being said, my local DNR police are more interested in what's in the boat vs. the boat itself. Horn, whistle, throwable if over 16', preservers, fire extinguisher and paperwork.

Jamie
 
this all was copy and pasted from other forums. this was directed towards whomever came up with the first post.
 

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