Person Capacity?? Weight, Persons or both??

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TrepMan

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Gang - I've been searching and reading the Coast Guards site this morning and must be lost in legal mumbojumbo. Here is my question:



My U.S. Coast Guard sign says something like "4 persons or 560 lbs". Does that mean if I have 5 people (say 2 adults and 3 children under 5) that i'm legaly over the limit?



I've got 2 boys (4 and 2) and have thought about taking a freind and his 4 yearold but don't want to get a ticket from the DNR or coast Guard. In the specific case us 5 would weigh about 350 total.



Anyone know FOR SURE how this is interpreted or enforced?



Thanks a bunch.



TrepMan
 
I think as long as you had life jackets for all of you,...and the kids had theirs on,....no cop or coastie is going to give you a ticket!! If you had 5 adults, you might be asking for trouble,......but 2 adults and 3 small kids is not "overloaded" in my opinion. Just make sure the kids keep their jackets on, and you'll be fine. Especially since you'll be way under the max weight limit anyway. Have a great time and be safe!!

Mac
 
"There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading

capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions from your

insurance company which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that

gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat

(send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is

overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the Boarding

Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating, as

overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat."



So I guess the answer is it's up the captain!



TrepMan
 
Mac - My biggest pet peeve on the water is folks who take kids (from infants to pre-teens) on the boat w/out life jackets! I've seen parents carrying infants onto open bow bass/ski boats just holding them. Now, what happens when the captain hits a large wake and the boat bounces and god forbid the little one goes overboad!



Life jackets (correct size, shape) are a MUST, you are right!



TrepMan
 
A DNR officer recently "let me know" that using a trolling motor is still considered moving. An 11 year old with me took his jacket off without me noticing as we used the trolling motor on a 60 acre lake. So make them keep the jackets on all the time, better safe than sorry. Jeff
 

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