Capacity Placard

[Champguy]

Hello all,

I'm new to the board and the 2008 26m we just purchased. My questions are about the warning stickers placed on the 26m's.


Are they required placards? From what I've found, the capacity plates are only required on boats under 20ft.

Can you remove the stickers and be legal?

If the sticker is there, though not required, are you still required to abide by the capacity?

I'm not looking to put 10 people on the boat. However, I would like to carry 4 adults and 3-4 kids without being in violation.

Thanks

[raycarlson]

yes a very serious offense, i've heard that if your also caught with missing tags on you pillows and mattress you could face life in prison!!!!!!!!!

[Champguy]

LOL!

I guess what I'm really looking for is if anyone has had more than 6 on the boat and had problems with law enforcement?


PS. I promise, my pillow tags are still on.

Aaron

[Freedom77]

Don't have any such placards on Freedom. Maybe it's a new federal reg but my guess is that it could be a libility disclaimer from MacGregor? in case somebody overloads and rolls over or sinks. It's like the tag on your hairdryer telling you not to use it in the shower Kinda makes you wonder if the gene pool is getting to shallow.Fair Winds and Full Sails...Old Salt

[rwmiller56]

The capacity placard is only required for any boat less than 20' that is not a sailboat, kayak or inflatable. MacGregor has probably installed it only as safety information.

If you want your boat to pass the USCG Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check (VSC), then:
Boats 26' and over with a machinery compartment must display a pollution placard.
Boats 26' and over must display a MARPOL Trash placard.

This is kind of a grey area, since our boats are technically not quite 26' in length. I intend to get the USCGA VSC certification, so I installed the MARPOL placard, just to be sure. Pollution placard is not required, since our boats don't have a machinery compartment.

All the requirements for VSC are located here:
http://safetyseal.net/what_is_vsc.asp

Roger

[Miss_Dallie]

I agree with Freedom, it's most likely a liability issue disclaimer. Roger designed the boat and this is what he has decided is safe; I assume there's some cussion but probably not much. Use your best judgement.

I would like to carry 4 adults and 3-4 kids

With as many as you want to take out on your boat, I can't help but think "where are you going to put that many people on a MAC?" The cockpit doesn't handle six adults comfortably (my opinion). It seems that moving around the cockpit is difficult enough with four adults; constantly shuffling peeps around to get from the helm to the companion way, etcetera. My nephew (11yo) sat up on the anchor locker while we sailed with the main only once; I felt a bit uncomfortable with it but I think I may have been nervious because it's the first time someone sat up on the deck while I sailed.

Let me know how it turns out.

Ron

[dlandersson]

Just the time I had it crammed full of undocumented aliens.

LOL!

I guess what I'm really looking for is if anyone has had more than 6 on the boat and had problems with law enforcement?


PS. I promise, my pillow tags are still on.

Aaron

[ronacarme]

Ditto Miss Dallie.
4 participating sailors can sail the boat . Skipper and 3 passengers impedes sailing because Skipper has to crawl over the passengers to sail the boat.
Skipper plus 3 adult passengers plus kids? Where to put the kids? Some jurisdictions may bar kids or even adult passengers on the fordeck, even with pfd's, We have had kids get seasick quite quickly in the cabin.
Not sure what Roger suggests as max passenger load on an M. If factory stickers on the boat limit the number of persons carried, does applicable law bar removing same? Bar exceeding the limit? What penalty? In case of accident or injury or loss of life, what additional civil or criminal liability may attach, and what risk that your insurance company may consider you in breach of contract and refuse to defend you?
Ron

[Divecoz]

We had USCGA VSC certification and had only to abide by the UNDER 26' rules.. as for Insurance etc etc .. They still cover you in spite of Speeding DUI etc etc even Driving to Endanger etc etc they just , may not be willing to renew your policy..
Our Experience is 4 people be they adults or children.. Not many, if any want to be in the cabin if its nice enough to go sailing.. We have had the two oldest Grandsons sitting with legs through the bow rails and waving at Harbor Police and USCG .. They just waved back.

[Catigale]

The factory sticker has no legal standing with regards to marine regulations...it is a factory recommendation, nothing more. Civil court, everything you do is used against you of course.

I've taken 8 to the Cape for a week, in excellent conditions, ballast in, and half of the crew experienced sailors...my total weight of crew on board was 920 pounds plus one week provisions. Will repeat soon for the fifth time.

[SeamanLou]

A U.S.Coast Guard inspection should not fail you for a missing capacity, plate though it, the HIN, and Certificate of Compliance. Though these are required, they must come from the manufacturer. On a C. G. Vessel Examination, you will be advised to contact the dealer for replacements. SeamanLou, (U.S.C.G. Vessel Examiner.)

[Catigale]

The sticker the factory puts on some boats not a capacity placard, and such a placard is not required on the and models.

Politely Inform any party who insists otherwise to double check the regs.

[mastreb]

The factory recommendation is no more than four people powering without ballast, no more than six adults period. I think that's quite conservative, and I count two kids as one adult for weight distribution.

We've had eleven people on board while sailing--five adults and six kids, or the equivalent of 8 adults. All adults were in the cockpit, with two on the stern rail seats (which would be mandatory for any more than six people IMHO). Kids were in the cabin and on the fo'c'sle through the hatch. Our rule is that all forward/aft travel must be through the cabin, not topside, as it's grabbing the stays that will pull a boat down. This rule keeps the weight low in the boat where it needs to be.

The boat sailed perfectly fine in moderate (10 knot) winds in 2-3 foot ocean swells, and felt quite a bit less tender and more stable than normal. I'd say it actually sailed the best I've ever sailed it. The more people you can keep in the cabin, the better the boat will feel because they're lower down than the cockpit.

having done this, however, my recommendation would be no more than eight people total, because the boat just isn't big enough to accomodate that many people for long periods comfortably. Fortunately we had a pod of dolphins keeping everyone entertained.

[Champguy]

Thanks for all of your posts. Hopefully we'll have a nice long holiday weekend and get to be out on the lake.

Have a safe and happy 4th,

Aaron

[Catigale]

Aaron...rough SWAGS

4 adults 800 pounds
4 kids. 400 pounds

Total 1200 pounds

So for fireworks...

Ballast in, cb and rudders down
Slow motoring only 4-6 kts.
Seas must be light waves only
Watch for wakes of other boats
Only kids up top and they need to be balanced side to side

Everyone wears PFDs at ALL times