I am currently looking at A mid 2000's John Sport boat and it is a 19 footer and I was just wondering if anyone has heard of the max weight or max amount of people this boat can hold thanks!

Just an FYI but as far as the laws are concerned you can have as many people on board as you have life jackets for till it is sitting on the bottom. There is nothing enforceable with those rating plates. They are simply a CYA for the manufacturer.

After about 3 people that boat will start to get crowded to fish from. But for cruising around just stay safe. The low sides will start to dip if you have too much weight to one side or the other. But it will run fine in reasonable conditions with up to about 6 people max on board with proper weight placement.

I have to disagree with the above statement. The USCG, for one, requires all boats under 20 ft to have a max capacity placard onboard and in sight and they can ticket you if you exceed that. Also, with all due respect, advising people that it is okay to have an overloaded boat "so long as you have a life vest per person", is flat out irresponsible.

The USCG law passed in 1971 requires that boats have a max capacity placard, so the mfg of the boat would have it. If you post some photos of it, we may at least get you close to what you need. Also, if you get the Hull ID off it, I bet the TPWD will have a record of it and be able to steer you towards more information.

GL!

Russ

http://help.cgaux.org/index.php?/Kn...63/6/capacity-plate-requirement-on-boats
Here is some clarification from the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary....

I am a full time guide with a Masters Captains License. I am on the water 180-250 days a year.
I have the USCG, on my boat about 10-15 times a year. My stuff is in order so they actually board me to do trainings. I see them in close proximity almost every day that i am on the water. TPWD is on my boat about 6-8 times a year. And the local sheriffs do safety inspections at the dock often.

Have not had the capacity placard on my last 4 boats over the last 12 years. 2 i removed and 2 flat out didnt have it when i bought the boat used. Out of the 100s of boardings and inspections i have never been asked for it. Because it is meaningless to any law enforcement.

Ask law enforcement yourself. Yes they require the manufacturer to put the placard at manufacturing. But there is nothing enforceable under any law on that placard. You cannot be ticketed for not having the placard. You cannot be ticketed for exceeding the placard capacities even if you have the placard. The placards are not issued by the USCG at all in any way. They are simply printed up by the manufacturer as they are required to do so. If you have graphics in your computer you can make one up yourself and have it laminated at a print shop. It will be just as legal as the one from the manufacturer.

You can absolutely put as many people as you have life jackets for. You can also put whatever horsepower you want on whatever boat you have. The placard is a CYA and nothing more. If you want to be an idiot by grossly overloading your vessel you certainly can.

If you feel the need to get one there are companies that make them. You can have it read whatever you want. There are some standard math formulas they use to calculate by but those formulas in themselves are completely arbitrary as well.

On boats less than 20 feet in length with no capacity plate, use the following rule of thumb to calculate the number of persons (weighing 150 lbs. each, on average) the vessel can carry safely in good weather conditions.

Number of people = vessel length (ft.) x vessel width (ft.) ÷ 15
The Coast Guard Maximum Horsepower Capacity is determined by a very simple formula for vessels less than 20 feet it is:

(length x width x 2) - 90 rounded up to the nearest 5.

Oh you are fine Master Blaster.. (Sorry.. my CMC and I were good friends and that was my nickname for him.. lol)...

Too many people do not have the experience you and others have and take that as "the word of God".. and lo and behold, they run into Deputy Barnie Fife.. and they get cited for a safety issue or something.

Whether or not they have "teeth", the law clearly states to have the placard.

Whether or not someone got caught and/or cited, is not going to keep the first one from getting one heh.

That being said, your rules of thumb are good for those guys and it sounds like they may just need to look at a bigger boat.

MY rule of thumb is that if I am worried it is not going to be big enough, it probably isn't.

R