Proper Loading ‣ Never load beyond a boat’s safe carrying capacity
Reasons a Boat Rides Low In The Water and Become Unstable: • Too many people • Too much gear • Too big an engine
Freeboard ‣ The distance between the water and the gunnel or top of the sides of the boat
‣ Every boat is designed to have a certain amount of freeboard
FREEBOARD
Capacity Plate ‣ Follow the information on the capacity plate and adhere to all limits for each
‣ Required on all motorized vessels less than 20 feet
Capacity Plate Information: • Maximum horsepower • Maximum number of people • Maximum weight permitted
Stay Under the Maximum Horsepower ‣ Outboard: the engine is attached to
the transom, on the stern or back of the boat, and hangs over the back of the boat into the water
TRANSOM
‣ The more horsepower, the bigger and heavier the
engine will be, which will cause the stern or back of the boat to be lower in the water than it should be
Stay Under the Maximum Horsepower ‣ To much weight on the transom will
cause the bow to raise up quite high
‣ Slowing the boat down will cause the
stern to become very low in the water
‣ A following ‘wake’ can easily come over the transom and ‘swamp’ the boat
Sample Capacity Exercise ‣ Older boats, and
sailboats, might not have a capacity plate
‣ A simple formula can
sometimes be used to determine the maximum number of people
Maximum # of Persons
=
Boat Length
x 15
Boat Width
Sample Capacity Exercise BOAT LENGTH (feet)
BOAT WIDTH (feet)
2.5’
3’
3.5’
4’
4.5’
5’
5.5’
6’
6’
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
8’
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
10’
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
12’
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
14’
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
16’
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
Maximum # of Persons
=
Boat Length x Boat Width 15
Distribute The Load Evenly ‣ Distribute the load evenly fore and aft and from side to side
Keep the Load Low - Secure It ‣ Keep the load low and centered ‣ Secure it to prevent it from shifting
Passengers In Assigned Seating ‣ Make sure that all your
passengers stay seated in the seats
‣ No bow riding ‣ No hanging over the gunwales
Stay Low – Three Points Of Contact ‣ Stay low ‣ Move slowly
1
‣ Always have three points of contact with the boat
2
3
Boarding or Disembarking ‣ Stay low ‣ Three points of contact with boat or dock
1 2
3
Proper Loading - important to safe boating ‣ Proper loading is important to safe boating
‣ It is not difficult ‣ Follow the information on the capacity plate
‣ Load your boat properly