Colorado Boating

Basic Boating Information
Return to Table of Contents
1	Boating Terms
2	Hull Designs
3	Boat Length
4	Propulsion
5	Capacity
6	Hull Identification Numbers
7	Homemade Boats
8	Recall Hotline
9	Theft Prevention
10	Loaning a Boat
11	Lines and Knots
12	Trailers and Trailering
13	Boat Ramps
14	Weather
15	Float Plans
16	Boat Maintenance
17	Fueling
18	Environmental Considerations
19	Chapter Review

CAPACITY

As with length, the capacity of a boat is generally predetermined by the manufacturers. Since 1972, all single-hulled recreational boats less than 20 feet in length have a placard, in sight of the operator, stating the “capacity” of that boat. A capacity plate states the maximum number of people, weight* and horsepower. Operators should never exceed the rated capacity. If you have a homemade boat, or one that was manufactured prior to 1972, it will not have a boat builder’s capacity plate.

A rule of thumb for determining the number of people is to multiply the length of the boat times the width of the boat and then divide by 15. The resulting number is the approximate number of people a small boat can safely carry.

(Length x Width)
15

*Average weight of a person is considered to be 150 pounds.

Basic Boating Information

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CAPACITY