Overloading your Boat

Never overload your boat with passengers and cargo beyond its safe carrying capacity. Too many people and/or gear will cause the boat to become unstable. Always balance the load so that the boat maintains proper trim. Here are some things to remember when loading your boat:

• Distribute the load evenly fore and aft and from side to side.
• Keep the load low.
• Keep passengers seated (Do not stand up in a small boat!).
• Fasten gear to prevent shifting.
• Do not exceed the "U.S. Coast Guard Maximum Capacities" information label (commonly called the Capacity Plate).
• If there is no capacity plate, use the following chart as a guide to determine the maximum number of persons you can safely carry in calm weather. The chart is applicable only to mono-hull boats less than 20ft in length. A mono-hull is a boat, which makes a single "footprint" in the water when loaded to its rated capacity. For example, a catamaran, trimaran, or a pontoon boat is not a mono-hull boat.