Uscg Maximum Capacity Plate

[blackmax135]

Ok i never payed attention until now to this but i was reading through laws and regulations on boats and i noticed you have to have a maximum cpacity plate somewere on your boat.  I was trying to find it on my boat and noticed that were the radio was cut in there is sticker residue around it.    I know that got to be were it was.  Ive had this boat for a year and i know i should have read up on this a long time ago.  But my question is what do i do anyone know.  I was gonna step up and fish some tournaments but rules thats one of the things you have to have.

[slonezp]

I would bet you could get a replacement from the boat manufacturer. That being said, the club I fish checked my insurance once when I first joined and only checks livewells regularly. Never had the USCG plate checked  

[blackmax135]

I was going to fish the oakley big bass tournament on lake murray and i was looking through the rules again and they mentioned when they check your boat the coast guard max weight and motor size plate has to be checked

[Logan S]

I would recommend contacting the manufacturer ASAP and see what advice they have for you, maybe also local DNR (or whatever agency deals with this stuff in your state).  

 

It's more than just not getting into a tournament, I would imagine if you were stopped by DNR they would have an issue with that...I was stopped once and I had my rain jacket covering mine, the officer asked me where it was...It's the only time I've ever been asked, but then again every other time it's been clearly visible.  I'm not sure if they look for it regularly or what the penalty is.  I can tell you that I had the USCG vessel safety check done this year and it was the first thing on their checklist.  

 

The USCG placard is like the one thing you aren't supposed to touch on a boat, I can't believe the previous owner cut it out!  Best of luck, hope it doesn't open a huge can of worms for you.  

[blackmax135]

Ive been checked multiple times but they have never checked for that luckily.  I know i  should have already had this stuff in order but thats just my luck for not doing my research as good as i should have. 

[tstone]

I was thinking about fishing oakley big bass down here, I guess I'll have to call to find out more about their rule. My boat doesn't have a plate, boats over 20' aren't required to have one

[blackmax135]

Yea on the rules it says they check the boat for diffrent things.  It wasn't very clear on it though.

[WIGuide]

I was thinking about fishing oakley big bass down here, I guess I'll have to call to find out more about their rule. My boat doesn't have a plate, boats over 20' aren't required to have one

 

I was going to fish the oakley big bass tournament on lake murray and i was looking through the rules again and they mentioned when they check your boat the coast guard max weight and motor size plate has to be checked

I'd look into getting a tag. I've fished two Oakley Big Bass events though and didn't see any boats get checked. Since you take off from whatever ramp you choose there's really nothing that distinguishes you from any other boat on the lake that day. You should be fine without one. I'm thinking they put that in there so they can inspect your boat if needed, for example if you pull up to weigh in with a 16' boat with a 200hp motor on it. 

[Hi Salenity]

I have a hard time believing the manufactuer put the Sticker in a place that could be removed to install a stereo.

What boat do you have?

[blackmax135]

Its a 95 procraft 170 17'6".  It does seam kinda odd to me also the placement. I thought it would be underneath the throtle but it just isn't there.  They probably wouldn't check a boat unless something looks fishy.  But it would suck to go out there and get disqulified.

[Logan S]

I was thinking about fishing oakley big bass down here, I guess I'll have to call to find out more about their rule. My boat doesn't have a plate, boats over 20' aren't required to have one

I was getting ready to tell you this is wrong...but I looked it up and sure enough, boats over 20' don't need one .

Mine is 20' and has one...When my club did the USCG inspection this year even the guys with 21' boat were checked for it though (those boats all had them too). Weird.

OP, was the boat ever re-powered? If so, some one could have removed it if the new outboard was over the max rating on the plate.... Some 17'ers have pretty high HP ratings, but I've seen some with pretty low ones as well. Might want to google your specific model to see if you can find the max rating to compare with what you have.

[gulfcaptain]

Look up the manufacture  spec's for your boat online.  Print the page, put it in a plastic bag and keep it in the boat.  The spec sheet should have max cap and horsepower rating which is what they want to see.  If you have the private bill of sale, make a copy of it and include it as so they can see it was purchased used as well as you insurance papers. If you have all of that together and you do get checked it wil go quickly as well as keeping up all safety equipment that needs to be onboard......check fire extinguisher dates....they can send you back to the ramp if it happens to be past date of re-charge.  Being the boat is 18yrs old it may be hard to get another sticker.

[Crappiebasser]

I have a hard time believing the manufactuer put the Sticker in a place that could be removed to install a stereo.

What boat do you have?

I have a Fisher aluminum that has a sticker instead of a plate and it's on the dash. I have considered putting a water pressure gauge in that spot.

[J Francho]

My Bullet is nearly 22' long and has a plaque, that basicall reads that it's unrated for weight and unlimited for HP.  No one I know that owns a Bullet has ever been turned away from any tournament.

[blackmax135]

Ok i read up a little more and it is very unclear so its got me pretty well confused.  In the South Carolina boating handbook it says that PWC's and some other vessels are not required to have the plate.  But no were does it actually say it is the law or required that to have the plate/sticker.  So why would they have in the rules they can check for it if it is not required?  I know that they don't want people running to big of a motor. 

[blackmax135]

Look up the manufacture  spec's for your boat online.  Print the page, put it in a plastic bag and keep it in the boat.  The spec sheet should have max cap and horsepower rating which is what they want to see.  If you have the private bill of sale, make a copy of it and include it as so they can see it was purchased used as well as you insurance papers. If you have all of that together and you do get checked it wil go quickly as well as keeping up all safety equipment that needs to be onboard......check fire extinguisher dates....they can send you back to the ramp if it happens to be past date of re-charge.  Being the boat is 18yrs old it may be hard to get another sticker.

I found specs and the motor on my boat is the max rated motor but the way it is typed up on there why would the law believe that i didn't just type that up myself ya know?  Im just gonna call dnr and see what they say

[J Francho]

The rule is not enforced at the BFL up here. My buddy fished it in his 20 XD Comp Bullet. There's no plaque on that boat. It's a dumb rule that was probably put in place with good intentions and safety in mind, back when bass boats were mostly under 20'.

[Mr_Scrogg]

I was going to fish the oakley big bass tournament on lake murray and i was looking through the rules again and they mentioned when they check your boat the coast guard max weight and motor size plate has to be checked

I fished the OBB on Grand. Didnt look at anything on my boat.