horsepower coast guard ratings.

[ThomasL]

I know the formulas for rated a specific hp for x boat but how many of you

have actually been checked for too much motor on your boat.Reason i asked

i called yamaha today inquiring about a rumor of the demise of the 2 stroke 25

(isn't true)they do have two new 4 strokes,a 15 and 20 and asked the gentleman

what would happen if i placed a 25 on a boat rated for a 20.He said that the four stroke 20 was 8 pounds heavier than the 2 stroke 25,the only potential problem

would be thrust of the tiller on that size boat.He did say the guage of the aluminum and that it was welded with a solid floor would be sturdier than others.

He said game wardens never look at a small sized engine on most boats unless

the boat sits in the water much lower in the back than normal.What do you think? :-?

[Way2slow]

If your state has laws against over powering a hull, there's always the posibilty of getting caught.   A friend of mine is a policeman in Ohio and guite often volunteers for lake duty.  Police there also work on the water checking boats and he said they frequently catch people that change or remove the decals and talks like the fine is pretty hefty when the do get caught, right down to taking the boat because it was used in the commission of a crime, (thought he never knew of anyone having one taken).  

I lived in Virginia for several years and there were a couple of lakes near me I fished that had a 10 hp limit, I think everbody their ran 15 hp Johnson with 10 hp decals and some even ran the much larger 25 hp motors with decals removed and just the number 10 on them.  Fished those lakes for almost six years and never knew or heard of anyone ever even getting checked.

So that's the long answer.  It's strickly your call on that one, keeping in mind, what might be no problem on one lake or area, can cause you some major problems in another.

[cart7t]

My previous Champion was 16 1/2 foot and was rated for a 150hp back in the days of the old inline six 150's.  Those old engines were rated at the power head and not at the prop shaft like my current 150hp Yamaha.  The engine even looked rather large on the back of my boat but in the 10 years I had it the HP plate was never checked by water patrol when they did spot checks.  They were more interested in if you had proper safety equipment on board and whether you were sober than writing up tickets on over-horsepowered boats. Besides, if you're honest with your insurance agent you'll wind up paying for that extra speed in increased premiums.

[ThomasL]

I regulary see other camo boats with the engines completely camoed as to

it even being hard to tell the brand much less the horepower it was.Will think

on it and ask a few smaller dealers that would trade the 9.9 fourstroke with.

[George Welcome]

Stickers aren't the issue - the issue is insurance. If your boat is plated for a max 25, and you stick something bigger on it, you have a serious insurance issue if you were to have an accident. Basically, you would have no insurance. Of course that only matters if you have insurance in the first place. Lots of people running around with the "it can't happen to me" attitude.

The legality issue from the Coast Guard standpoint is as follows:

Is powering above the rated maximum legal?

The United States Coast Guard has an opinion on this frequently asked question, and their answer from their website is reproduced below:

Can I use a bigger motor on my boat than what it's rated for?

It is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations prohibiting it, and restrictions from your own insurance company regarding this.

There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions from your insurance company which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat (send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the Boarding Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating, as overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat.

NOTE: The Coast Guard Capacity Information label is required only on monohull boats less than 20' in length. The label is not required on multi-hull boats, pontoon boats (catamarans), or on any sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or inflatable boats, regardless of length.

As the Coast Guard mentions, local regulations may apply. For example, in the state of Ohio one should be guided by this regulation:

Capacity Plates

(ORC 1547.39 & ORC 1547-40)

No person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft in excess of any of the stated limits on the capacity plate. When no capacity plate exists, no person shall operate or permit operation of a watercraft if a reasonably prudent person would believe the total load aboard or the total horsepower of any motor or engine presents a risk of physical harm to persons or property.

To help locate applicable law in your jurisdiction, you may find the website of the National Association of State Boating Law Agencies to be helpful. They provide a free guide to state boating regulations.

It should be noted that in some cases there are pamphlets or guidelines issued by state regulatory agencies that contain recommended practices which may propose higher standards than those actually contained in the state law.

[Daniel My Brother]

You'll probably never get checked, and even then, never be fined...BUT...In all things boating and fishing, if you know the law and follow the law you'll never have to worry about it - and that's worth a lot to me.