How Much is too Much

[Coach]

I keep seeing some ridiculous numbers with the ballast. Most are way above what is legal for the boats they are in. With that much weight are you not scared of swamping your boat? What if you have to make an emergency maneuver to avoid someone? Do you worry about causing damage to structure and being forced to pay for it?

I am playing a bit of devils advocate here as I like having the ballast but know if I have more people in the boat I don't fill my ballast all the way up. I just don't want to risk swamping the boat. I know if any patrol comes by an you have a crew and sees how low the boat is sitting they will pull you over for unsafe operation.

Just some things I think about when I am using the ballast. Am I missing something or just paranoid?

[ragboy]

I think alot depends on where/how you boat. I don't take my boat out on the weekends on our lake, except on rare occasions, and then, don't load it up.

During the week, in a cove by itself, about 2k of ballast + people is good, but I def wouldn't do that on the lake when its busy. The only swamping I am in danger of would be my own wake. And I don't ever see a patrol during the week, plus we have gotten to know most of them.

[dogbert]

Patrols around here don't seem to worry about that too much and we have a lot of surfers whose boats look like they are listing badly to one side. I think it's a "use your own best judgement" kind of thing. It also has a lot to do with your experience level. Driving a heavily weighted boat definitely requires some experience, but that doesn't make it unsafe. Use common sense and don't exceed your own capabilities as a boat driver and you'll be ok. These boats are designed to carry a lot more weight than they are rated for.



Fortunately, we're not at a point yet where the govt feels like it needs to protect us from ourselves.

[hoopykat]

These boats are designed to carry a lot more weight than they are rated for.

Perhaps they are, but what kind of strain are you putting on the engines and drive trains with all that extra weight? Basically doubling the load capacity with ballast and the power plant has to push all that extra weight through the water, and most times at a weird angle (weight on one side).

No wonder so many people are bitching about problems with their boats...no thanks. I guess you make your own bed, sleep well in it...

-Mike

[dogbert]

No wonder so many people are bitching about problems with their boats...no thanks. I guess you make your own bed, sleep well in it...

-Mike

Like I said, it's a common sense thing. If you load up your boat so it runs like crap, you're probably right. People need to think about what they do. That said, it is true that these boats can handle a lot more than what they are rated for. It's the USCG that makes up the weight rule and it's a factor of length and beam, not freeboard or floatation.

[wakeboarder247]

Like I said, it's a common sense thing. If you load up your boat so it runs like crap, you're probably right. People need to think about what they do. That said, it is true that these boats can handle a lot more than what they are rated for. It's the USCG that makes up the weight rule and it's a factor of length and beam, not freeboard or floatation.

x2 dog. And I never knew what the weight limit was based on.. so thanks for the tidbit.

[mtnsmith]

I've definitely seen some rediculously loaded boats. But as far as the capacity not taking into account floatation, that's not completely accurate, case in point look at the 06 22ve (11 people capacity) compared to the 07 22ve (14 people capacity), they are identical dimensions but have different capacities. Also, the nmma sticker, or USCG sticker, is only required on single hulled boats less than 20 feet in length. The reason it is on tiges is for the nmma certification. Here is a good capacity page, given it is a florida specific page, it has some relevent national info too. I say common sense should be exercised, if you don't have enough to know when you are operating a boat unsafely, well a hard lesson might be learned that day.

http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/course/p2-...pacity_ada.htm

[evil0ne]

Also, the nmma sticker, or USCG sticker, is only required on single hulled boats less than 20 feet in length. The reason it is on tiges is for the nmma certification

That is the best answer to Coach's question. They should not be able to write you a ticket for unsafe boating if you go over that sticker because it is not a requirement for our boats but more of a safe and sane guideline.

[Dan and Christy]

I've definitely seen some rediculously loaded boats. But as far as the capacity not taking into account floatation, that's not completely accurate, case in point look at the 06 22ve (11 people capacity) compared to the 07 22ve (14 people capacity), they are identical dimensions but have different capacities. Also, the nmma sticker, or USCG sticker, is only required on single hulled boats less than 20 feet in length. The reason it is on tiges is for the nmma certification. Here is a good capacity page, given it is a florida specific page, it has some relevent national info too. I say common sense should be exercised, if you don't have enough to know when you are operating a boat unsafely, well a hard lesson might be learned that day.

http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/course/p2-...pacity_ada.htm

Mtnsmith - My 06 22ve sticker states 14 people

[chpthril]

Mtnsmith - My 06 22ve sticker states 14 people

Mine did........oh, I mean, would, if it came with one

[da.bell]

Mtnsmith probably got that amount from the Model Specs on this website. We all know that they are not exactly perfect.

[Dan and Christy]

Mine did........oh, I mean, would, if it came with one

Attakid

[noworries]

Here is a chart from Fiberglassics web site that identifies maximum allowed horsepower given the length and width of a boat. Some of you may have to extrapolate. Folks were pretty conservative in the 60s. I'm only about 50% high on HP I'm guessing.

[CP3]

I plan on running 2K in ballast sunday with probably 6 or more people

[tigesinaus]

id say these guys would be getting close to the "too much" mark.