Full_Monte
Well-known member
I have a line on a boat without a Coast Guard plate. Not sure what that means. Brand is Delta. Is it the law that all boats must have a plate? If I buy the boat, how can I get one? Thanks for any help!
Does a boat have to have a Coast Guard plate?
- Thread starter Full_Monte
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SilverBullets
Super Moderator
here's some info that might help...
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=286258
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=286258
twisted lines
Well-known member
Not if its over 20' with all required items you can stack em like sardines! and no flotation is required; so when they go down their gone. Must have pfds for each obviously. So I have been told and seen first hand.....TL
Full_Monte
Well-known member
Thanks, guys. For anyone interested, there's a Coast Guard Pub at http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/backyardboatbuilders.pdf
I just found it.
This has all the requirements for backyard boat builders.
It says all boats under 20 ft. must have a USCG capacity plate installed. I don't know what one does if they don't have one or is building their own boat.
I just found it.
This has all the requirements for backyard boat builders.
It says all boats under 20 ft. must have a USCG capacity plate installed. I don't know what one does if they don't have one or is building their own boat.
twisted lines
Well-known member
The manufacture can provide one but will more then likely charge pretty well for it,Providing you have the (HIN) Builders have theres inspected buy the marine board; Locally for me its the Sheriff department Marine patrol that does the inspecting! TL
I wonder if it is like a tag on a mattress that has to be there from the seller but once you buy it you can pull it off. If had smaller boats where that "plate" was just a sticker and after a few years in the sun it curls up and falls off. It was never an issue in ownership or selling second hand.
SilverBullets
Super Moderator
Full_Monte
Well-known member
The Coast Guard Regs I linked to in my previous posts does state that any boat under 20ft. must have one of those plates affixed. It doesn't say how you get one if your boat doesn't have one or it somehow got lost. There are also a lot of boats out there that were made by manufacturers who have gone out of business, and it doesn't say what to do in that case.
Mark McWillis
Well-known member
I believe that the USCG requires the manufacturer to install the plate so the consumer knows the boats capacity. There is no problem if the plate is missing, after the boat has been delivered to the first purchaser. If it's missing just use some common sense....8 adults in a 16' boat is overeloaded, plate or not!!
skyhammer
Well-known member
My 20' jet has a plate, but there is nothing written on it, it is blank.
When I bought the boat(new), I asked the builder why the plate was blank and said it was because it was 20'.
I asked why put the plate on the boat if you were going to leave it blank? He said they put a plate on all their boats, just in case.
On the other hand, my Clackacraft 16' drift boat doesn't have a plate, I have never seen a plate on a Clackacraft. But, every aluminum drift boat I have seen has a filled out plate. Don't know why, maybe because the Clack is fiberglass.
When I bought the boat(new), I asked the builder why the plate was blank and said it was because it was 20'.
I asked why put the plate on the boat if you were going to leave it blank? He said they put a plate on all their boats, just in case.
On the other hand, my Clackacraft 16' drift boat doesn't have a plate, I have never seen a plate on a Clackacraft. But, every aluminum drift boat I have seen has a filled out plate. Don't know why, maybe because the Clack is fiberglass.
When my son asked this about his boat, he was told that the plate is required.
He can't get one from the builder so he was told that there is a formula that you use to get the info.
If you have that info with the boat you will normally be ok.
There is always a rish though.
I told him to make his own plate with the proper info on it.
So this is all speculation and I don't know if there is a correct answer when you can't get a replacement plate from the manufacture.
He can't get one from the builder so he was told that there is a formula that you use to get the info.
If you have that info with the boat you will normally be ok.
There is always a rish though.
I told him to make his own plate with the proper info on it.
So this is all speculation and I don't know if there is a correct answer when you can't get a replacement plate from the manufacture.
SilverBullets
Super Moderator
Monte... You could try going by the HIN#, usually Port Side aft or Port side on a Bulkhead. The HIN# can then be traced back through the USCG and the Weight Capacity can be determined to be able to make your own plate if that's acceptable and your unable to get one from the manufacturer.
