Max Load / Max persons

[Persistence]

Hi
I've sent this question to Maritime Vic but have not heard anything back from them but just wanted to see if anyone knew the answer. Or if you could point me to another authority to ask.

I would like to know if I have a boat that says max 4 persons / max load 500kg and I have myself my wife and 3 small children which would be well under 500kg would that be considered over loaded? Total person load comes to just over 250kg.
Obviously all appropriate fitting safety equipment, lifejackets etc taken into consideration as well as the weight of any cargo.
Anybody have any experience with this? Cheers.

[Mattblack]

I was told by the dealer to go by the max load weight figure & the max persons figure is just a guide....makes sense considering one large person could weigh as much as 3 normal people....then again, you wouldn't take out 20 kids even if they weighed less than 500kg combined... Its just common sense. If its choppy you don't want a fully loaded boat either. Cant remember my max load weight, but it has a recommended 5 adults max & I only have 4 seats.

[Texas]

I was told by the dealer to go by the max load weight figure & the max persons figure is just a guide....makes sense considering one large person could weigh as much as 3 normal people....then again, you wouldn't take out 20 kids even if they weighed less than 500kg combined... Its just common sense. If its choppy you don't want a fully loaded boat either. Cant remember my max load weight, but it has a recommended 5 adults max & I only have 4 seats.

Well said Matt

[Mattblack]

I was told by the dealer to go by the max load weight figure & the max persons figure is just a guide....makes sense considering one large person could weigh as much as 3 normal people....then again, you wouldn't take out 20 kids even if they weighed less than 500kg combined... Its just common sense. If its choppy you don't want a fully loaded boat either. Cant remember my max load weight, but it has a recommended 5 adults max & I only have 4 seats.

Well said Matt

Thanks Tex...thought I was going to get hammered for that one (not to sure what your meant to call fat people in this age of political correctness)

[smile0784]

Does is also say 4 people in calm conditions?
Leavimg judgement upto the skipper

If by memoery dont that count a person as 100kg including gear

[DougieK]

I always giggle about this in elevators. Maximum load 722kg or 11 people........ 11 people my a**!

[davek]

I always giggle about this in elevators. Maximum load 722kg or 11 people........ 11 people my a**!

I just had a vision of 11 Sumo Wrestlers in an elevator cheers davo

[Nude up]

Interestingly my boat has a placard stating 4 pax offshore and 6 in enclosed waters

[re-tyred]

I always giggle about this in elevators. Maximum load 722kg or 11 people........ 11 people my a**!

when I was in Japan on a work technical course. 4 of us Aussies stepped into an elevator. Sign said 8 people. Pushed the up button and it just sat there beeping and the overload light flashing. I think it meant 8 40kg japs not 8 90kg Aussies.

[Persistence]

Thanks for the replies. I've been boating recreationally for 40 years and in a commercial capacity for a few years as well and have always looked at those
placards and wondered but it wasn't till the other day when I was thinking of taking some kids out that I wondered if the police would pull me up on it. I would obviously take all factors into account, weather, conditions, and the passengers themselves.

Got a email back from Maritime Vic saying they were actually not certain themselves and have elevated the question higher up.
We will see.