weight capacity of BRS 17

[sscoville]

Does anyone know what the max weight and number of passengers the Bay River Skiff 17 is rated for?

[Guest wwbaginski]

Sam it depends on conditions and what is the reason. i had I had 6 onboard during motoring in dead calm, I had 4 during sailing up to Force 5.

[PAR]

Less then 15, I would imagine . . .

[Hirilonde]

Less then 15, I would imagine . . .

Pounds or people? 

[Ray Frechette Jr]

passenger crew and weight rating would be a questionable request.

USCG and Fed CFR do not specify rating of weight and passengers for sailboats.  Only motor craft and rowboats.

As such I suspect the calculations to determine what weight and passenger rating would be for one built for row or motor use only have not been done.

[sscoville]

passenger crew and weight rating would be a questionable request.

USCG and Fed CFR do not specify rating of weight and passengers for sailboats.  Only motor craft and rowboats.

As such I suspect the calculations to determine what weight and passenger rating would be for one built for row or motor use only have not been done.

This is half of the answer I'm looking for.  I'm surprised they don't regulate sailboats this way.  The other half was partly answered by wwbaginksi.  How many is too many for safety as far as the strength of the hull?

[ChrisObee]

Your limiting factor is comfort not strength.  Six would be a crowd in that boat. 

[Hirilonde]

  I'm surprised they don't regulate sailboats this way. 

I don't know if I am surprised or not, but I hope they never do.  We have enough regulations!

[Guest wwbaginski]

here is the photo of 5 onboard, motoring:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10196268@N05/3771547332/#in/set-72157618888375191/

bay river skiff has a foredeck much shorter than a core sound so 6 still make a comfort.  however, for sailing when your're interested in a boat as lightweight as possible, it is too much of course. so my recommendation is up to 4 for sailing, with  no luggage.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

USCG and Fed CFR do not specify rating of weight and passengers for sailboats.  Only motor craft and rowboats.

This is half of the answer I'm looking for.  I'm surprised they don't regulate sailboats this way.  The other half was partly answered by wwbaginksi.  How many is too many for safety as far as the strength of the hull?

USCG regulations do not consider strength of hull at all.

The only determinant factor is how much displacment does the boat have?  It has entirely to do with how much weight does it take to get a boat down to a certain percentage of remaining freeboard.  

A boat could have a ratings plate of 2000 lbs and be no where near capable of holding that weight structurally and not be in danger of failing the CFR on rating capacity.

Sailboats are not regulated regarding passenger capacity because sailing tends to require a greater knowledge base of it's adherants and more room to move around and is not nearly so prone to "Idiots" reasoning that since my 14 foot bow rider power boat has 10 seats it must mean I can carry 10 overly nourished people on board it.  And a few more kids sitting on laps of adults...

Basically CFR's (Code of Fedral Regualtions) and USCG rules have to have a body count to back them up.

If there is not much history of people dying from an issue it is not regulated...  By and large there have not been nearly enough incidents of overloaded sailboats to justify regulating weight carrying and passenger carrying capacity of them.

[Gordy Hill]

I felt my boat could comfortably carry 5 adults, 10 children, 15 Viet Namese, or 27 Ethiopians.