How many people will a Hunter 30 hold?

[bobsellie]

No this isn't a knock knock joke. I'm thinking about doing a little chartering on a near by lake and was wondering how many people my H30 will carry. I checked with the State Dept. of Rec. and they told me to check the plate on the boat. I told them the boat was to old and there was no plate. They said just ask another owner or dealer of a similar boat. Anyone any ideas?
Thanks,
Bob
Skol

 

[petersea]

Are you looking for a "practical number" or the legal number of people aloud ?? I would think a a practical matter total would be six people (including crew). The legal number will be much higher but how many of your charter quest will want to be below decks ?? There is a formula for capacity, check on the U S Coast Guard web site. Also check with you insurance company. If you are going to charter it will also be limited by your captain license. The info below may also be helpful, I got it off the "Ask Jeeves" web search.. I will assume you have at least a "6 pack" for chartering so basically six people.


The next option is to calculate it yourself, with the following formula.

number of people = the vessel length in feet times the vessel width in feet divided by 15

For example if your boat is 30 feet long and 15 feet wide, your boat's capacity would be 30 x 15 / 15, which is 30

To figure out the passenger weight capacity is to take the formula above and figure out the number of people and then multiply by the average weight of 150 pounds per person. In the example above, the weight capacity of the boat would be 4500 pounds.

 

[Bill1565]

Six passengers is the max for an "uninspected passenger vessel". It is conveniently the max for the lowest level of coast guard license, "Operator Uninspected passenger vessel" (OUPV) commonly called "a six pack" for obvious reason.

Next steps include USCG inspection of your vessel, life rafts and lots of high priced mods to become an inspected vessel. Also you need higher scores on the test and more doccumented time on large vessels.

 

[Blueskies]

Better check your insurance first.

As I recall even accepting fuel money from a guest, could put you into a "commercial" catagorey.

On our H30, we have been out with six adults - but it is too crowded to really sail. For an overnight, Four adults is a squeeze - but doable. I think the boat really sleeps up to three adults and a couple of kids.

If you are chartering (leasing) the boat out for others to use, and you will not be on board, I would say four adults, two kids maximum.

 

[bobsellie]

Ding. Yes the bell just went off. I've seen the calculation of length X width / 15 before. Which on my boat would give me 20 people. But your right...with a "6 pack" license, I can only "charge" for 6. Hence 6 pack.
Thanks everyone. Case closed.
Bob Sellie
"Sköl"

 

[bobsellie]

Well, I guess back to my question. Sailing aside, and OUPV aside, if I were to want to motor out onto the lake for a picknic or some swimming and say, "Let's take my boat" Does anyone know how many people "legally" or that Hunter recommends, my H30 can I take. I've talked to the Coast Guard, and the NC Dept of Natural Resources and they all say the boat should have a plaque that tells the number of people the boat will hold. But she doesn't. They also suggested to just ask someone with a simular boat how many their boat will hold. Thanks, Bob

 

[petersea]

16 people " legally " assuming you would want to take that many and have that many PFD's ! ! See attached link and I estimated you beam at 8 feet to account for variable beam measurement and to be conservative.


http://www.fish.state.pa.us/anglerboater/2001/ma2001/cappmath.pdf

 

[bobsellie]

I've seen that formula before. My boat is 30 X 10. That puts me at 20 (150 lb) people. But the way I'll figure it is... 30 X 10 =300 / 15 = 20. Times 150 lbs = 3000 lbs. If my friends are 200 lbs each, that gives me a 15 person capasity. That should be a safe number.
Thanks again.

 

[emkay]

by stacking head to toe, and maybe stuffing some of the smaller ones under berths and in lockers, you might be able to get 80-90 in there. Dunno if it will still float, but hey, it's worth a shot. Just put up a flyer at a local college and try it out.

 

[J Hunter]

I have had the full 20 people on my hunter 30 a few times, you have to all be pretty good friends.

 

[Chuck Creel]

LOL i guess if they werent frieends when you left , that they were when you got back.... I have had only 5 on mine at once.

 

[Blaise]

Judging from the last haitian refugee boat I saw, I would guess about 120.

 

[Ed A]

It depends too if they are all clowns or not. This number could be insane!