Legal number of passengers for O’Day 23

Nov 12, 2008
11
Precision 23 Lake Red Rock
I have a 6 teenagers and 2 other adults who want to sail on the lake. Can i take 8 passengers? The boat has a fixed keel and keel-stepped mast.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
23 is a small boat for that many people! Honestly think it would be lack of common Sense with having that many people on a boat that small, it's not a matter of legality.

You're talking what 13 - 1600 lbs
 
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Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
It would be unwise to rely on a forum such as this.... which is, generally, a group of well meaning recreational boaters, for a definitive answer to a question that has legal and liability connotations.

My advice to you is to find out if there are any rules, guidelines, regulations, etc. that apply specifically to your recreational area by asking whatever authority enforces laws and codes there. In my area, for instance, it's the Coast Guard and the San Diego Harbor Patrol.

One thing I absolutely know is that you are required to carry a PFD for each passenger and at least one floating, throwable pfd. I have 8 PFD's on my 27 footer, I have that many without a problem. I have also had those authorities follow me right to my slip to check the number of PFD's on board if they see passengers not wearing one.

This forum, over the years, has had numerous discussions about the overcrowding issue.... usually after a well publicized tragedy. But we're a discussion group, rather that a legal advisory group, so most of us will recommend finding more local, specific expertise.

I wish you good luck.... I have a feeling everything will sort itself out and y'all will have a great ... safe.... time.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@Joe states clear and accurate information.
Your query uses some legal sounding words.
  • Passengers.
  • Teenagers and adults who want to sail on the lake.
There are Coast Guard rules concerning charging passengers to go on your boat. You must have required certifications. The boat must pass yearly inspection. Etc.

As boat owner inviting non paying guests aboard you are responsible for their safety. This would include not operating your boat in an unsafe manner.

Looking at the O’day 23 specifications:
Displacement: 3,425 lb / 1,554 kg
Ballast: 1,200 lb / 544 kg
You need to evaluate if your boat and all you have onboard, food, supplies, water, guests, etc. can be accommodated by the boat’s displacement.

Then there is the practical questions where will you put 6 teenagers, 2 adults, and you on the boat and how will you manage the sails, so that no one gets hurt.

On the surface it sounds like an ill fated voyage to me. Perhaps better will be to take fewer onboard at a single time and leave some on the dock to go out on the second or third trip.
 
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Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Safety aside, I find the cockpit to be crowded with four people. I took family out last week in my O'Day 25 and to be honest it was not a fun experience for me. I could not get to the lines I needed to and trying to explain what needed to be done simply wasn't going to happen in a timely manner.

With 8 people they're going to be in the companionway, sitting on top of the traveler (can you say pinched butt cheeks?), on the foredeck (so much for using a jib) and on the portion of the deck beside the cabin. The latter two seating positions poses a threat of them sliding off into the water. I've sailed quite a few dinghies that had a significant amount of water in the hull. They handle much differently and had a tendency to capsize very easily. While it's unlikely that your ballasted boat would capsize, I wouldn't want my first experience with a very heavy boat to be loaded with people.

9ppl @ 175lbs = 1575lbs
9ppl @ 200lbs = 1800lbs

I'm no expert but at that weight I imagine it'd be top heavy. If your heeling axis is around the height of the waterline then anything above that leads to instability
 
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Nov 12, 2008
11
Precision 23 Lake Red Rock
I have a 6 teenagers and 2 other adults who want to sail on the lake. Can i take 8 passengers? The boat has a fixed keel and keel-stepped mast.
Thanks to everyone. Yeah, I had a really bizarre request. We've pared it down to a total of 6 people, which I know the boat can accommodate. The strange thing is: my registration paper says capacity of 13 and I know that can't be right. There is no number posted on the starboard hull near the transom, nor "OR" either so I'm probably not legal. The Iowa regs clearly state that the figure on the hull needs to be same as the registration. Perhaps I'll just do nothing and not try to get 6 teenagers together for any purpose! :)
 
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Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
A capacity label is only required on boats 20 feet or less, so your 23 won't have one. It's all judgement after that, and pretty much if the LEO thinks you're overloaded, you're overloaded.
 
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
Under the U.S. Coast Guard Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, boats less than 20 feet powered with an inboard, outboard, or stern drive engine manufactured after November 1, 1972, must display a capacity plate defining the safe load limits. This plate must be mounted where you can see it when preparing to get underway. Sailboats, canoes, kayaks and inflatable boats are exempt from this standard. States do have statutes prohibiting the carriage of people and gear in excess of the stated capacity, or the installation of a motor that exceeds the recommended horse power limit.
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
A capacity label is only required on boats 20 feet or less, so your 23 won't have one. It's all judgement after that, and pretty much if the LEO thinks you're overloaded, you're overloaded.
That only refers to powerboats anyway. I guess that sailors are expected to have more "commonsense" <GRIN!>

Sounds like you have an O'DAY 23-1 full pop-top (1971-73), most likely there is no 12-digit Hull ID Number on the Transom due to the boat being older than November 1972, when the HIN Requirement started, I think that 6 persons may be "doable", if they aren't moving around a lot. Does this boat have the standard Keel/Centerboard as shown in this pic? Or is she a "Rare" deep-Fin-Keel O'DAY 23s? Few were made that way, but they might be a bit more stable than the shallower, standard K/CB.
 

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TWD

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Mar 15, 2015
1
Oday 25 Ithaca
I’m no expert on this but my state (NY) is phasing in requirements that all operators complete a boater safety course within the next five years or so. One segment of that course addresses this issue directly and cites USCG formula for passengers on a vessel without a capacity plate as follows: Length x Width / 15
I don’t know the exact beam of your boat, but I would assume it’s at least 7’ so based on the above formula, your 23’ could *legally* take on 10 (which feels a little crazy!) It seems wise to consider not just what is legal but what is responsible, safe, and enjoyable. It may be worth knowing this calculation for all skippers, (for aid in rescue scenario?) but as we all know, there are so many variables—especially for sailboats.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I’ve had 20 people (adults) on my Bavaria 38 at calm anchor, but I would not attempt to sail the boat with that many. Gotta figure that’s at least a ton and three-quarters if average adult weight is 180#. That’s about 23% of the rated vessel displacement. For your O’Day 23, that would be 0.23 x 3425# =788#. Divide by 180# and you have 4.4, say 5 folks with that average weight. However, average teenage weight is less, about 140#. So 778#/140# = 5.6, so say 6 teenagers if you wish to use my example as an estimate of what the boat might safely hold. So, we’re at about the same place! Sailing with that number aboard might be a different matter.Would have to make sure they are correctly positioned.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I’m no expert on this but my state (NY) is phasing in requirements that all operators complete a boater safety course within the next five years or so. One segment of that course addresses this issue directly and cites USCG formula for passengers on a vessel without a capacity plate as follows: Length x Width / 15
I don’t know the exact beam of your boat, but I would assume it’s at least 7’ so based on the above formula, your 23’ could *legally* take on 10 (which feels a little crazy!) It seems wise to consider not just what is legal but what is responsible, safe, and enjoyable. It may be worth knowing this calculation for all skippers, (for aid in rescue scenario?) but as we all know, there are so many variables—especially for sailboats.
This formula puts my capacity at (39x12.5)/15 = 32. At 180# average x 32 we have 5760#, more than a third of my rated displacement!! This suggests that I could load safely the boat with two and a half tons of stores and supplies. One hundred gallons of water would take up 800 of those pounds.
 
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