West Marine Classic Dinghy

[dLj]

I don't when the law came into effect, but the Coast Guard started requiring capacity plates on newly manufactured boats. Capacity was restricted based on some rather simple formulas, and are generally less than what people used to actually load in calm conditions. The capacity plates were established specifically to prevent overloading. For canoes and kayaks (and perhaps dinghies), capacity is established in pounds, not persons. Given that the old aviation standard of 160lbs per person no longer applies to most Americans, it's very easy to see how overloads continue.

Based strictly on carrying capacity, a canoe (or dinghy) with 450lb capacity can be overloaded with 2 large men. Or can carry 3 small women. Of course, seating them appropriately is another matter.

My 19ft Carolina Skiff has a capacity plate that states 8 people. But there's really only room for 6 to be seated (at best). And if it's just me with 2 heavies in the stern seats, the boat handles very poorly - the bow waves in the wind, and the boat is hard to get up on plane.

On the sailing side, going downwind in dinghies in a good breeze often meant parking my butt on the transom to stop the bow from digging in, especially when surfing in waves. Of course, a Hobie 16 is the ultimate pitch pole machine (yes, I have the t-shirt).

Fred W

It was put in effect in 1972. Lots of changes since then but that was first issue.

My dinghy does not have a capacity plate because it's a sailing dinghy.

33 CFR 183, subpart C states:
Subpart C—Safe Loading

§ 183.31 Applicability.
This subpart applies to monohull boats less than 20 feet in length except sailboats, canoes, kayaks, and inflatable boats.

I imagine the West solid dinghy has a capacity plate.

On your 19 foot skiff I'm sure needs to be balanced - in my 8 foot dinghy it's absolutely imperative...

dj

 

[Kings Gambit]

Yeah, It's been a long time since I've seen 160 lb. I believe I was still in my 20s, etc. Good that they've (USCG) made the posting change.

KG

 

[jaysweet]

Maybe 6 years ago, I bought a Watertender 9.4 from WestMarine. It's a hard plastic dinghy with an inner and outer shell, presumably with some floatation foam in between. It has rather a wide footprint, with a trimaran-style hull (3 ridges on the bottom, anyway), and I think this probably makes it more stable than the classic. I use it only for rowing, and have had 3 adults on it with no problems. It tows well behind our 30 foot Hunter. I can horse it into the back of our 6'-bed pickup by myself, although it's not easy.

With that said, I probably wouldn't buy it again, mainly because I don't think it tracks well. It tends to rotate when rowing, which is rather annoying. I've been toying with the idea of making a T-shaped clamp-on kick-up rudder (a non-steerable stabilizing fin, really) out of plywood and epoxy, and even bought some 5/8" plywood to make it. Haven't found the spare time to do it, though, given all the other boat projects.

 

[JamesG161]

Here is mine.

Plus Yamaha outboard.

Jim and Sue