Overweight with ballast

[gun-driver]

My 2000 Sport has a 1250 lb. max weight limit/rating that includes persons and gear, if I fill my 2 650 lb. bags I’m technically already over weight. The law enforcement at my lake can be real sticklers (putting it nicely) on laws/regulations.
I have seen threads of guys putting crazy amounts of weight in smaller boats like mine to try and get a better surf wave and it makes me wonder if anyone has been ticketed or the like for being over the boats max weight.

Sooo… my question is, has anyone had any issues with law enforcement when weighted down over the boats max weight to surf?

[shag]

All I can say is that there are more lakes that limit wake surfing now than there used to be (if there even was any). If you already have Law enforcement that is following the law - you might be asking for a stop. Also, many of those transmissions were not designed for a large amount of additional weight and they don't hold up as well. (personal experience) Just my .02... Have great 4th! Merica'

[hal2814]

That’s a coast guard rating. In some states it’s legally enforceable if you go over the weight. In some states it’s not. Not sure about PA.

[DoubleUpDisaster]

When we first started wakesurfing on our lake back in 2006, we had a Tigé 20v slammed to the rail - it was downright scary to drive. We never got pulled over in that boat, but we certainly piqued the eyeballs of the local law enforcement. As surfing caught on around our lake, one of our crew got pulled over in his 21’ barefoot boat for “not enough freeboard showing.” Lucky for him, it was just a really low boat; it had no ballast and only 2-3 people on board. He didn’t have a capacity plate, so they ticketed him for that instead. He fought it in court, as USCG regs don’t require a plate for anything 21’ or under (don’t quote me, but it’s something like that). He won, and the judge actually admonished the officer in front of him. For reference, this is WI. Point is, yes, they’re looking for it on my lake at least.

[DealsGapCobra]

How long is your boat? I had all kinds of issues with enforcement in PA with capacity plates and the number of skiers we were pulling. My boat was 21' and, after a bunch of phone calls, I found out some interring facts about capacity plates on boats over 21. [This information is over 20 years old but my guess is it's still true, definitely worth checking into] First, they are not required for boats over21' but if your boat came with one, you cannot remove it. However, if it falls off, someone steels it or it can no longer be read, you are not required to replace it.

No capacity plate? No problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scooter G]

Buddy got pulled over in his '03 Tige', "Sir, your boat is listing". Umm, it's supposed to be we are surfing.
Not a cargo ship with a water line. That would be a tough ticket, to substantiate, they would have to get you out of the water and on the scales. By then your bags would be empty, lol. I suppose they could board and start pulling hatches, but that would take a real a-hole with a badge. Come to think of it, I have met a few. We had a real piece of work for a while on one of our lakes, he would of done that, fortunately he retired, or they ask him to retire, too many complaints. I think you would have to look to the verge of sinking before you had any issues...

[swatguy]

This always comes up and is a huge “gray “ area as enforcement and laws. It truly is a jurisdictional dependent answer.

1) Coast Guard placards on boats are not law , they are guidelines. Simply using that as the basis for a ticket depends on local state ordinances , but again there is no hard a fast quantification used for those placards that is absolute or law . It’s a simple generic estimate , nothing to do with actual design from MFG’s. There is quite a bit of subjectivity in those.

2) water weight is neutrally bouyant. Fill your tank or fatsac and throw it overboard( kidding don’t ) it will float , well the tank will but the fat sac will just sit below waterline and stay bouyant . Its been relayed from industry people that this is the reason wakeboat capacity plates don’t include ballast on their “nomenclature “. Is that gospel ? IDK , but seems to have validity.

3) A huge majority of overloaded boat tickets are based on waterline distance to rub rail , or safe operations based on the amount of available seating, where people are positioned , and operation. It’s mostly “officer’s discretion “ and they need to simply note how or why they think you’re overloaded in areas that don’t treat the placard as law .


with that said

PA law adapts the capacity plate as “law” according to their language in subsection D

5501. Reckless and negligent operation of watercraft.

(a) Reckless operation.--No person shall operate a watercraft in, upon or through the waters of this Commonwealth in a reckless manner. For the purposes of this subsection, reckless operation means operating a watercraft in a manner that consciously, willfully and wantonly disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk to the safety of persons or property in, upon or along the waters of this Commonwealth. Reckless operation of a watercraft involves a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable operator of a watercraft should observe under the circumstances. A person who violates this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(b) Negligent operation.--No person shall operate a watercraft in, upon or through the waters of this Commonwealth in a negligent manner. A person commits negligent operation of a watercraft if he operates the watercraft without due regard for the safety of persons or property in, upon or along the waters of this Commonwealth. Negligent operation of a watercraft involves a deviation from the ordinary standard of care that a reasonable operator of a watercraft should observe under the circumstances. A person who violates this subsection commits a summary offense of the first degree. Negligent operation is a lesser included offense of reckless operation of a watercraft.

(c) Aquaplanes and similar devices.--No person shall operate or manipulate any boat, tow rope, aquaplane or similar device in such a way as to cause the device or person thereon to collide with or strike against any object or person or in any way cause damage or injury to any object or person. A person who violates this subsection commits a summary offense of the first degree.

(d) Exceeding capacity prima facie evidence of negligence.--Exceeding the loading and horsepower limits for a boat as provided on the capacity plate issued for the boat is prima facie evidence of negligent operation of the boat.

[gun-driver]

(d) Exceeding capacity prima facie evidence of negligence.--Exceeding the loading and horsepower limits for a boat as provided on the capacity plate issued for the boat is prima facie evidence of negligent operation of the boat.

This is what I was referring to but the lake we frequent is in Maryland so I was not sure if the capacity plate is law in all states I would think it is.