One of the best parts of owning a boat is taking friends and family out on the water—but it’s important to know your boat’s capacity limitations.

The U.S. Coast Guard requires every boat less than 20 feet to list its capacity limitations. This includes the number of people, the overall weight, and the boat’s power maximums. The weight is not just based on the number of people on board, but also added gear and equipment—so it’s not recommended that you exceed either the number of people or the weight. You could be ticketed by law enforcement for exceeding the vessel’s capacity listing.

However, Grady-White adheres to stricter standards set by the American Boat and Yacht Council and the National Marine Manufacturers Association, which require capacity plates to be included on all boats up to 25 feet. Boats longer than 25 feet are not equipped with capacity plates, leaving it up to the boat owner to use their best judgement on how many passengers they can safely carry.

A good rule of thumb is that you should only carry the number of people for whom you have actual seating positions in the boat.

Carrying too much weight in your boat, whether people or equipment, can cause problems like:

• Reduced control of the boat
• Decreased stability
• Increased risk of taking on water from large waves

If your boat is sitting with the scuppers below the water line, you may want to reposition or reduce your load.When determining the right number of people and equipment for your boat, consider not only Grady-White’s recommendations, but also the current and predicted conditions of the waters where you’ll be boating. Rough conditions may call for a decrease in weight.

Following these measures will help ensure a terrific day on the water every time.