How do they figure passenger ratings ??

Mark T · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:26 am

My boat is a 94 235 Sundowner, and is rated for 2500 lbs maximum capacity and 10 passengers, the 95 is listed as a 245, but is the same length 23'8" and same 2500 lb capacity but 11 passengers. the 96 is also a 245 but is a whopping 6" longer at 24'2" and 2500 lb capacity but it is rated for 12 people.

Why, especially since they all have the same seating arrangement ??

ric · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:57 am

My 2000 H180 is rated for 8 people. I tried that once, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Four people is perfect on my H180. Two in the bow, two in the cockpit. I was looking at the seating of the 2003+ S205 that I want and it looks really comfortable for 6. Four in the lounge and 2 in the front seats.

Looking at the pictures of your 1994 235.. I would say COMFORTABLE is 4 people, two in the folding seats and two in the back. If you have the SS seating, 5 cause 3 people can sit back there.

Making someone sit backwards in a folding lounger is worse then chinese water torture. They are the worst thing ever invented. I'm working on getting rid of mine for normal bucket seats.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:11 am

Typically builders use 75% of the actual capacity for the plates. The way people capacity is determined is by a formula.
lengthXbeam/15=number of adultsx150=lbs of people. They consider average person to weigh 150lbs. HP rating
is calculated differently. The method is not exact, but conservative and simplified for USCG certification.

Decision · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:59 pm

According to the Four Winns spec sheet our 2001 328 Vista is listed at a 12 passenger rating.

Mike.

neutron · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:27 pm

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

Typically builders use 75% of the actual capacity for the plates. The way people capacity is determined is by a formula.
lengthXbeam/15=number of adultsx150=lbs of people. They consider average person to weigh 150lbs. HP rating
is calculated differently. The method is not exact, but conservative and simplified for USCG certification.

didnt they recently change the # of passenger based that we as a population are heavier. they still use a weight amount but i read somewhere that it went up from 150 lbs to like 170lb average

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:41 pm

neutron wrote:

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

Typically builders use 75% of the actual capacity for the plates. The way people capacity is determined is by a formula.
lengthXbeam/15=number of adultsx150=lbs of people. They consider average person to weigh 150lbs. HP rating
is calculated differently. The method is not exact, but conservative and simplified for USCG certification.

didnt they recently change the # of passenger based that we as a population are heavier. they still use a weight amount but i read somewhere that it went up from 150 lbs to like 170lb average

Yes, as of 1/1/2012. The "average weight" is now considered 185 lbs. by the USCG. http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5212/aawpp.asp
But the capacity plates of boats owned by participants in this thread, were based on the previous "average weight"

Quote:

For boats under 65 feet long, the Coast Guard oversees what it calls a simplified stability test, in which owners simulate full capacity by loading 55-gallon drums of water in various locations on board. The test also requires moving all of the drums to one side in an attempt to simulate what might happen in the event of strong waves, a wildlife sighting — or perhaps a rush to watch a fisherman battle a huge tuna.

Some say the test bears little resemblance to real conditions.

“What we’re finding out is that the test that was designed in the ivory tower of Washington, D.C., doesn’t work in reality, in real water,” said Mr. Cedergreen, of the Westport Charterboat Association.

Mark T · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:03 pm

Still doesn't explain why the same hull and weight rating over a 3 year period goes 10 people, 11 people then 12 people. But I guess that is government bureaucracy at it's finest.

neutron · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:23 pm

boy 185lbs we did fill out a bit. I only weigh 155lbs

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Decision wrote:

According to the Four Winns spec sheet our 2001 328 Vista is listed at a 12 passenger rating.

Mike.

Thats wierd, because my SL242 is rated for 12 people as well, and its way smaller

neutron · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:39 pm

im sure its because of the weight difference a 328 is a hefty boat with large fuel load, large water tank, large waste tank, twins....not to mention all the cabin componants

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:54 pm

blue dragon wrote:

Decision wrote:

According to the Four Winns spec sheet our 2001 328 Vista is listed at a 12 passenger rating.

Mike.

Thats wierd, because my SL242 is rated for 12 people as well, and its way smaller

Some 22-24 foot Mastercraft ski-boats are rated for 18 people.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:59 pm

Yeah....and I have seen that many at Party Cove piled into a Mastercraft too....

Decision · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:14 pm

I'm not really trying to compare boats, but can you imagine 18 folks in a 22 - 24 ski boat? You gotta think the only way that would work is everyone really tries to do their part in keeping the boat balanced, as in everyone can't go to one side for "wildlife sighting or trying to see the fisherman battling the big tuna". If everyone did move to side, you would think everyone goes swimmimg whether they wanted to or not?

The 328 is a heavier boat, but it has a 11'9" beam and the twin 110 gallon fuel tanks are balanced as each tank is as far to port and starboard as the tanks can be. The 40 gallon water in centered under V-berth bed at bow. Beam makes a big difference with how a boat reacts to weight.I don't think I'd want to take anymore than the 12 person capacity rating the 328 is given, especially if I wanted to travel any real distance.

We have had about 10 folks on our previous 30' Doral Prestancia and the swim platform was close to touching the water. The Prestancia was a 10' beam. The same group of people in my friends 30' SeaRay with a 11' beam did not seem to lower the SeaRay in the water anywhere near as much. Someone could argue the 30' SeaRay is a little longer than the 30' Prestancia is and I would agree, but the beam I think made the difference as in a cruiser style boat almost everyone sits aft as there is no bow area seating to use, unless you're down in the galley.

Mike.

97_245_sd · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:17 pm

My '97 245 is rated for the 12 people. Had 8 adults + 2 elementary school kids on board at once (several of the adults were over the 185 lb estimate!). The kids stayed in the cuddy or on laps. I have the U-wrap seating with two captains chairs. Had to have my dad stand up between the two seats by the windshield to get it up on plane. I wouldn't recommend any more people on a boat that size. I even managed to ski with all those people on board.

neutron · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:34 pm

97_245_sd wrote:

My '97 245 is rated for the 12 people. Had 8 adults + 2 elementary school kids on board at once (several of the adults were over the 185 lb estimate!). The kids stayed in the cuddy or on laps. I have the U-wrap seating with two captains chairs. Had to have my dad stand up between the two seats by the windshield to get it up on plane. I wouldn't recommend any more people on a boat that size. I even managed to ski with all those people on board.

musta used a lot of fuel skiing with that load. wow

www.iFourWinns.com

How do they figure passenger ratings ??

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