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Weight/load capacity/ballast


KTC

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Does the load weight limit include ballast weight or just weight capacity of persons on the boat?

Mine is rated for 11 persons or 1530. With water at 8.3 lbs per gallon it would not take much to get close to the max weight and have to limit guests if included. KC

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My view is that water balast doesn't count against that total, as its meant to show how much weight can be in the boat, have the boat be full of water, and still not sink. If the boat is full of water, it doesn't matter if its in balast bags, or not, as long as its all water.

Non-water balast would definitly count towards the max though.

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I would agree, water ballast would not count as it is neutrally buoyant. That does not go for the lead weights in the trunk, though.

It is my understanding that the rated weight is how much the boat can have in it, have a hole in the hull, and only sink to the gunnels. But I could be wrong...

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My view is that water balast doesn't count against that total, as its meant to show how much weight can be in the boat, have the boat be full of water, and still not sink.  If the boat is full of water, it doesn't matter if its in balast bags, or not, as long as its all water.

Non-water balast would definitly count towards the max though.

If that were the case, why would people count... we are basically neutrally boyant too (most people are). My money is on water gear, fuel, & beer, counting towards the total

Edited by SacRiverRat
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My view is that water balast doesn't count against that total, as its meant to show how much weight can be in the boat, have the boat be full of water, and still not sink.  If the boat is full of water, it doesn't matter if its in balast bags, or not, as long as its all water.

Non-water balast would definitly count towards the max though.

If that were the case, why would people count... we are basically neutrally boyant too (most people are). My money is on water gear, fuel, & beer, counting towards the total

As an ex-Coast Guard boarding officer, I would agree.

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I remember hearing, but don't quote me, that ballast does count. On my capacities plate, it includes everything, even fuel. Heck, fuel is buoyant, so I think that the number is what you can add to the "skin and bones" boat. I don't think that teh plate has to do with how much additional weight it would take to sink it, because it would certainly not take 1500 lbs to sink a submerged boat. I think that it has to do with the amount of weight the boat can hold without being unsafe according to coast guard standards.

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If "water is bouyant" then once the boat filled up with water, would it still sink? Seems that's the definition of "sunk"...when your boat fills up with water. The load limits include everything...including beer and fat chicks (both of which are bouyant!) and ballast.

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It is my understanding that the rated weight is how much the boat can have in it, have a hole in the hull, and only sink to the gunnels. But I could be wrong...

That is my understanding as well, so I disagree with others here that say it does count towards the rating. Has anyone gotten tickets for being overweight because of water balast?

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All of the water in the world can't sink a ship......unless it gets inside.

I think I remember a post on the old MBO about tickets being written for boats being over capicity due to ballast. I think ballast counts twords load capacity. doesen't the plate say XXXX pounds including persons, gear, etc?

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I think my VLX comes stock with balast of 1300 lbs or so (I could be off a little) - so that means if I fill up the water balast, and have a full tank of gas, only one 100 lb (or so) driver can be on-board (w/ no spotter, and no gear). Does that make sense?

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I bet someone in Merced or Loudon would know.  Anyone have contacts? :unsure:

Good Idea. It sure would be nice to get the definitive answer from whoever it is that puts those plates in the boat (Engineer at Manufacturer or Coast Guard Official). Somebody comes up with those numbers

Edited by rts
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Let's assume that it doesn't count.  that would mean that you can put 8 sacs in your sportster with a driver and you're legal.  no way, jose.

Cry.gif I don't want to agree with him. Cry.gif

Tongue.gif

Ballast does count towards your load max (be it lead, water, or fat chicks). Fuel does not as long as you haven't removed the stock tank and replaced with a larger tank. If so, the weight of the additional fuel would have to be added. The hulls are rated for X amount of weight in addition to the manufacturer specified drivetrain, fuel capacity,... I would be interested in finding out from Merced whether the weight of the towers, speakers, lights,...is accounted for or does all that stuff count as "gear"? It is possible (actually, likely) that O.E. ballast systems are accounted for and don't count towards your max, but any after-market systems (Fat Sacs,...) would count.

Can you say "gray area"? Biggrin.gif

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It's an interesting idea that maybe OE tanks don't count, but I'm betting they do. Mainly because a sunscape 21.5 lsv with no tanks has the same capacity as a Wvlx

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.. a sunscape 21.5 lsv with no tanks has the same capacity as a Wvlx

Same hull? (I really need to learn the non-slalom specific boats). If they are the same then I would have to concur that the ballast weight would count towards the max load.

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I tend to think that boat capacities are not just figured out by how much weight a boat can hold before it becomes negitivey boyant, but rather how much weight a boat can handle before it becomes unsafe to drive due to handleing issues and also engine strain might be a factor. I mean the capacity of a pick-up has more to due with how much weight it can handle before the springs fail it has to due with handleing and breaking and the engine.

So that being said I would have to think that ballast is counted. What I'm not sure about are boats that are desinged to have ballast (ie wakesetter) verses other boats (like my skier).

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.. a sunscape 21.5 lsv with no tanks has the same capacity as a Wvlx

Same hull? (I really need to learn the non-slalom specific boats). If they are the same then I would have to concur that the ballast weight would count towards the max load.

Same hull, the lsv is just a diamond version, but substantively it is the same, just reverse chines on the outside.

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I was told by two different Malibu Dealers that the stock ballast below the deck did not count against the capacity weight. (neither does fuel) That is just part of the boat as it was rated by the Coast Guard. They said that any aftermarket ballast/sacks was 'gear' and counted against the max weight.

I have not been able to confirm that with any other sources, but that seems to make sense.

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I read somewhere that boats over 20' do not require those plates (w/ weight / people limits), but if the boat has one, you must comply with it. I wonder if you can just remove the plate?

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OEM ballast definitely does NOT count into the number you see on the plate. That number is the capacity above the OEM ballast.

If you add more ballast, it does count off the number.

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