Overloading is dangerous and one of the easiest ways to capsize your boat. The more weight in the boat, the lower the freeboard. Freeboard is the minimum vertical distance from the surface of the water to the gunwale or deck. The gunwale is the upper edge of an open boat. Overloading compromises the safety of everyone on board and increases the chance of swamping or capsizing.
When preparing for a trip, the boat operator is responsible for assessing the load on board, both people and objects. For example:
heavy items should be stowed in a low and central place where they cannot move around
weight, including passengers, should be distributed evenly through the boat
the weight of extra fuel and water should be taken into account.
By applying a capacity label you will have a constant reminder of how many people can be safely on board your boat in smooth waters and good conditions.
All registrable recreational boats, with the exception of sailing ships, must have one or more capacity labels attached. Capacity labels should be placed near the boat's control area/s where they can be seen by the operator at all times. A penalty could apply if a capacity label is not attached, unreadable or located in the wrong position on the boat.
There are three different capacity labels available:
powered boats under 6 metres
powered boats 6 metres and over
powered boats with a flybridge.
The operator must keep in mind that the label indicates the number of people the boat can safely carry in good conditions and smooth waters. When using the boat in partially smooth or open waters or in rough conditions the operator should consider reducing the number of people taken on the trip.
