the plate that came on my 7m said 18 person capacity. That's a serious discrepancy, the Zodiac specs I can find say capacity is 2160lbs after fuel and engines, 4400lbs all told.
How do they work out the ratings? Is it the most number of crew the boat will plane out with assuming the maximum capacity motor? Seems crazy to suggest the boat will carry more people than it could plane out would be pretty much useless wouldn't it?
XXX displacement / 165 lbs. = capacity in persons. At least it used to be 165 lbs and I believe that's what the used on my Willard to come up with 18. I think the USCG changed it a couple of years ago to 185 or so since Americans are all fat.
Thats a bit like when you get in a small elevator and it says max 12 people and with 4 in you are already friendly with the others in the lift and you physically can't imagine how 12 people get in... But on a boat... its not just comfort and making sure it wont sink with that weight on board... as is being seen in the Med all too often at the moment with refugee boats even if you work out how to squeeze all those people on the boat if those people move weight the balance is wrong and boat capsizes.
I don't know what happens if 18 people all squeeze onto to port side to get a better view of a dolphin or something like that, but it should be a consideration.
