NMMA Certification Plates U.S

National Marine Manufacturers Association Certification Plates U.S

Boats are classified by size ( LOA ). There are currently four classes up to 65'.

Class A = up to 16'0 Class 1 = 16'1" to 26'0"
Class 2 = 26'1" to 40'0" Class 3 = 40'1" to 65'

NNMA Certification Plates

Program began November 1, 1972. The plate contains:

. Maximum persons allowed ( weight and headcount )
. Gross weight of boat, gear, motor and people.
. Maximum horsepower : Set by Formula for boats up to 20'0"
Set by boat manufacturer for boats 20'1" and larger
. Model
. Manufacturer
. It is never ok to maximize horsepower other than directed.
Under any circumstances can any of the capacities be exceeded.

 

By who? By the boat owner? Yes. Caveat. The state you reside in may have a law that makes it a violation to exceed the values on the label.

Here's the scoop. The capacity label, USCG, or NMMA (actually the same thing) is a manufacturer requirement. That is, the boat manufacturer is required to put a label on with the recommended safe capacities. The Federal law does not apply to a boat owner or operator. Under Federal law the USCg can cite you only for negligent or grossly negligent operation. But they can cite as part of their justification that the boat was grossly overload, for instance the label says 10 persons on board and you had 20, or the rated hp was 50 and you had a 100. But the boat must have been operated in a negligent manner to begin with.

However, as I said, some states passed laws making it a violation to exceed the values on the label. Probably the most common violation is exceeding the horsepower on the label. So a local or state law enforcement can cite you for this but the USCG cannot.

The only way to know is consult your state Boating Law Administrator. See http://www.nasbla.org/i4a/member_directory/feSearchForm.cfm?directory_id=3&pageid=3335&showTitle=1

Class A, Class 1 etc. That was a designation used up until the 1980's but is no longer used and is no longer in the Federal Regulation. Instead the regs have been rewritten to say simply; a boat less than 16 feet, or less than 26 feet and so on. The Class designation is no longer used.

As for boats 20 feet and longer, under Federal rules you can use whatever hp you want. NMMA uses the ABYC standard. The ABYC standard uses a maneuvering test. A boat is run trhough a test course with increasingly larger engines. When it becomes unable to safely complete the course at WOT then the max horspower that could safely complete the course is used. So it is not really smart to put on a bigger engine.

Also. Boats under 20 feet have built in flotation. Part of the value for the amount of flotation is based on the heaviest engine of the rated hp. So putting a larger O/B on the boat will defeat the level flotation. It may not sink the boat but the boat won't float level when swamped like it is supposed to.

 

I have seen labels on go fast production boats that state they are in breach of these rules and the vessel is intended to be operated by experienced operators only.
Basically you cant put a 200hp O/B on a boat smaller then 20'

Most of the APBA certified classes are already in breach of this?
Where is the legal get out with this?
Competition only?

 

The US Federal horsepower regulations apply only to monohull outboard powered boats under twenty feet in length. Inboard powered boats can have as much power as the builder wants to put in them. Twenty feet and up, anything goes. A boat twenty feet or over can have as big an outboard as you can fit on it, or as powerful inboards as the builder wants to put in it.

If a manufacturer decides to comply with ABYC standards, which are voluntary, then they have to label the boat in accordance with certain requirements. If the boat can only be maneuvered safely at or below a certain speed then it must have a label stating at what speed you have to slow down to, to turn the boat safely. Some boats are intended solely for racing. If they are a bonafide race boat then all the USCG and ABYC standards don't apply. But this also means the builder can't sell them to the general public. However, there are a lot of boats sold here that are "sunday racers". These boats should have a label stating that they should be operated only by qualified operators.

for some enlightenment on HP regs see http://newboatbuilders.com/pages/hp.html or http://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title33/33-2.0.1.8.44.html#33:2.0.1.8.44.4

 

Thanks IKE
but I cant see where they refer to the 'sunday racers' and how they get around the outboard mono under 20' rules?