Fed requirement for USCG max capacity plate

[Fr. Frank]

I got stopped yesterday about 22 miles offshore by an inflatable off of a USCG cutter. After a quick search of my boat, they then gave me a ticket for not having a USCG Maximum Capacity plate. According to the PO, ALL vessels under 20'0" hull length must have and display a USCG Max Capacities plate while navigating federal waters (which is anything over 12 miles offshore), regardless of date or place of manufacture. This includes vessels like mine, which are titled as homemade because they predate the federal HIN system. The PO said I can get the $75 fine waived if I show proof of compliance within 30 days.

Here's what annoys me: I still have the original manufacturer's identification sticker under the helm. It shows the hull serial number: #2489, the max HP: 240, and the max load, persons, motor and gear: 1?35 lbs. (I put the question mark in there for the second number because the decal is torn there. The third number could also be an 8 or a 5) He said the manufacturer's plate was partially illegible or destroyed, didn't specify a max capacity in number of persons, with max weight indecipherable, and therefore didn't meet the requirements.

I called SeaCraft Boats, and they will provide a capacity plate for any hull they made since Tracker took over in '87, but not for earlier hulls.

So next I contacted a local decal manufacturer, and he would not make a run of less than 100 decals, at a price of $1,250, or $12.50 each.

Next I contacted LetterRite, and they will make a minimum run of 10 decals for $190, or 25 for $200.

USCG calculation for max hp is (vessel LOA in ft X BEAM in ft X 2)-90 [rounded up to next higher 5hp increment = MAX HP. The the Length is vessel LOA, NOT hull LOA, and may include the length of any permanently-mounted propulsion machinery. Length and Beam are also rounded up to next higher full integer. So the 20' SeaCraft models would be either
(20x8x2)-90=230 MAX HP
OR
(22x8x2)-90=265 MAX HP (if the motor is through-bolted to the transom. (This is how the 19' bowrider and Seafari had legal optional 260 hp sterndrives.)

So the image below uses the 230hp USCG MAX HP calculations,(although I am open to using the 265hp calculation) and the weight limits from the 20' Seafari, which has the lowest weight limits of the various 20' SeaCraft models.

I'm considering order 25 of these decals. Would anyone like one at my cost plus postage? That would be about $13 or $14 dollars, I think. There won't be an option on some plates of 230 and some of 265 hp. They would all have to be the same.

they would look like this: