11
DANGER
WARNING
CAUTION
LEGAL
Loading and Horsepower Capacity
As already discussed, overloading and
improper load balancing causes many
boating accidents. Boaters must know the
amount of weight on board and evenly
distribute that weight within the boat. There
is a capacity label affixed in the boat. Know
your boat’s maximum capacity and
maximum horsepower and never exceed
those limits.
GENERAL BO
ATING
INFORMATI
Turning
Turning a boat in any condition
other than calm seas with no wind
and a single occupant with the
lower unit of the motor fully in the
water can be dangerous. Turns
can result in shifting or throwing
persons or cargo overboard…or
even worse, capsizing. Extreme
caution must be exercised when
executing turns any faster than
minimum planning speed (typically
around 20 mph for vessels over
16’ in length) and should be as
wide as possible to avoid slipping
on the water’s surface or hooking
an edge that could cause a boat to turn abruptly with a violent change in
