Capacity labels
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. 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.
- 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.
All registerable 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 six metres
- powered boats six metres and over
- powered boats with a flybridge.
Queensland Transport customer service centres can provide a capacity label when registering or transferring the registration of a boat. Capacity labels are free.
Determining your boat's capacity
There are options to determine your boat's capacity.
- Australian Builder's Plate or manufacturer's plate
Take the capacity information from the Australian Builder's Plate or the manufacturer's plate if fitted to your boat. If your boat doesn't have one of these plates, you should contact the manufacturer for details.From 1 July 2006, all new recreational boats manufactured in Australia will show an Australian Builder's Plate. Capacity labels are not required if you boat has either a manufacturer's plate or an Australian Builder's Plate, but only if these are clearly visible from each steering position on the boat. You should still consider placing a capacity label on your boat if it provides a more visible reminder of the boat's safe capacity.
- Capacity assessment tables
To calculate a boat's capacity, measure the length and beam (width) and match these dimensions in the tables below. These tables are also shown on the back of each capacity label.Capacity assessment table - powered boats under six metres
Capacity assessment table - powered boats with a flybridge
Capacity assessment table - powered boats six metres and over
If your boat is six metres and over and its dimensions are outside those indicated on the assessment tables shown above, you can use a formula to assess capacity.
For boats six metres or over - capacity = 0.75 x length x √beam
For boats with a flybridge - capacity = 0.6 x length x √beam
Download a technical information sheet about stability testing of powered recreational boats (PDF**, 97KB).
Boats with a flybridge
For boats with a flybridge or upper deck with a second steering control, a capacity label should be placed at each steering position so it can be seen by the operator at all times.
Only one quarter of the boat's total permitted number of people may be on the flybridge at any one time. For example, if total capacity of the boat is 12 people, a maximum of three people would be allowed on the flybridge at one time.
When putting capacity labels on a boat with a flybridge, ensure the label on the main deck shows only the main deck capacity and the label on the flybridge shows only the flybridge capacity. For example if the total capacity of the boat is 12, the capacity label should show three on the flybridge section and nine on the main deck section.
When no one is on the flybridge, the total capacity may be carried on the main deck.
You can pick up capacity labels and a brochure at Queensland Transport customer service centres or contact a Maritime Safety Queensland regional office.
Capacity label/s and brochure order form.
**While this department has taken every possible precaution with the creation of these files, they are downloaded and used at your own risk. Adobe Reader is required to open and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files and is free to download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Various tools to enable access to these files for people using a screen reader can be found at http://access.adobe.com. Further information is available from our "Help with downloading, reading and printing PDF" web page.
Last updated 21 April 2008
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