HP capacity plate required in NY?

[lakelover]

When I recently bought my 15' 64 Starcraft that I'm fixing up, there was no capacity plate in the boat. The seller had replaced the transom, and it now has a 50 hp on it. I asked him about it and he looked around a bit and came up with it from his garage. Problem is, it is so old, painted, mangled and split (someone mounted a kicker or trolling motor clamp on it at some point) that it is illegible unless you use a powerful magnifying glass to inspect it. Even then it is only partially readable.

My question is, does anyone know if that plate is required on a boat in NY?

 

[SteveDavis]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

I don't know if NY requires it, Wisconsin and Minnesota do. Even if your state doesn't, it is a good idea to have it. What if you go somewhere that does?

 

[lakelover]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

Well, I do have it but it's useless and unusable. I suppose I could remount it if need be and at least if I'm stopped, I could say "there it is". It's so old that is more like a stick-on metal foil than a stiff piece of aluminum.

In fact, here it is @ 100%:

 

[lakelover]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

^^Update

Over a week ago I submitted the question to the NYS Department of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation, which manages the NY boating regulations; and to the sheriff's department that does water patrols in the county where I do my boating. I haven't heard any reply or acknowledgement yet from either.

For the boat in question, a 15' Starcraft runabout, the plate says 45hp; it has a 50 hp on it now, which has obviously been on for the life of the boat of the same year. I bought a 2003 Johnson 50 to put on it that probably weighs a fair amount less than the 1964 model on there now. And to confuse matters, using the USCG Sec. 183.53 formula, when the values are plugged in, I come up with a 60hp capacity. I plan to replace the 16" transom with a 20" for the new motor rather than using a jack plate.

I'm not concerned from a safety standpoint using the newer 50, but it would be nice to find an official answer of whether the plate is required or not just to cover myself.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[bob johnson]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

I think a jack plate would be way easier and more effective overall for boating purposes.

the more the setback the higher you can moutn the motor...gives you a litle more clearance for hitting underwater objects when you get too shallow.

if you up the transom you have to make sure the strength to support the motors torgue follows you upwards!!!!!

good luck

Id like to know the answer too, I live in ny and took the plate off my boat to do some work on my transom...

Bob

 

[lakelover]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

I think a jack plate would be way easier and more effective overall for boating purposes.

the more the setback the higher you can moutn the motor...gives you a litle more clearance for hitting underwater objects when you get too shallow.

if you up the transom you have to make sure the strength to support the motors torgue follows you upwards!!!!!

good luck



Bob

Hi Bob,

Here are photos of the transom design. I was thinking that it would be pretty straightforward to just replace the wood and go straight across to make a 20" transom for the long shaft, and it would be more integral to the design. I still wouldn't be mounting higher than the height of the hull.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

if you replace THE WHOLE transom, then it would be ok... I thought you were thinking of added some wood to the top of what you have now!!

but then again ripping that transom wide open and trying to tie in the new wood again over at the corners would be a big job... and it would be suspect to the quality of the work you did.

or


are you really thinking of just adding a piece of wood that went higher?????

dont like that idea at all!!

but good luck anyway

bob

 

[lakelover]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

if you replace THE WHOLE transom, then it would be ok... I thought you were thinking of added some wood to the top of what you have now!!

but then again ripping that transom wide open and trying to tie in the new wood again over at the corners would be a big job... and it would be suspect to the quality of the work you did.

or


are you really thinking of just adding a piece of wood that went higher?????

dont like that idea at all!!

but good luck anyway

bob

Nope, I plan to remove all the wood, use it for a template and just make the new piece taller to go straight across. I can see why you'd think the other idea was not a good one!

 

[bob johnson]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

Nope, I plan to remove all the wood, use it for a template and just make the new piece taller to go straight across. I can see why you'd think the other idea was not a good one!

you would do that just to be able to use a 20" shaft motor???

there is no other compelling reason to refurbish the transom...Like rot, or lots of other holes ect???

because a fixed jack plate is cheap and you could fashion a piece to prevent water from coming over the top easily to match the side hieght!!!!

I had a fiberglass boat that the transom wood swelled and was pulling away from the sides of the boat and splitting the fiberglass... I THOUGHT i would just do as you are doing...but really thinking about putting it all back together with fiberglass to sustain the forces of the motor and the water and maybe underwater objects...

I changed my mind and just found a different project


good luck

bob

 

[lakelover]

Re: HP capacity plate required in NY?

you would do that just to be able to use a 20" shaft motor???

there is no other compelling reason to refurbish the transom...Like rot, or lots of other holes ect???

because a fixed jack plate is cheap and you could fashion a piece to prevent water from coming over the top easily to match the side hieght!!!!


bob

Here are my compelling reasons:

1) I already have my long shaft motor
2) Jack plates are expensive; I'd planned to make one but that would involve having the brackets made at a local sheet metal shop
3) It may be more work, but I have more time than money!!
4) I think it will look better in the end!