Canada compliance plate

[canuckmark]

Hello everyone...

This is my first post here and first I'd like to say thank you to the forum in general for all the help you've given me to this point. I was told by a friend that this is the forum to be at and he was right.

I recently bought my first boat - 1978 Grew 155 bowrider with an 85HP Javelin/Johnson. She's old, but runs well and we got a great end-of-season type deal. The bones are good and anything that needs to be done we can handle. So far got the tnt working (thanks to posts here) and a few small things, then winterized.

My question is this: there is a metal compliance plate on the transom from the Canadian Coast Guard. The good news is the info is stamped into the plate, the bad news is the printing on the plate that tells me what the numbers mean is completely faded out! I was able to make out the Coast Guard writing on the top edge, that's it. Would someone have a photo of their era-1978 plate they could post?

Otherwise, can someone help with what the numbers might mean? Essentially looking at a blank plate with the info arranged like so:



239509 60 GREW LTD

1425 SS155 (the S's might be 5s and vice versa)



Thanks in advance, and I hope to be able to contribute actual knowledge soon.

Mark

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Hi, and welcome. I have the same problem with my boat!
I can't say specifically what the numbers are, but if you check out this link it may help you sort it out-

Compliance Notices - FAQ - Transport Canada

Grew was another fine Canadian boatbuilder sunk in the recession of the late80's and early 90's, just like my boats mfr, Cadorette

You don't have to be concerned re the faded plate. The important one is the capacity plate which should be clearly visible in the vicinity of the dash.

Some of those numbers may appear on the registration papers.

 

[rbh]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Hi and welcome.


Nice find on the tags Arg.

 

[canuckmark]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Hi ARG, thanks for that link. It's funny you post it - I was just looking at that very page before posting this thread. That one coast guard plate is as close to mine as I could find on the web, but it looks like my plate may even be older than that one as the info is in different spots.

Using that as a guide, would it be fair to say the "60" is the max HP and the "1425" is max load in pounds, considering the size of the boat? The manufacturer and model number are obvious, then the only other number is the 6 digit one.

So there should be another capacity plate near the controls? Don't recall seeing one but will look again tonight.

Thanks again for the help. Now begins the long wait until spring!

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I have looked all over my boat and for the life of me I can't find a compliance or capacity plate.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I wouldn't interpret the numbers that way
I assume your boat is 15' plus in length? If so, 1425 pounds is WAY too much!
There is an old formula which will give you approx # of people and max load -

Multiply length of boat by width
Divide that number by 15. That give you # of people.
Multiply # of people by 150. That gives you max load.

These are approx numbers. Weight includes all detachable gear/fuel etc.
I'm fairly certain there should be another plate somewhere that gives these numbers.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I have looked all over my boat and for the life of me I can't find a compliance or capacity plate.

Your boat is over 6 meters in length. A capacity plate is not required. However, there should be a compliance plate on the transom- usually faded!

Correction. On boats over 6 meters the "plate" is called a "conformity label". Go figure

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Your boat is over 6 meters in length. A capacity plate is not required. However, there should be a compliance plate on the transom- usually faded!

Oh, ok. I'l have to have another look but I don't recall anything.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Oh, ok. I'l have to have another look but I don't recall anything.

If it's not there, you should be ok with the "law" as long as there is no obvious sign that a plate has been removed. If I interpret the regs correctly, "not being there" is the manufacturers responsibility -" removing it " is the boat owners responsibility

 

[canuckmark]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I wouldn't interpret the numbers that way
I assume your boat is 15' plus in length? If so, 1425 pounds is WAY too much!
There is an old formula which will give you approx # of people and max load -

Multiply length of boat by width
Divide that number by 15. That give you # of people.
Multiply # of people by 150. That gives you max load.

These are approx numbers. Weight includes all detachable gear/fuel etc.
I'm fairly certain there should be another plate somewhere that gives these numbers.

10-4. It sounded high to me too. Could it be max load including the motor, or would that still be too high?

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

10-4. It sounded high to me too. Could it be max load including the motor, or would that still be too high?

I'm not sure about that. Here's another link that gets more into the capacity plate issue-

Section 2.0. Compliance Notices - Transport Canada

 

[rbh]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Unlike a boat with an i/o, a boat with outboard could be measured for total weight/capacity without the motor included.

who's to say what motor you would put in place.

 

[canuckmark]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I mention it only because (back to that link up above) the older Coast Guard plate says the weight displayed is "persons motor gas gear", but the newer plates don't seem to include motor. Roughly how much would a motor like mine weigh (1978 85HP Javelin)?

(1425 still does seem high though. )

EDIT: Found someone else posted the weight as 312 pounds. 1113 pounds can't possibly be the max load weight, could it?

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Unlike a boat with an i/o, a boat with outboard could be measured for total weight/capacity without the motor included.

who's to say what motor you would put in place.

Agree. The sample plate shown on GC website shows combined weight of people + stuff + motor. In which case the 1425 might be the max weight?

 

[rbh]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I mention it only because (back to that link up above) the older Coast Guard plate says the weight displayed is "persons motor gas gear", but the newer plates don't seem to include motor. Roughly how much would a motor like mine weigh (1978 85HP Javelin)?

(1425 still does seem high though. )

EDIT: Found someone else posted the weight as 312 pounds. 1113 pounds can't possibly be the max load weight, could it?

Not all engines of that HP weight the same.
Newer engines could be more aluminum/alloys than steel.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Canada compliance plate

I mention it only because (back to that link up above) the older Coast Guard plate says the weight displayed is "persons motor gas gear", but the newer plates don't seem to include motor. Roughly how much would a motor like mine weigh (1978 85HP Javelin)?

(1425 still does seem high though. )

EDIT: Found someone else posted the weight as 312 pounds. 1113 pounds can't possibly be the max load weight, could it?

We're getting close! If I assume your boat is 15' 6" long and 7.0' wide then using that formula would give us 7 people and 1050 lbs.

 

[canuckmark]

Re: Canada compliance plate

Hmm, interesting!

Thanks guys and sorry for the newb questions - if anyone wants to know how to program microcontrollers I'm your man, with this stuff I'm still learning!

 

[rallyart]

Re: Canada compliance plate

1980 Grew 185, which is a bigger boat, has a person capacity of 7. I would be surprised if the 155 was over 6.
Remember that the max load weight has to include the engine on an outboard, the fuel, the battery, all your gear and people.