question about max hp rating plate on boat

[Darrenz]

can coast gaurd write a ticket if boat says max 50hp, but i have a 60hp motor? thanks

[Part-Time]

get stickers from a 50

[keane]

It depends on the State your in. In Maine, the law says that your boat must display and be in compliance with the Coast Guard sticker (even though the Coast Guard website says that it is only a recommendation). And local law enforcement can ticket you for falure to comply. Some insurance companies will ask if your boat has more power than the Coast Guard sticker allows also. Since you asked explicitly about the Coast Guard, I'm not sure if they would enforce state laws and I don't know their policy about requirements to comply with their own guidelines. Anybody can give you a ticket if you are grossly overweight, overpowered or your vessel is deemed unsafe. Having operated in the Great Lakes myself for a few years, I never had the Coast Guard stop me, but I was stopped plenty of times by local authorities. Even when the Coast Guard saw me floating near the Canadian shore, they didn't stop me, but they did have the local authorities waiting for me when I got back to port.

[1BadAction]

A thread on S&F where someone is worried about overpowering a boat by 10hp, I've seen it all now. :nonod: wtf is this forum coming to?

Start worrying about it when you double the HP rating, otherwise tell anyone who questions it to pound sand.

[Darrenz]

not that im worried but once i get stopped once than changing the stickers is not going to work. i boat in waters that have about 5 or 6 police agencys patroling and there are not to many attention getting boats like mine in my area(not to mention boat has....moving violations painted on the sides of it as it was once a cops boat.when i had my 4ft wide 13ft cigarette replica and was coming out of a no wake zone only doing 5mph but cops were coming at me from about a mile away and wrote me a wake in no wake ticket cause was very choppy and looked like i was baha ing from far away.so i was wondering should i change stickers or can they not do anything

[keane]

Like I said, if you're worried about the locals then you'll have to do some internet digging on the marine laws for your state. If that's too much work for you, then just change the stickers or take them off and be done with it. In many states the locals will ticket you for anything they can, just as a way to generate revenue.

[Darrenz]

so nys law for most item said (must or must not) for motor and weight said(should not) so maybe they cant do anything but maybe ill order decals anyway. on merc outboards is first 2 digits of serial the yr?