Can insurance coverage be purchased for boats powered above their rating?
In response to a mandate from Congress contained in the Federal Boating Safety Act of 1971 (FBSA), the United States Coast Guard issued regulations covering small outboard boats and the maximum rated horsepower for them. The regulations bind the manufacturer to provide a capacity plate that shows the maximum rated horsepower for each hull. The applicable regulations can be found in 33CFR183.53 My interpretation of those regulations is that the manufacturer must state the horsepower as no more than that computed under the formula, except, if the manufacturer conducts the performance testing procedure, the results of that testing can be used (with some qualifiers). However, the manufacturer is apparently free to state a lower rating if desired, and sometimes does. Note that the regulations only require ratings for monohull boats under 20-feet in length, but Boston Whaler has historically provided a rating plate for its boats longer than 20-feet as well. The formula provided in the regula
