How do you measure your boat?

[New_fisher]

I assume from tip of bow to rear most part of the transom down the centreline - not around the gunwhales like they used to. My question is do we and are we allowed to include things such as bow roller mounts and transom handles if they are welded on? If so I can get 4.5m out of my boat therefore I can put five people in it whereas if not I can only put four in. There is heaps of freeboard and I am only going around the esturies with five on board if I am allowed.

- I have heard of a few guys who own boats in VIC who under the new laws are welding bowsprits on there boat so they can get over the five metre mark so they don't have to wear PFD's. Victorians - no doubt about them, Cheers guys Hurlz.

[Spaniard_King]

Hurlz,

it's a very dodgy area, just went through a nightmare with the maritime safety mob on our boats at work. We had new 6.2m boats which we had to modify so that they came in under 6m (over 6m you need a coxains ticket to drive ::))

can you believe we never cut the front off but only had to put a bulkhead in so that the sinkable length was reduced to under 6m.. put a tape on em and they still go 6.2. Talk about a loop hole.

Personally run a tape from very front to the transom..thatl do me..I recon it's open to interpretation :-?. As long as you have sumthing I recon they would be happy

Garry

[banshee]

In NSW it's from the point of the bow to the transom,excluding bow sprits,outboard motors and other appendages.Pods are considered an appendage.

[dugong]

how long is a piece of string??
there appears to be no national standard?? tho some states do have some sort of regulations??
i was admiring a fishing guides boat at a workshop and noticed that a couple of inches had been chopped of the bow point?? bow mounted electric motor i asked ?? nope, i was told that it was too keep the boat at a length that the guide did not need a coxswains ticket to operate it.

check with your local authorities as to how they measure a boat.