Weight capacity / passenger numbers for a Ring Powercraft 650

[cycas]

Our Ring Powercraft 650 is 20 years old this June. We bought it three years ago, at least third-hand, (and have had a lot of fun since then!)

Only now have I realised it doesn't have a CE plate or any details what it's technically rated to carry. I looked into this, and although it should have been applied when it was made, there's nothing saying I have to have one, so I'm guessing it fell off and nobody bothered replacing it.

This wouldn't bother me normally, usually it's just me and my husband, and sometimes a couple friends.

BUT, I've signed up to support a rowing team who are going to take their Celtic longboat on a day-long expedition, and the rowing club are asking how many people my boat is rated to carry for their health and safety assessment.

I assume at least 8, since I've got seats for 8, but the receipt from when we bought the boat has no weight capacity given, and I can't find anything online about this model. Ring Powercraft have changed hands and the current brand name doesn't have any details of the boats made by the previous operator.

I have the HIN: is there any way of looking up the original rated weight capacity of a boat that's old enough to vote?

[beamishken]

Are you sure the boat is only 20 years old? It wouldnt be the first time a seller told fibs. Pre1998 boats didnt require ce marking & many didnt have any data plates whatsoever.

[cycas]

The Hull Identification Number is definitely from June 2005, so I think more likely the CE plate has got detached? I guess the HIN could have been cloned, but there was nothing else to suggest that the boat is older.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by cycas

The Hull Identification Number is definitely from June 2005, so I think more likely the CE plate has got detached? I guess the HIN could have been cloned, but there was nothing else to suggest that the boat is older.

Is the Hin no in the CE format? Some builders added hin numbers pre CE period which didnt always use the year as the last two digits.

In any case if theres no evidence I'd be inclined to state a similar persons capacity to similar boats you can find data for. If your struggling to find evidence of capacity folk will find it difficult to find evidence to dispute what you claim

It wouldnt be hard to get a data plate made up if they actually require a plate fitted

[cycas]

Yes, the HIN is in the standard 14-character format starting GB, with both a month and year code correct for June 2005.

Good idea - I'll see if I can find a similar 6.5m RIB of a similar age and assume the stats are similar.