# Will 12 passengers be allowed for small passenger vessels ? (2014 law)

**URL:** <https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/will-12-passengers-be-allowed-for-small-passenger-vessels-2014-law/14422>\
**Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\
**Created:** [March 16, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/will-12-passengers-be-allowed-for-small-passenger-vessels-2014-law/14422 "2015-03-16T20:14:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kirby349](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@Kirby349](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kirby349)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/will-12-passengers-be-allowed-for-small-passenger-vessels-2014-law/14422/1 "2015-03-16T20:14:03Z")

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I operate a small 26’ passenger boat for sunset and Eco tours on protected inland waterways and have always only had 6 passengers on the vessel.  
This vessel is rated for 15 passengers by manufacture. Would love to up the passenger count for obvious reasons .  
From what I have heard becuase of the howard coble and U.S. coast guard act of 2014 this has somewhat opened the door for having more passengers on small vessels.  
Anyone heard of this ? Or suggestions on how to be able to have more passengers on a small vessel in a economical way ?

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**Author:** ![Tom\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tom\_B](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Tom_B)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 4:08am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/will-12-passengers-be-allowed-for-small-passenger-vessels-2014-law/14422/2 "2015-03-17T04:08:31Z")

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Interesting since the rest of the world does the 12 pax thing. This is the first I have herd of this and a quick google search found the following quote from Wikipedia. If it only applies to the USVIs I would say that’s putting an un due economic burden on OUPV vessels working in the rest of the country. But since I don’t have a dog in this hunt I am done.

The bill would modify existing requirements to provide for: (1) uninspected passenger vessels in the United States Virgin Islands to carry up to 12 passengers (currently, vessels under a certain weight may only carry up to 6 passengers), (2) classification societies to inspect

Ifoffshore supply vessels, and (3) certain passenger vessels to be equipped with survival craft.[5]

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**Author:** ![Kirby349](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@Kirby349](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kirby349)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/will-12-passengers-be-allowed-for-small-passenger-vessels-2014-law/14422/3 "2015-03-17T14:00:13Z")

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I would think that Becuase it is accepted in the U.S. BVI s ,it is still us waters that should open a pretty good debate on being able to do it in continental waters. Especially in protected considering US BVIs are not.