A boat's capacity plate gives the maximum weight and/or number of people the boat can carry safely in certain?

-It is the designer's (Naval Engineer/Architect) calculations for safety of the vessel in most conditions.weather conditions.



keep in mind the limits defined on capacity plates apply in good to moderate weather conditions. In rough waters, keep the weight well below the limit. In ideal weather conditions, it is recommended that you distribute your load evenly, keep weight low, and avoid abrupt changes in distribution. This is especially important if your boat鈥檚 capacity is fully used or if weather conditions deteriorate. It is also important to remember that people represent a "live" load and moving about affects a boat quite differently than static loads. In general, shift human or other weight only after stopping or slowing



http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/revie鈥?/a>



hope this helps
It is put there for a reason. You can be prosecuted for exceeding these ratings.