What do I need to know about capacity?

Industry capacity, which is the figure you will encounter most often, states a load weight which leaves your boat with six inches of freeboard (the amount of canoe out of the water). Be very careful here as safety is your key concern. A boat with only six inches of freeboard is most likely dangerously overburdened and in heavy water conditions (high waves), will most likely take on water. Some companies out there, Swift is one of them, publish a load range for their boats within which they will guarantee safe paddling and top performance with a freeboard in the nine inch range. An overloaded canoe will not respond well to direction and will feel sluggish in the water. An under loaded canoe will have too much freeboard which will act like a sail in windy conditions. You will struggle against this wind to maintain your course, generally losing the battle.

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