Only in America: Heavy seas

How the U.S. Coast Guard is dealing with America's obesity epidemic — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

Heavy seas
(Image credit: Seth Resnick / CORBIS)

The U.S. Coast Guard has reduced the passenger capacity of U.S. commercial vessels to reflect the growing weight of the average American. A boat's capacity used to be based on an assumed average of 160 pounds per passenger, but that’s been raised to 185 pounds. Florida pleasure-boat passenger David Kushner said he approved of the change. "Oh, God, yeah," said Kushner. "I'm 251 with sandals."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us