SF34 CREW DISCOVERED THE COMPANY OVERLOADED THEIR ACFT.

Narrative

ON APR/XA/02 WE WERE DEPARTING BWI AT APPROX XA00. THE STATION LOADED ALL PAX; PLUS 1 JUMP SEATER AND VERY HVY CARGO. WE (CREW) INFORMED STATION THAT WE WERE IN AN OVERWT SIT. THEY (STATION AND DISPATCH) DECIDED TO OFFLOAD 4 PAX WITH THEIR CARGO. THEY (DISPATCH) CHANGED THEIR MINDS SEVERAL TIMES; AND EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO DEFUEL 1000 LBS OF FUEL IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE. THIS CREATED A VERY HECTIC SIT WITH MUCH CONFUSION AND INDECISION. DISPATCH CHANGED OUR ALTERNATE AND REDUCED OUR HOLD FUEL IN ORDER TO DEFUEL THE 1000 LBS NECESSARY. WE ENDED UP DEPARTING ALMOST 1 HR LATE WITH ALL THE PAX. THE PROB IS THAT OUR CARGO LOAD WAS 2137 LBS; WITH OUR MAX LOAD BEING 2100 LBS. WE HAVE 2 CARGO AREAS; AND EACH WAS UNDER THE MAX WT BUT THE COMBINED TOTAL WAS OVER BY 37 LBS. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL I REACHED OUR DEST AND I WAS THINKING MORE ABOUT THESE WTS. I BELIEVE THE CONFUSION AND THE POOR PLANNING BY THE STATION AND DISPATCH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT. I ALSO KNOW THAT I SHOULD'VE NOTICED THIS MISTAKE. THE ENTIRE RAMP PERSONNEL AND CREW MISSED THIS ERROR. I LEARNED THAT NEXT TIME I FIND MYSELF IN A HECTIC SIT LIKE THIS; I WILL CONSCIOUSLY SLOW DOWN AND ANALYZE ALL WTS.