The Main Reasons Why Boats Sink

Thousands of boats of all types and sizes sink every year. Believe it or not, most of them sink at the dock. There is no agency that keeps statistics on this, so the exact number is not known. However, if you were to ask any marine insurance company they would tell you that the number is quite high. If your boat sinks, you are bound to have a major problem whether it is insured or not. The loss of personal belongings and fuel or oil pollution fines are additional losses which are most likely not covered by your insurance policy.

What causes a boat to sink?

It is true that a large number of boats sink due to neglect. People often leave their boat at the marina for months without checking on it. But the primary reason boats sink is due to poor design and the use of inferior materials.

First, let's deal with poor design. It is a fact that 64% of all builders nationwide, do not have a trained boat designer on staff. This means that many boats are poorly designed by people with less than professional expertise. Another factor to consider is that style has taken precedence over function and practicality. Unfortunately, this often results in boats that are doomed to sink themselves. The poor designing that results in boats sinking can be broken down into two categories which are basic hull design and internal system failure.

Hull Design

Hull design problems are most common in boats under 40 feet and more often in boats under 30 feet. Obviously, the smaller the boat, the more prone it is to sinking simply because it will sink more quickly. The most common reason power boats sink is due to improper design of the cockpit. For sailboats, the most common cause of sinking is improper head installation, inadequate bilge pumps and battery systems that don't supply enough power to run the pumps.

Internal System Failure

Improper design or use of poor quality materials is the cause of a vast majority of boat sinkings. Internal system failures can be broken down into three main categories:

-Inadequate bilge pumping or battery capacity.
-Reverse siphoning due to errors in plumbing design.
-Failed through hull fittings or hoses.

Despite decades of design knowledge many builders continue to make these same mistakes every year by using inferior materials. It is hard to understand how a builder of a $100,000 boat can justify the use of twenty dollars worth of plastic through hull fittings, but it happens far too many times.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about model boats, boat parts, and model submarines. You will find the best shopping at these sites for model boats, used boat parts.b