| Thousands of boats of all types and sizes sink every | | | | system failure. |
| year. Believe it or not, most of them sink at the | | | | Hull Design |
| dock. There is no agency that keeps statistics on | | | | Hull design problems are most common in boats |
| this, so the exact number is not known. However, if | | | | under 40 feet and more often in boats under 30 |
| you were to ask any marine insurance company they | | | | feet. Obviously, the smaller the boat, the more prone |
| would tell you that the number is quite high. If your | | | | it is to sinking simply because it will sink more quickly. |
| boat sinks, you are bound to have a major problem | | | | The most common reason power boats sink is due |
| whether it is insured or not. The loss of personal | | | | to improper design of the cockpit. For sailboats, the |
| belongings and fuel or oil pollution fines are additional | | | | most common cause of sinking is improper head |
| losses which are most likely not covered by your | | | | installation, inadequate bilge pumps and battery |
| insurance policy. | | | | systems that don't supply enough power to run the |
| What causes a boat to sink? | | | | pumps. |
| It is true that a large number of boats sink due to | | | | Internal System Failure |
| neglect. People often leave their boat at the marina | | | | Improper design or use of poor quality materials is |
| for months without checking on it. But the primary | | | | the cause of a vast majority of boat sinkings. |
| reason boats sink is due to poor design and the use | | | | Internal system failures can be broken down into |
| of inferior materials. | | | | three main categories: |
| First, let's deal with poor design. It is a fact that 64% | | | | -Inadequate bilge pumping or battery capacity. |
| of all builders nationwide, do not have a trained boat | | | | -Reverse siphoning due to errors in plumbing design. |
| designer on staff. This means that many boats are | | | | -Failed through hull fittings or hoses. |
| poorly designed by people with less than professional | | | | Despite decades of design knowledge many builders |
| expertise. Another factor to consider is that style | | | | continue to make these same mistakes every year |
| has taken precedence over function and practicality. | | | | by using inferior materials. It is hard to understand |
| Unfortunately, this often results in boats that are | | | | how a builder of a $100,000 boat can justify the use |
| doomed to sink themselves. The poor designing that | | | | of twenty dollars worth of plastic through hull fittings, |
| results in boats sinking can be broken down into two | | | | but it happens far too many times. |
| categories which are basic hull design and internal | | | | |