Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Small Craft Hull Types Pluses and Minuses

hazelnut · 02-27-2008, 09:24 PM

Islander this has been discussed before in another thread. It truly depends on their definition of "unsinkable."

Please read the following:

http://www.boatingmag.com/article.as...&section_id=13

Pay particular attention to the section concerning level flotation. A swamped aluminum or fiberglass bilge style boat will be submerged with a small portion above water. The term unsinkable as referred to by the Coast Guard regulation still puts people in the water. To say that a boat with 80%-90% of the hull underwater is unsinkable is using the term quite loosely.

I guess my point was and is you are less likely to end up in the water when piloting a solid foam core hull boat. I'm not sure what term to use but I believe unsinkable does a great job describing what these boats are capable of. As far as the rest of the aluminum or bilge style boats under 20 feet I think unsinkable is the wrong term. Sure they "float" or some piece of them remain above water but when do we determine when a boat has sunk.

Skip posted a great definition of sinking. It included Websters definition:
2 a (1): to fall or drop to a lower place or level

Also Dictionary.com:
to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped.

I still can't find the Coast Guard reg that states or uses the unsinkable term though?

02-27-2008, 09:24 PM	#5
hazelnut Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1,348 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 508 Thanked 462 Times in 162 Posts	Yes but No Islander this has been discussed before in another thread. It truly depends on their definition of "unsinkable." Please read the following: http://www.boatingmag.com/article.as...&section_id=13 Pay particular attention to the section concerning level flotation. A swamped aluminum or fiberglass bilge style boat will be submerged with a small portion above water. The term unsinkable as referred to by the Coast Guard regulation still puts people in the water. To say that a boat with 80%-90% of the hull underwater is unsinkable is using the term quite loosely. I guess my point was and is you are less likely to end up in the water when piloting a solid foam core hull boat. I'm not sure what term to use but I believe unsinkable does a great job describing what these boats are capable of. As far as the rest of the aluminum or bilge style boats under 20 feet I think unsinkable is the wrong term. Sure they "float" or some piece of them remain above water but when do we determine when a boat has sunk. Skip posted a great definition of sinking. It included Websters definition: 2 a (1): to fall or drop to a lower place or level Also Dictionary.com: to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped. I still can't find the Coast Guard reg that states or uses the unsinkable term though?