Small Craft Hull Types Pluses and Minuses

[hazelnut]

When considering the purchase of a small utility boat many questions arise. There are many choices that offer different benefits to the buyer.

Many islanders need a reliable durable second source of transportation. Aluminum style boats can be a great choice for many. They are usually the most affordable and require less maintenance. From experience they are easy to maintain and can be beached or pulled up on land when not in use. This will offer peace of mind to those who may be absent from Camp for an extended period of time. A bilge pump can be added to an aluminum boat to aid with water removal. This by no means should be relied upon for any extended period of time. An aluminum type skiff/dinghy can and will sink (go underwater) if filled with water, rain or otherwise. This is also a consideration for safety purposes. An aluminum dinghy will sink if swamped or if the hull is compromised in a catastrophic way. When purchasing an aluminum dinghy consider what you will be relying on it for. Do you need a secondary source of transportation during the summer? Perhaps you will be hauling trash and debris. Aluminum boats make an excellent choice for this purpose. If you will be using an aluminum boat for primary transportation during any type of rough weather and cold conditions in the early spring or late fall you might want to be aware that there is some elevated risk associated with this. One thing is a certainty the lake can be unpredictable during those times. Small aluminum craft can become compromised in those situations and sink.
Another popular consideration is the Pontoon style craft. Pontoons have fast become a reliable and safe choice for many islanders. They are second to none in terms of hauling debris, furniture, appliances, building material etc. Pontoon boats are also quite safe unless of course one of the pontoons becomes compromised in the form of a puncture or tear. The fortunate thing here is one would most likely be aware of a tear or puncture due to running aground or a collision. If that is the case proper action in the form of a weld repair can be taken. A Pontoon is less likely to be involved in an emergency situation such as sinking or capsizing as the owner would usually be aware of the conditions of the pontoons before departing. Risks involving rough weather conditions would be minimized due to the buoyancy of the pontoons. This is not to say that one couldn't be thrown overboard or that the craft wouldn't suffer catastrophic damage during extreme conditions. As always proper precautions in these situations should be taken in the form of life jackets and such.
Fiberglass style dinghy or skiffs are another popular choice. Many small fiberglass boats are available for purchase new and used. Whether center console, tiller drive, right hand drive there are many makes models and years to be had. There is a very important point that needs to be discussed when purchasing these types of boats. First of all all fiberglass boats are not made the same. Essentially there are two types perhaps even three. Many manufacturers of small fiberglass craft assemble their boats similar to todays typical Runabout. There is an outer hull with the inner deck area affixed to the outer shell. What that leaves is an open bilge area, the area under the deck of the boat. Most of these boats will have some sort of bilge pump to evacuate any standing water. When buying a used boat in this class one should take care to inspect all the seals that would prevent most rain water or lake water from seeping down into the bilge area. Boats that do not have tight seals in the decking area might fill up fast. Many of these boats might have self bailing scuppers at the back of the upper deck to aid with water runoff. A good solid bilge pump is a must for this style of boat. Also available in this class are open skiffs without the decking area. These boats can suffer from the same problems that plague aluminum craft. Essentially these boats are a reverse bathtub. If left unattended for long periods of time these boats can and will fill up with water. Even the best bilge pump can not keep up with a weeks worth of heavy rains. These boats can also suffer from catastrophic failure if the hull becomes compromised or if the boat becomes swamped. Again the uses of these boats are similar to the aluminum dinghy. Great for hauling although precautions to prevent scratching or gouging the fiberglass should be taken.
This finally leads me to my personal favorite (although not everyones) and that is the foam filled fiberglass hull. These boats are sold under many different names, the most popular being the Boston Whaler. Other brands are the Wahoo, McKee Craft, and Edgewater to name a few. These boats typically use a high density foam to fill up the bilge area leaving no open open area for water to collect. The two pieces, decking and outer hull are usually fused together with the foam creating one solid piece. With no bilge area a bilge pump is usually not required. Most small "whaler's" have no pump, they have a self bailing system. Scuppers at the back of the boat evacuate any water that may collect on the deck. A "whaler type" boat can be filled with water and people and STILL FLOAT. In fact a Whaler can be cut in half and the half with the engine can still be driven. See:
http://www.whaler.com/Rec/default4.a...ent=whywhaler2
The "Whaler type" is definitely the safest choice in terms of usability in adverse conditions. There is far less likelihood of this type of boat becoming compromised, swamped or capsized. Again with all craft proper precautions should be taken in case of emergency. However, a "Whaler Type" boat is essentially a life-jacket with a motor on it. This type of boat is widely regarded as "Unsinkable." As with all boats there are considerations when purchasing this type of boat. First and foremost, cost. These boats are typically anywhere from 20%-50% more expensive than your typical aluminum craft or fiberglass type. These boats are not quite as spacious for hauling large cargo such as furniture and building materials. One must also take great care to ensure that fiberglass damage is taken care of in a timely manner as over time water can seep into the foam core and cause damage or crack if frozen.

This is by no means a comprehensive definitive answer to this question. This is a guide based on personal experience with several years of boating experience and ownership of almost every type of boat described above. I currently own a Monterey 248LS and a Boston Whaler 13 Dauntless. I have owned several different skiffs/dinghy's over the years not limited to but including a 14 Sea Nymph a 14 Lowe (aluminum) and a 15 Sailfish (fiberglass). By far the Whaler has proven to be the most reliable trouble free design among these boats. I have three small children under the age of 4. I have no qualms about taking them in the Whaler in October or April, weather permitting. I can not say the same for my previous small craft.

I hope this has helped those of you who were either searching for this type of boat or those of you who were misinformed on this topic.

[Islander]

The Coast Guard now requires all boats manufactured under 20 feet to be unsinkable.

[jrc]

Boats under 20' rated for outboard motors greater than 2hp must have level flotation. These drawings from the USCG show how the boat must float to pass the test:





Look where the water line is and imagine you are in the boat and the water is 40 degrees

[Islander]

That boat does not look like an aluminum skiff. Where is the link to this information?

[hazelnut]

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?

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by hazelnut

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.

Let's face it, "unsinkable" meaning 80-90% under water in the middle of the broads in October/November with nobody around to aid in rescue equals DEAD after a relatively short period of time due to hypothermia, possble drowning, etc.

Hazelnuts post was well thought out and I feel quite accurate. Having owned aluminum boats in the past, especially older ones I found that they can and do sink. Been there, bailed that... Not all, but many. There are exceptions to most rules. I am confident that many of the small aluminum utility boats around the lake are older and are not up to todays standards of floatation.

I had a personal experience with a fiberglass boat taking on water and not sinking. I was in a 22' Bluefin center console about a mile outside the markers at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor. While heading back I noticed that the boat was getting slower and more sluggish in handling. I managed to get just inside the jetty when the motor quit. After checking it out I could find no issues. I popped the access cap to the inner hull to tap on the fuel tank and water came gushing out. The inner hull was completely full of water yet the boat was still floating. I managed to get it running again after recapping the geyser and made it part way back to the launch before it quit altogether. Luckily for us we got towed the rest of the way and got it back on the trailer. We found a 6' long gash in the hull running up the keel. We had not hit anything and later found that it was a hull flaw that finally blew out due to stress. The motor dying was due to the venting on the fuel tank being compromised by the water in the hull and not being able to draw properly.

Luckily the foam floatation and the "sealed" hull got us home safely, had we truly started going down a mile or two out I may not be typing today. Upon further investigation I found that even if that boat had been full to the top of the gunnels it would have not gone down. Had I been out there in a 22' aluminum boat with a 6' gash in it I do not think the outcome would have been the same.

Hazelnut, I do have to say however you are a nut for having 3 kids under the age of 4 in a 13' boat in October or April. Weather and kids are unpredictable. I'll keep mine on a 24' tritoon...I could probably lose two toons and not be under.

[hazelnut]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Hazelnut, I do have to say however you are a nut for having 3 kids under the age of 4 in a 13' boat in October or April. Weather and kids are unpredictable. I'll keep mine on a 24' tritoon...I could probably lose two toons and not be under.

Yeah but...... It's a Whaler....

Seriously though it's just a short hop to the Island and I'd only do it when weather permits. I never, ever, even considered it with the aluminum skiff. Not even on a flat calm sunny late October day.

[Islander]

Whaler is a great boat, but I notice they never claim you will remain dry. The water is a lot colder in April than October. There are some boats over 20 feet, like a Cobalt, that will sink to the bottom. I'd rather be in an aluminum skiff thats swamped.

The boat in the diagram looks like a sailboat. Sailboats have different flotation specs. and probable months of operation. Is there a diagram for an aluminum skiff?

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by hazelnut

Yeah but...... It's a Whaler....

I have to say that there are as good if not better boats for the money than the Whaler, sorry to rain on that. I agree with everything else however. There are others built to specs that meet or exceed the Whaler for a lot less. With Whaler you are paying more for the name and hype. Honestly, I have been told from a nationally acredited marine surveyor's opinion that in the case of the Whaler "they don't build them like they used to". After being bought out by the Brunswick Corp the sentiment is that they are now more about mass production.

Originally Posted by islander

I'd rather be in an aluminum skiff thats swamped.

How can you compare foam under the seats to a foam filled hull for floatation? I am just not seeing it.

Here is a good link to the history of Whaler:

http://www.boattest.com/Resources/vi...spx?NewsID=654

[secondcurve]

This is a good discussion with many pertinent points. I think the concerning point is that a good percentage of the general boating public is not aware that boats can and do sink. And probably more important, the same folks aren't aware that cold water often results in quick death. Thanks for a great refresher thread.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Islander

The Coast Guard now requires all boats manufactured under 20 feet to be unsinkable.

That is a pretty powerful requirement. Could you please provide me a link or reference a source to that requirement, I would very much like to read it directly from the source.

Thanks...

[hazelnut]

Originally Posted by codeman671

I have to say that there are as good if not better boats for the money than the Whaler, sorry to rain on that. I agree with everything else however. There are others built to specs that meet or exceed the Whaler for a lot less. With Whaler you are paying more for the name and hype. Honestly, I have been told from a nationally acredited marine surveyor's opinion that in the case of the Whaler "they don't build them like they used to". After being bought out by the Brunswick Corp the sentiment is that they are now more about mass production.

No rain here codeman. I have heard the very same thing about the Brunswick Whalers. My Whaler is an older model "95" to be specific. I bought it used for a great price. When I was looking I was not looking specifically at Whaler. I just happened upon a great Craigslist deal. The purpose of the post was not to specifically champion one manufacturer but to point out the major differences in small crafts under 20 feet. It was mentioned by a member of the forum that all boats under 20 feet were "unsinkable." I felt that this was misinformation that needed to be corrected. It is dangerous to give out a general statement like that to the public who may look to this site for information. They should be aware that the term "unsinkable" is being extremely loosely applied. I believe that the only type of boat that can truly be termed "unsinkable" is the solid foam core style boat. There are some exceptions to that but an aluminum skiff hardly qualifies.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Skip

That is a pretty powerful requirement. Could you please provide me a link or reference a source to that requirement, I would very much like to read it directly from the source.

Thanks...

I haven't had time to hunt it down myself but in the link that I posted above mention was made of it. It did specify outboard powered boats, not all according the article.

"In the early 1980s – over 20 years after Dick Fisher showed the world that small boats could be unsinkable – the USCG made flotation a federal law for outboard boats 20-feet and under with engines over 2 horsepower".

[Dave R]

This discussion is incomplete without this.

[hazelnut]

Originally Posted by Skip

That is a pretty powerful requirement. Could you please provide me a link or reference a source to that requirement, I would very much like to read it directly from the source.
Thanks...

Skip the only thing I have actually found is from the article codeman posted:
Flotation Becomes Law –Under 20’

"In the early 1980s – over 20 years after Dick Fisher showed the world that small boats could be unsinkable – the USCG made flotation a federal law for outboard boats 20-feet and under with engines over 2 horsepower. By that time most of Whaler’s competitors were using foam in their own hulls in order to compete, if for no other reason. But of course foam has other advantages as well and today virtually all builders of offshore outboard boats over 20 feet use as much foam as they can in the boats they build."

People on this forum have loosely interpreted this to mean unsinkable. My question continues to be when do we actually term that a boat has sunk? Is an aluminum skiff with the nose sticking out of the water "unsinkable" because it hasn't "gone to the bottom?" My post on another thread and the purpose of starting this thread was to clear up misinformation. For my personal purposes an aluminum skiff in the middle of the bay that has become partially submerged to the point that occupants are in the water has sunk. I believe that people coming here for information on purchasing a skiff or whaler or toon or whatever should be aware that there are differences in terms of hull performance in adverse conditions.

[Mashugana]

Some PFDs are guaranteed not to sink up to a certain weight. When you use this PFD you are mostly in the water with just your head above water.

[Bear Islander]

Skip and hazelnut

This is from a USCG publication that talks about it but is not the actual regulation. The bow up boat pictured by hazelnut does not meet this regulation. It might be older than the regulation, have had flotation removed, engine larger than specified, loaded with bricks etc. To post a picture like that and suggest it is the probable outcome is outrageous.

The real story here should be the boats over 20', still being made and sold, that will sink to the bottom

I'd like to see posted a list of boats that do not have level flotation capability. I can't find one.

LEVEL FLOTATION. Level Flotation will increase both your ability to survive and the ability of rescue groups to locate you after and accident has occurred. Level Flotation does just what its name sounds like. If a boat fills with water, Level Flotation will make the boat float level. You and your passengers will actually be able to remain inside the boat even though it is full of water. There you will be warmer, feel safer, be less in danger of drowning and will provide a larger target for rescue groups to locate. If the seas are calm, you might be able to bail the water out of your boat and if the powerhead of your motor wasn’t damaged by immersion in the water, you might be able to return to shore under your own power.

The Level Flotation Standard applies to monohull outboard powered boats less than 20 feet in length except sailboats, canoes, kayaks, inflatables, submersibles, race boats, surface effect vessels and amphibious vehicles. The principles of Level Flotation, however, may be applied to many of these excepted boats at your option.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/educati...atbuilders.pdf

[Islander]

Cobalt is one manufacturer that does not have flotation on boats over 20 feet. Anybody know of others?

codeman... You are quoting me out of context. Clearly I was saying its better to be in a swamped boat on the surface that in a sunk boat that is on the bottom.

[hazelnut]

So Bear Islander you think that in a 1 foot chop on Winni in October that you and your passengers will just be hangin out sitting in the boat remaining dry as it was written? I highly doubt it.

My point was and is. An aluminum boat will be full of water basically submerged, whether level or not your passengers have an EXTREMELY HIGH likelihood of being wet and even in the water. This DEBATE is outrageous and bordering on gross misinformation for uninformed boaters to be reading. I am merely pointing out a risk situation. I'll stick with my high density foam core hull you can rely on level floatation to save you.

[hazelnut]

The more I dig the more I find.

Bear Islander and Islander cite US Coast Guard Regs. Here is more info on flotation requirements and "level floatation."

Amount of flotation
To float the boat and 13% of persons capacity.
So the other 87% of the occupants are expendable?

Also:

Amount of flotation
To float the boat and occupants with only one end of the boat above water.
Kids everybody to the bow and HANG ON.

Now if we are talking NMMA certifications they are even stronger than Coast Guard Reg.
Ammount of flotation
To float the boat and 25% of persons capacity
Phew we can save another half of a person from going in.

[Bear Islander]

I'm not suggesting that being in a swamped boat in April is not dangerous. Obviously it is. I understand the effects of hypothermia better than most people.

However the type of material the hull is made out of IS NOT THE PROBLEM. This is a complex subject and answers are not that easy.

I agree that a boat with more flotation, like a Whaler, will keep passengers higher and presumably warmer in a swamped situation. Which boat has better flotation is the question, not the hull material.

The Cobalts mentioned a fiberglass not aluminum, yet they go to the bottom leaving passengers in much more danger than my aluminum skiff.

The real danger here is boats with NO FLOTATION! Why don't you target them instead of singing the praises of Whaler and fiberglass?

[fatlazyless]

It's always possible to install your own flotation by using stuff like inner tubes, clorox bottles, foam-in-a-can, those 48" swimmer's foam tube thingies, empty Gatoraid bottles, whatever floats your boat.

Best way to do it is, install floatation as you think best, and then take the boat for a test sinking........easy....go back and adjust floatation as needed.....trial & error....never fails!!

Hmmmm.....am not sure if I'm kidding or not? If it's a small boat with no motor, it's doable. A motor in the water or a boat bigger than about 16'.....probably knot?

As part of my nine boat, FLL-NAVY, I have an embankment, roller-retrieval, winch set-up, capable of hauling a 16' boat weighing about 1000lbs up and out of the lake. Built from lumber, trailer parts & rollers, wood stain, and a hand crank winch, all retrieved from the Meredith transfer station. A side benefit of having a sticker for the Meredith transfer station!

[Mee-n-Mac]

How about a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) ? I'd have thought these to be as "unsinkable" as any. I also note that there are small boats that are made of rotomolded polyethylene. Same proviso's wrt flotation as any other boat, it'll depend on the floatation employed.

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Islander

That boat does not look like an aluminum skiff. Where is the link to this information?

There is no special category for aluminum skiffs. It falls into outboard boat under 20' and over 2hp as do most small Whalers. Here is the source of the drawings. They talk about floatation not sinkabilty.

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/bo.../flotation.htm

BTW it does not apply to sail boats

[hazelnut]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

...The Cobalts mentioned a fiberglass not aluminum, yet they go to the bottom leaving passengers in much more danger than my aluminum skiff.The real danger here is boats with NO FLOTATION! Why don't you target them instead of singing the praises of Whaler and fiberglass?

Because that is the title of this thread? I am only discussing one particular type of boat here. This thread was created for the purpose of pointing out positives and negatives associated with small craft choices (Secondary Boats For Islanders). It was also created in hopes to clear up myths regarding the "unsinkable" term thrown about by a few members and what it actually means to a boater in troubled waters during colder seasons. The thread was also born out of frustration from comments such as this:

"You should explain to the thousands of people that use aluminum boats on the lake, from ice out to ice in, what danger we are in. Just so we understand, if a boat hull is fiberglass it's safe in October, but if the hull is aluminum it's a deathtrap."

This was a generalization deduced from a debate about constructive information I was originally trying to provide based on real experience. Unfortunately a comment like that diminishes the severity of a potential real danger. So I decided to post what I believe to be a fairly clear and well thought out post regarding one particular class of boats.

If you want to create a thread about 20 foot + craft and the dangers of sinking please feel free to do so.

[Bear Islander]

Thank you for a coherent answer. Now if you study the USCG definitions below you will find the word you should be using is flooding or swamping. Even Skip can't argue away a Coast Guard definition.


Flooding - Filling with water, regardless of method of ingress, but retaining sufficient buoyancy to remain on the surface.

Sinking - Losing enough buoyancy to settle below the surface of the water.

Swamping - Filling with water, particularly over the side, but retaining sufficient buoyancy to remain on the surface.

[jrc]

I think (I have no facts) the USCG made these rules for boats under 20' because they are more suseptable to swamping than larger boats. It also could be aimed at smaller boats because new boaters usually buy smaller boats. Most USCG rules were made to address a specific real problem.

When my father bought his first cuddy cabin, which was 19'6" he used to joke that the floatation rule was put into place to stop new boaters that lost interest or couldn't make the payments from sinking their boats to collect the insurance money.

I canoe and used to kayak in the spring and fall and I would never count on the floatation alone to save me from hypothermia. My canoe has foam filled ends and floats pretty well when swamped, my old kayak had inflatable bags. When traveling in a small boat in cold water, you have to dress appropriately. If you fall in on small lake or a river the shore is never very far, so maybe warm clothes are enough. In a bigger lake, you may be in the water a long time, so heavy wool may be a better idea. For the most safety consider a wetsuit. I always wore one kayaking in the cold, even if the river was knee deep.

[Bear Islander]

Interesting data from the USGC 2006 statistics. No fatalities from hypothermia in an open motorboat while wearing lifejackets. Four fatalities without lifejackets.

[Kamper]

Originally Posted by hazelnut

The more I dig the more I find.
...
Amount of flotation
To float the boat and 13% of persons capacity.[/B]
So the other 87% of the occupants are expendable?
...

Hmm.... Could be. I think the specification includes the fact that body weight decreases when it is in water so people will still be supported slightly by the bouyancy of the vessel. At any rate, they have something to hang onto which provides a larger visible target.

I have been in the water in October and April. It was sufficient encouragement to finish my task quickly before parts shrunk beyond the point of no recovery.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by hazelnut

"...This thread was created for the purpose of pointing out positives and negatives associated with small craft choices..."

Isn't it apples and oranges? I've never seen a Boston Whaler used as a cartopper.

Originally Posted by hazelnut

"...It was also created in hopes to clear up myths regarding the "unsinkable" term thrown about by a few members and what it actually means to a boater in troubled waters during colder seasons.

A Whaler site (Continuous Wave) reports a Boston Whaler recovered in the relatively warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. While "unsinkable", it was found upside-down close to shore. Three men fishing for sea trout (a shallow-water species) are missing.

Swamped vessels are more easily turned upright in water and easier to stay with—as boaters are advised to do.

[Hodge5]

C


Sent from my iPad using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[MAXUM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Lnhu7SpY0

Interesting demo on this very subject of floatation - this is a LUND aluminum boat.