Why Do Boats Sink?
It is difficult to estimate the number of boats that sink each year because there is no agency that attempts to collect such data comprehensively (sources of limited data include the US Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organization. The number, however, is in the tens of thousands. See also: Boating accidents Cruise ship accidents Maritime law Most boats sink while docked, resulting in no injuries or deaths. And this may lead one to conclude that boats sink primarily due to neglect. But the main reasons boats sink are poor design and the use of inferior materials. According to a survey of the US boat building industry, 64 percent of boat builders do not have a trained designer on staff. And a preference for style over function further contributes to poor design. The poor design factors that contribute to boats sinking can basically be broken down into two categories, hull design and internal systems. Poor hull design features that contribute to the sinking of boats include: •
