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Kevin
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« on: April 20, 2010, 07:22:06 am » |
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Five Dumbest Ways to Sink your Boat
The ocean floor is littered with billions of dollars worth of boats. People put so much money into making them float that you have to wonder, How does this happen? To float, a boat must displace as much water by weight as its dry weight. A hole in the hull that allows water to enter a boat will cause it to reach the point of "negative displacement," sending it down, down, down. You'd be surprised at the dumb things people do or the simple things they fail to do that turn their boats into bottom structure.
PULLING THE PLUG. Ever launch your boat without first replacing the drain plug? If you're lucky, you'll notice the bilge pump working overtime and the slow settling of the boat before any major damage is done. If you're unlucky, you'll get on plane fairly quickly and head offshore with the drain plug on the dashboard of the truck. Ouch. Good luck making it back.
GET SMART: Install a check-valve device that will allow water to flow out but not in, should you forget the plug. Or you could use an electronic device that sounds an alarm if it senses a missing drain plug after launch.
KILLING YOUR BATTERIES. The second most common way to sink a boat is simple neglect leaving it unattended at the marina. Frequent rainstorms or even minor leaks cause the bilge pump to drain the batteries. When the juice gets used up, the pump shuts down and water collects in the bilge. When enough freeboard is reduced and a drain or scupper goes below the water level, your boat is toast.
GET SMART: There are many brands of "smart chargers" on the market that monitor the state of your batteries and keep them fully charged. If your boat's cockpit is not self-bailing, opt for full canvas covers and peace of mind.
GETTING HOSED. This is one item most boat owners don't think about, but they should. Especially on inboards and stern drives, a broken or burst hose can spell disaster. Even something as simple as a livewell hose can sink your boat. In some cases, the hose clamp fails and the force of the water flow dislodges the hose. If the hose happens to be an exhaust cooling hose and bursts while underway, there's a big problem. The engine pumps gallons and gallons of water into the bilge at maximum efficiency.
GET SMART: Thankfully, hoses rarely fail without warning. They usually start to crack, expand, bubble, or show some other signs of fatigue. Check all your hoses and clamps at least monthly and before each outing. If you own a stern drive, include your bellows and other fittings during the inspection.
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