Will my holed boat float?

Arminius

Arminius

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2019
1,061
Seattle
Boat Info
Bowrider 200 Select, 2003
Engines
5.0L MPI, 260 hp w/Alpha 1 Drive
The answer for my outboards was always "yes" and I haven't thought about it till I posted the possibility of taking my 20' bowrider sterndrive into open water. That cast iron V-8 is a lot heavier than those 2-stroke outboards. The answer seems to be yes again and I think SeaRays are built to the 26' standard. Notably, the OB standard is being toughened now that they are heavier 4-strokes. Here's the quote and reference:
"There is always a very real possibility of injury when passengers unintentionally go in the water with nothing to hold onto. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has addressed this by requiring monohull powerboats built after 1972 under 20 feet in length to float when filled with water. This is a good thing, because without it, most of the small boats in the study would have sunk out from under the crew, leaving nothing to hang onto while waiting for rescue. The bad news is that boats larger than 20 feet that don't have built-in flotation will eventually sink if capsized, and even smaller boats with flotation can still sink if grossly overloaded. (Note: Boats up to 26 feet built to the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standards adopted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) also have flotation). Inboard and sterndrive boats have less rigorous basic flotation requirements than outboard-powered boats." https://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazine/2016/august/avoiding-capsizing-and-swamping.asp
 
A hole in the boat? Short reply is NO!.. Long reply explaining why is OH HEL! SH1T FUX DAM NO! Clear? but dont trust my opinion, test it, remove all PFDs, go about 60 miles off shore in February. let us know how it works out. Never mind, we can read it on the news.
 
If you put quick release fasteners on your proposed plywood dodger you could probably float around on that for a while.
 
We were planing along at Potholes when there was a terrific thunk. No water was coming in and the dash light indicating auto operation of bilge pump had not come on. Left it at planing speed and navigated back to the muddy shore alongside the ramp. The bottom 2" of the 220hp outboard's skeg were missing but the hull was fine. We carried on. Straightened the slight bend in the remaining skeg with a sledge as the marina didn't want to try. Added a bright stainless skeg protector from Cabellas and all was well.

Every so often a boat will burn creating a pillar of dark stinking smoke. They burn to the water line and go down. Saw a float plane catch the corner of a ski boat's windshield once breaking the windshield. Took hours for the plane to sink and the pilot was a sorry sight with his handheld bilge pump.
 
Caution with those skeg protectors. A good prop shop can fix a partially broken skeg. With a skeg protector installed if you hit something again the skeg can break off right at the bullet. That can not be repaired. Just something to consider.
 
I took time off from armchairing to work on my plywood idea before it floated away like an untethered dialog balloon.

My inquiry here was serious but my audience may be largely made up of owners of "sinkers." I've always been aware that sailboats were sinkers as they depend on a weighted keel to counterbalance the force of the wind. Guess if you are going for size in a motorboat, you end up with a craft that depends on hull integrity to stay afloat. With insurance, you probably have a total if you get the electronics wet anyway. The thought I had with the outboard mentioned above that, at worst, I would sink to the gunnels was reassuring at the time. Seems like boaters should be aware how critical their PFDs may be.
 
Also, should throw the dive suits in the hold and put them on with the PFDs before any difficult return home in blue water. Just thinking about the time I went down the anchor line near Rosario without a hood on. They say that water is cold and life threatening but the vivid recollection I have is of it knifing into my ear canals. I think this was the method of choice for questioning without leaving marks before the Gestapo invented electricity.
 
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Trump parade gawker boat sinks on Willamette:
sub-buzz-14572-1610054728-1.png

People are heard screaming for help as the vessel takes on water and starts to sink. While some swim away, others are seen trying to hold onto their belongings that start to slip underwater.
Rescue crews were called to the scene. Local news reached out to find out more about what happened and if anyone was injured.
Witnesses say they don't believe anyone was seriously hurt.
 
No, your boat won't sink. It may go down to the point where it's level with the water, but it has positive flotation and won't completely sink.

Looks like the boat in the video is a 20'-ish v-drive or inboard ski boat. Very shallow freeboard with a bow that is not far above the waterline - no ability to use engine trim to lift bow up, either - it's certainly not unheard of for this style boat to stuff the bow. But it's not the boat's fault - it should never have been out there in those conditions - especially with all of the other boat's wakes rolling around.
 
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Lazy Daze said:
No, your boat won't sink. It may go down to the point where it's level with the water, but it has positive flotation and won't completely sink.

Looks like the boat in the video is a 20'-ish v-drive or inboard ski boat. Very shallow freeboard with a bow that is not far above the waterline - no ability to use engine trim to lift bow up, either - it's certainly not unheard of for this style boat to stuff the bow. But it's not the boat's fault - it should never have been out there in those conditions - especially with all of the other boat's wakes rolling around.
Click to expand...
Yes, a boat can sink, I agree it's supposed to float just at the water level, but they don't always do that. The video shows this boat sank much deeper, perhaps to the bottom, the hull goes under, then the hard top goes under, out of site, 20 seconds and gone, scary, glad they made it out for other boaters to rescue.

I would not have wanted to be out in those conditions with a boat that size, I have experienced conditions can change quickly and surprises happen to the best captains.
@Pirate Lady - I agree, let it become a reef!
 
2016FLD said:
Yes, a boat can sink, I agree it's supposed to float just at the water level, but they don't always do that. The video shows this boat sank much deeper, perhaps to the bottom, the hull goes under, then the hard top goes under, out of site, 20 seconds and gone, scary, glad they made it out for other boaters to rescue.
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There are different requirements for types of "flotation" that a boat must be designed with. As they get larger, the requirements become less and less. Past the requirements, it is entirely up to the manufacturer. If memory serves, it might be something like boats under 20' have "requirements", while over 20' do not. Something like that, anyways.

Since this thread is about the OP's boat and that boat is designed to stay afloat (Sea Ray's choice since over 20')... the OP's boat will not sink.
 
I have been reading internet forums for maybe 15 years now. This has got to be the second most idiotic thread I have ever seen.

Smells like troll. Or at the very least, posts to get people's goat.
 
GypsmJim said:
I have been reading internet forums for maybe 15 years now. This has got to be the second most idiotic thread I have ever seen.

Smells like troll. Or at the very least, posts to get people's goat.
Click to expand...
Did you say “goat”?
 
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