Rot issues possibly causing future accidents?
 

I started to post this in another thread but to keep speculation out of it I decided to start another thread.

Just curious with the average age of boats being run out there getting older and older every year due to the lack of new “affordable” sport boats that have been built over the last 10-15 years if we are going to start seeing accidents and other issues caused by rot.

I don’t know the actual numbers but my local shop has probably done more stringer and transom replacements this year than the past 5-10 years combined. Their numbers would be higher but the one man shop they send the boats to for the wood and glass work is a one man shop and can only do so much. I believe they are pretty much planning on being his only or very close to it customer for the rest of the year.

Does anyone know if any accidents have been officially caused by rot? Or the amount of boats that are being repaired for these type of issues?

Accidents due to rot …. Eh, probably far and few between. You see them occasionally , a total basket case hull failure sure on some of the off brand boats of the late 90’s 2000’s era builds. But that’s about it.

regarding , repairing boats with rot …. Absolutely yes. We have cut into so many boats with bad coring lately it’s alarming. I wish there was a composite style core like foam, but acted , absorbed resin, and rode like balsa. I’ve been in a lot of fast boats and for ride quality id personally take a balsa bottom any day of the week

i agree driver error causes 95% of accidents
from a rotten boat there is some coring delamination out there causing problems
as most offshore style boats dont get neglected as much as other versions
as stated lots more 90s-2000s being repaired and restored from just age
wiring,stringers,flooring,fuels tanks,ect all get old and start failing
some builders have a longer life in structure cause of their quality of build and some just didnt even try to seal much during construction
i have done more transoms and tanks,and balsa core replacement in last couple yrs also
sun,water,salt just takes a toll in time on all boats
with price and lag time to get 1 built
lots more repairs and restos being done
all i do is restos as its my fun and art,,,,
'love bringing 2022 amenities to cool older hulls
vees and cats

Awareness is also a factor.
30 years ago, nobody asked about rot, even today there are people who say “how can a fiberglass boat rot?” but not nearly as many. So many shops are looking closer at the issue now too, obviously good for business but also awareness.

Even the most untrained eye can see things like stress cracks that open up. There’s enough warning signs for people to seek help before their boat falls apart.

RR

As most others have said…my guess is most accidents happen due to operator error, intoxication, etc.

boat rot doesn’t mean the boat blows up. there are many decrepit vessels on the water..and most run fine without catastrophe. sure one will occasionally sink but even that is a gradual graceful process.

the one i think we are talking about here is the one last week with the entire upper deck came off i have never seen that

was it a fastech? If so has nothing to do with rot

That was a much newer boat and I don't think it was part of his thoughts for this thread

Two boats have sunk at their docks in my neighborhood this summer. One was due to rotten transom the other has been kept pretty quiet. So as stated before, I agree that a rotten boat is more likely to fail in a slower fashion, rather than an "accident"
Of course now that I have said that I'll be the one that a drive falls off at 80 due to rot!

I'd be more concerned about a mechanical system failure ( engine, drive, tab, steering) vs structural in an older boat. A structure lamination failure could occur in an individual new boat early in its use due to design or construction errors.

its also an indicator on how well it was built i have a 1978 viking sportfish thats as solid as when new they overbuilt them to take the daily pounding of the ocean

The last few accidents were alcohol related not equipment. 2 of which were "at speed" the other was in the dark on plane.

The number six gimble ring should be labeled a maintenance part needing replacement

The accident that made me think about this was the one at loto where the boat came apart at speeds a lot lesser than most where we see the boats break apart.

Of course driver error and alcohol will always be factors.

I’ve heard of another accident where a boat got sideways and took a water impact on the side of the hull at speed that caused the gunnel to blowout. I could see even the best boats being at risk of that at high speed. High speed impacts make that water very hard, gunnels are flat and typically half as thick as the bottom.

I've seen decks ripped apart in sections towards the rear of boats that roll or thru some other manner take water into the engine compartment at speed. A couple of 32 Sunsations have had this happen. Doesn't take the entire deck off but removes a good chunk of the rear deck and blows out some of the upper part of the hull.

Yeah those early twin step I/O boats had tall sides and if they spun they split badly. Of course the higher the speed the bigger the stress crack(s).