Why do most smaller personal boats have holes that you need to plug before going in water?
I assume since we don’t permanently plug them since water inevitably gets in during operation that needs to be drained. Where does that water come from? Why is it designed that way?
In theory, if a boat that has removable is in water long enough without coming out to drain, would the boat sink because of the water that came in during use?
In: Engineering
Depending on the size of the boat water may come in over the stern or the sides, or it may seep in around the plug or through seams in the hull. Most boats have some type of foam under the floor and in the side walls that will absorb water, making the boat ride lower which may make it take on more water. So the plug is pulled after a day on the water so everything drains out, including water in the foam.
Forgetting to install the plug will cause the boat to sink right there on the dock, but if you can get the engine started and take off forward fairly quickly it will draw the water out the stern. It works by some physics principal that I do not recall.
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