Most might have the assumption that boats are impervious to water damage, especially seeing as how their entire design is structured to function properly as efficient means of water transportation, but unfortunately that assumption is incorrect. Water damage, caused most often by simple yet serious design flaws, is actually considered a major problem among boat owners and enthusiasts, especially when it comes to trying to buy or sell a vessel.
Unless your leaky window happens to be a major crack below deck and you’re at risk of major flooding or completely sinking, these types of leaks may not always affect the actual physical performance of the boat, or render the boat useless out on the open water, but the fact remains that leaky windows can be a serious problem that can cost you heavily. Leaky windows can result in thousands of dollars in damage to the ship, both inside and out, as well as make it much more difficult to sell in the future. So if you want to avoid throwing your hard earned savings overboard, it’s best to make sure you look a little deeper beneath the surface before signing your name on the dotted line and making a commitment you’ll soon regret.
You might recognize signs of a leaking problem by the evidence of repetitive caulking around the window joints, but unfortunately in most cases that is a bandaid solution at best. Stress from repeated use will only cause the caulk to crack or deteriorate and the leaking to continue. In most cases there are three major design flaws that may attribute to leaking windows, and those are excessive weight, fixed windows, and poorly designed side decks.
As many know, windows and glass in general are not very sturdy when it comes to holding up any amount of excessive weight, and yet so often boats are designed to have the weight of the cabin top and flying bridge on nothing more than a few pains of glass. Any rocking of the boat would of course compromise the integrity of the window’s foundation, thus leading to leaking that cannot easily be repaired. When it comes to fixed windows, whether the builder used the wrong caulk or the design was wrong and they never would have worked in the first place, whoever buys a boat with erroneously installed fixed windows is in for some unexpected trouble. Lastly, poor side deck design that results in some unsavory sagging. A weak side deck without proper support will inevitably bow and sag as the boat treks across the waves. It would make sense then that the windows fixed to that side deck would be left in place, tearing at the seams of the panes and leading to a major leaking problem, that again, is not easily mended.
Leaky windows can be a serious problem there is no doubt, but it’s one that you can avoid. Before you buy a boat, contact a professional marine surveyor you can trust, like Christian A. Syoen, to help you discover any problems that might affect your decision to buy, including evidence of leaking windows. It could very well save you $15,000, $20,000, or even more, but you won’t know unless you make an effort to find out today. If you are considering the purchase of a new or used boat and are looking for a marine surveyor, call Christian today at 1.810.531.0992 or fill out the form in the sidebar to schedule your free consultation.
