Fiberglass boats become a serious flotsam pollutant when they come into contact with anything harder than fiberglass (and shred into pieces on the…

Question

Fiberglass boats become a serious flotsam pollutant when they come into contact with anything harder than fiberglass (and shred into pieces on the rocks). Most of the shipwrecks I have seen have been fiberglass. Steel boats just end up beached in a storm.
Seriously, why does anyone want to be on a boat made of glass?

Doug Jackson · Accepted Answer

Safety First!   ---Yeah, They keep saying it.

Fiberglass vs Steel.  It seems obvious to me.  I have run Seeker into a pile of rocks on the Arkansas river.   It brought the front of the boat up 10 inches out of the water.  ...backed her off, did and inspection and there was nothing more than scratches in the paint.   And I have seen enough damaged done to fiberglass boats from little more that rubbing against a piling.   Fiberglass will burn all the way to the waterline and then sink.  Steel may be gutted but it will still float.  And Seeker has steel bulkheads to keep a fire from spreading beyond the compartment.   And then people put gasoline on their fiberglass boats.   I don't understand it.  ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) will loose their minds with propane below deck and wire nuts, but they are perfectly fine with fiberglass boats with gasoline engines?   Now tell me that has noting to do with who sits on their management and technical boards.

Want to know?38 organizations total
10 sell fiberglass boats or gasoline engines
0 sell sell boats as a primary product.

ABYC Leadership: Industry Representation

All Boat & Yacht Inspections — Marine surveysAmerican Composites Manufacturers Association — Composites trade association
BoatUS Foundation — Boating safety education
Brunswick Boat Group — Recreational boats
Chisholm Marine Consulting — Marine safety consulting
Coté Marine — Electrical and corrosion consulting
Dentons — Legal services
Dometic — Onboard marine equipment
EDS Marine Consulting — Marine safety consulting
Engineer (unidentified) — E ngineering
Explico — Forensic engineering
HCB Center Console Yachts — Center-console yachts
Horizon Holdings — Marine investments
ICOMIA — Marine trade association
IMCI — Marine product certification
Kolb International Consulting — Marine engineering consulting
Lippert Components — Marine components
Malibu Boats — Watersports boats
Massach usetts Marine Trades Association — Marine trade association
Mercury Marine — Marine engines
Navico Connect — Digital switching systems
Navico Group — Marine electronics
NMMA — Marine trade association
Ocean Bay Marine Services — Marine surveys
Padebco Boats — Custom boats
Saunders Yachtworks — Yacht repair and refit
Scanstrut — Electronics mounts and chargers
Seaman Consultants — Marine engineering consulting
Sound Maritime Enterprises — Marine safety consulting
Suzuki Marine USA — Outboard engines
Transport Canada — Marine safety regulation
U.S. Coast Guard — Boating safety regulation
Volvo Penta — Marine propulsion
Wards Marine Electric — Marine electrical systems
West End Consulting — Marine industry consulting
West Marine — Marine equipment retailer
Winnebago Industries — Powerboats and pontoons
Yamaha Motor Corporation — Outboard engines

All 16 organizations on the list that sell physical marine products describe them as safe, reliable or standards-compliant.