"Parallax" wrote in message
m...

I know nothing about power boats but am curious about something.
Every year here on the N. Gulf coast, a small power boat goes offshore
fishing and gets swamped because somehow it gets a wave washing over
the cutaway transom that drown the batteries etc.

I would assume that the "cut away transom" is for an outboard mount. The
motor needs to sit lower on the transom so that the shaft extends below the
bottom of the hull. In addition, when the engine is lifted it needs
clearance so the power head can lean forward into the back of the boat.

The area just foward of the motor mount is usually expected to be a wet
area. It is a bad idea to mount the batteries there, but tempting because
it can't be used for much else and it is really easy to get to.


I can understand
that such a transom makes engine access easier but why not have a
piece of canvas that covers the transom cutaway so waves cannot come
aboard so easily?

If you get a large wave washing over the transom a piece of canvas held down
with snaps is not going to stop it. You would have to have some serious
attachment points for the canvas and have it laced in or screwed down, and
even then a big enough wave would just shred the canvas material. A wave of
water weighs a lot!

What people could do and what they will do are two different things. There
will always be people who will take too small of a boat that wasn't intended
for ocean conditions into places they just don't belong. Most of the time
they get away with it. The people you read about are the ones who's luck
ran out.

Rod McInnis