Unsinkable center console boats

I'm after an unsinkable center console.

Boston Whaler prices are higher and I'm looking for other makes I should look for, something 10 years old or newer.

 

Any Boat Built to the US standard of the age you are asking about and less than 22ft has "level floatation." The concept for this Coast Guard standard is if the vessel is swamped it will float with gunwales awash.

McKee Boats I believe are made in a similar fashion to Boston Whaler and that's the only other manufacturer I am aware of that makes an "unsinkable" boat. There was another I remember, Wahoo, but they went out of business over 10 years ago.

That said any well built center console boat is very difficult to sink. The "unsinkable" tag Boston Whaler has is more marketing that has served them well and has as much to do with their manufacturing process as the unsinkable marketing device. BW uses their flotation foam to reinforce the hull and deck allowing them to make their boats with thinner layups. The foam is also notorious for becoming waterlogged.

Limiting your search for a center console boat to only "unsinkable" brands will eliminate most of the better designs in that style available. Better to tell the type of boating you expect to do and ask for advice about which boat would suite it best.

Trailer, fresh, salt, inland, coastal, offshore, fishing, what type fishing, how many people, expected loads, budget, experience, etc.

Steve

 

Ive never heard of a modern center console sinking ?

If I were you I would choose the best built designed boat that suites your needs .

As was pointed out all small craft..below 20 or something feet carry level flotation.

 

There was a RIB once that sank when a crane fell on it.

I believe the term you are looking for is "positively buoyant".

It's kind of like the expression "water resistant" vs "water proof".

I agree with the posts above, define your needs and the boat will follow.

 

As was stated all monohulled boats under 20 feet in length built in or imported into the USA are required by law to have flotation. The law has been in place since 1972 so there should be a whole lot of used ones available. Outboards in that category are required to have level flotation, that is, float upright when swamped full of water, thus "unsinkable". Boats built to ABYC standards often extend this up to 22-25 feet. So, as was said, redefine your search. Yes there are a lot of BW clones on the market. Mckee is one. There are others.