Unseaworthy

Describing a ship or vessel that is not fit to travel on water, typically due to structural defects, inadequate equipment, or a condition that renders it unsafe for navigation. This encompasses factors like hull damage, compromised watertight integrity, insufficient ballast, malfunctioning machinery, or instability in adverse weather. A vessel declared unseaworthy poses a significant risk of foundering, capsizing, or being unable to withstand the rigors of a voyage, threatening the lives of those aboard and potentially leading to environmental damage from cargo spills.

Unseaworthy meaning with examples

• The coast guard immediately deemed the aging fishing trawler unseaworthy after a routine inspection revealed severe corrosion and leaks in the hull, preventing it from departing the harbor. The ship's owner was issued a citation. All cargo was removed until repairs could be made.
• Despite the captain's insistence, the insurance company refused to cover the yacht's planned transatlantic voyage because a pre-trip survey had declared it unseaworthy, citing numerous missing life-saving devices and a cracked keel that could fail in rough seas.
• Following the hurricane, debris strewn across the docks created hazardous conditions and rendered several boats unseaworthy. The harbor master restricted all vessels from leaving, prioritising rescue missions, until a thorough assessment of the remaining vessels could be completed to avoid further incident.
• The salvage team discovered the sunken cargo ship, with the entire hull collapsed and deemed completely unseaworthy. This determined the cause of the incident as an inability to withstand the storm. The condition of the vessel was a prime concern.