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Summary: Some trawler hulls are designed like sailboats (see Lesson Three), and therefore require ballast to work properly. That means if any of these boats should fill with water, ballast drags them right to the bottom. If for some reason, Mirage trawlers should swamp, they will continue to float because of the buoyancy of their cored decks and superstructure. Shop around, see if any other trawler maker will look you in the eye and say the same.
Buoyancy a key factor in seaworthiness
We know what you are thinking. unsinkable? That’s what they said that about the Titanic. For the record, the Titanic was only unsinkable as long as her watertight bulkheads remained uncompromised by sharp objects such as icebergs.
The reason Mirage trawlers are unsinkable is twofold: 1. Unlike some trawlers, our boats are unballasted, and 2. Decks and superstructure are cored with a wonderful, high-tech, composite material called Nida Core. Nida Core is lighter and stronger than the plywood used in many boats. Most importantly it is so buoyant that it will compensate for the weight of solid fiberglass hull and machinery, thus keeping the vessel afloat even if it is swamped with water
Nida Core is a honeycomb of hexagonal cells bought in sheets. And though it is more expensive than other coring materials, it is also lighter. That reduction in weight allows Mirage to pass on fuel savings because less horsepower is needed to push the boat.
An added advantage is Nida Core’s terrific sound-deadening qualities. The Yanmar engines we use are quiet to begin with, put them under Nida Core and we guarantee dramatically reduced decibel levels in the pilothouse and accommodations. Not only is Nida Core proof against noise, but it is an effective insulator in hot or cold weather with an R factor of 3.3 (up to 5.5 with the foam-filled version). For more information, visit www.nida-core.com.
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