If you don't keep it up, it could be ready to sink in 5 years. We bought our 20-year-old cramped boat only without an inspection. Whether your boat is made of steel, wood, or plastic, there will be times when you'll need to get out of the water for essential maintenance. Steel boats are usually taken out of the water to “blacken” them every two or three years.
As the owner of an older narrowboat, the usual task of blackening the hull is always combined with a slight anxiety about the condition of the hull. This is due to the paranoia of most marine insurance companies about sinks, leading them to require that the condition of the hull be inspected when a ship's birthday is celebrated. However, an intelligent boat owner will wonder: “How long do ships last? when making your purchase.
