How very unusual. Do you normally discuss and debate topics using wholesale distortions of other peoples' positions?
Only when it's entertaining (for me) and the other person is determined to defend a position that was silly in the first place. (Sorry Eric, I know you don't like the term silly but I do.)
Back up your claim with numbers. Show us insurance data that shows that twins fall victim to deadheads and sink enough times to make them concerned about it. How about the USCG? They keep records--- they're the government for God's sake. Records is their life. What do they have to say about the danger of twin engine boats having huge holes ripped in them by deadheads tearing off their struts and sinking? How 'bout boatyard and salvage company stats? What do those guys say?
And let's not forget the twin engine boat manufacturers themselves, those evil conniving bastards. What do they have to say about it? Give Tony Fleming a call and ask him how vulnerable his boats are to being sunk by having a strut ripped off by a log or some other piece of debris. Ask him how many times it's happened to his boats. You can't call Tollycraft anymore but I believe there is a pretty substantial owners group. Check with them to see how many Tollys have fallen victim to your scenario.
Same thing with Bayliner/Meridian. There are a bazillion of them in this area alone and most of their cruisers are twin engine. If your statistical claim of a 5 percent chance of hitting a log, having it rip off a strut, and having the boat sink is correct that means if we assume there are 5,000 twin engine Bayliner cruisers in this whole area, some 250 of them have hit logs, had a strut ripped off, and sunk.
I suck at math and statistical analysis so I will readily admit that my numbers and reasoning may be total crap, but you get the idea. There are a hell of a lot of Bayliners here and even if the chances of this log-strut-sink scenario happening are small, there should be an impressive number of sunk Bayliners as a result. Is there? (I don't know.)
Note that I am not saying "damaged" here. You brought up the whole risk of "sinking" thing and Jamal rightly called you on it. So give us some reason to give your claim that this is an important reason boat buyers should steer clear of twin engine boats some credibility.
Your anecdotal evidence that "I've seen a couple of boats this happened to" is no more proof of your position than my saying "I know of single engine boats who were sunk by deadheads" is any sort of proof of my position.
Again, read Edelwisses' post. Read Sunchaser's post. Read Art's post. Go look round the yards in Puget Sound and report back how many twin engine boats are in them after being salvaged from being sunk by a deadhead ripping off a strut and leaving a massive hole.
These days boats that sink in Puget Sound and BC tend to be raised if it's at all possible because of the environmental regulations. They end up being hauled to a nearby yard for an investigation before being sent to the landfills. So check out the yards and let us know how many of these strutless, torn up hulks you find.