Lessons from the Sinking of the Titan Sub

Lessons from Tragedy

The sinking of the Titan sub has captured the attention of the world, here’s what boaters should take away from the tragedy.

It feels as if the world has been talking nonstop about the sinking of the Titan submarine en route to the Titanic. I get it. It has all the elements of a viral story. The macabre nature of a Titanic visit. The brutality of the sub’s implosion, the hundreds of thousands of dollars the victims spent to embark on the doomed trip. As a marine journalist, I’ve been asked quite often for my thoughts on the tragedy.

To date, my answers have been vague as I wasn’t really sure what to make of it. What has stood out to me recently though is the fact that Titan failed to adhere to the standard certifications set forth from their industry. That should have been a huge red flag, yet paying customers shrugged that off and shelled out huge money anyway; why would they do such a thing?

To my mind, it all comes down to that price point and the perceived value. Had Titan charged bargain-basement prices, say $10,000, for the adventure of a lifetime, I’d venture many a savvy customer would have had serious second thoughts. But at $250,000 a ticket, there was a perceived value there; the implication was that this was an elite-level operation.

Herein lies the lesson I think is most applicable to boaters: Don’t misinterpret price point for value. I’ve seen first-hand how the builders of boutique, small-volume center consoles pour their heart and soul into building a boat that their loved ones could go to sea safely aboard. I’ve also seen large yachts with a price tag in the millions of dollars that cut seemingly every corner with a dull blade. You won’t find those boats covered here and within the pages of Power & Motoryacht for good reason. We are especially careful and eagle-eyed when getting aboard a boat from a new builder; trust in a brand is not earned overnight.

Whether it’s a submarine or a boat, you need to be especially careful when it comes to what stands between you and the ocean. Ask about a model’s certifications, research a builder’s reputation, sea trial a boat on a choppy day. But again, above all, don’t allow a price tag to give you a false sense of value.

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Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/blogs/lessons-from-the-sinking-of-the-titan-sub