Why Do Boats Have Circular Windows?

Question

Why Do Boats Have Circular Windows?

Answer 1

i think It's to make sure that you don't get too much view of the sea as the corners are rounded off.

this would help with sea sickness.

Answer 2

So that the glass will fit in them

Answer 3

circles are "stronger" shapes than squares, so my edumacated guess is that if the windows dip below sea level, they wont break as easily from the pressure change.

Answer 4

A round porthole window is a better shape to stand up to the stresses around it.  Ships actually expand and contrant in different temperatures, whether their wood or steel, and a cirlce is the stronges shape when compressed.

Answer 5

For Strength and there called port holes>Don't like sharp corners on boats>

Answer 6

because there will not be weak points at the corners, and the glass is armoured, the amount of weight in a wave battering into the " windows', if was glass from a house then bye bye window and man the life boats

Answer 7

A curve is stronger tan a straight line. If a porthole was a square  it could be easily broken by the sea at a corner

Answer 8

It's easier to seal a circular hole than a square one, and there's no corner angles to cause stress fractures.

Answer 9

why not?

Answer 10

Yes they are strong because they are round

Answer 11

So they don't break as they have no specific pressure point. Plus they look nice.

Answer 12

Because they are stronger than square and dont look as retarded as a triangle window would!

Answer 13

A round window has no pressure points...it's an inherently stronger design.

Same with aircraft...

Answer 14

stronger and can be made thinner than square windows

Answer 15

To give you just enough room to get your head out while you`re spewing up.

Answer 16

they are strong in compression

Answer 17

the bigger they are the thicker glass are installed in them,some are called dead lights,they have a hinging plate and when closed are locked off,be a bit frightening to see the fishes swimming past with a big square window in a heavy sea.

Answer 18

stronger for the glass and the hull

Answer 19

They all don't have circular windows , named port'oles. They have pressurized glass and 'bulkhead' type shutters with wing-s***w steel shutters. The usual place to find these port'oles on a ship is usually further down on the hull. The upper decks have square or rectangular windows (ie promenade decks etc)

Answer 20

Same reason plane windows are. Stress. Square windows would tear at the corners. I just saw this on the History channel.