Legal Definitions - innavigable

The term innavigable describes something that cannot be safely or practically traveled upon by a vessel. This concept applies in two primary contexts:

• A body of water: When a river, lake, or other waterway is described as innavigable, it means its physical characteristics or conditions make it unsuitable or impossible for boats or ships to travel through.

• A vessel: In the context of marine insurance, an innavigable vessel is one that is unfit for its intended service or voyage due to damage or defects.

Here are some examples to illustrate the meaning of innavigable:

• Imagine a section of a mountain river characterized by extremely shallow water, numerous jagged rocks, and a series of powerful, cascading waterfalls. This stretch of the river would be considered innavigable. Its natural features—insufficient depth, hidden hazards, and violent currents—make it impossible or too dangerous for any standard watercraft to safely traverse.

• Consider a large cargo ship that, while docked, suffers a catastrophic engine room fire and extensive damage to its propulsion system, rendering it unable to move under its own power. In the realm of marine insurance, this ship would be deemed innavigable. It is no longer fit for its intended service of transporting goods across the ocean because it cannot operate safely or effectively.

• Think of a small, narrow canal that completely freezes solid during the winter months. During this period, the canal becomes innavigable. The thick ice cover prevents any boats or ships from moving through it, demonstrating how a body of water can become innavigable due to temporary environmental conditions.