Why are windows on boats always round?
Question
Why are the windows of a ship always round? And why are they called portholes?Peter, God’s Oak
Answer
** Partially Definitive **
Name: James O’Brien
Qualification: Mystery Hour God
Answer: The corners of the window are its weakest point. So if you have a round window, it is a much stronger structure.
** Fully definitive **
Name: Tom, Hornchurch
Qualification: My Dad is a Structural Design Engineer
Answer: You’re partially right. The round shape is structurally superior to a square – hence the reason you get rounded corners on windows of aircraft. But portholes open, and therein lies the other reason they are round. It’s easier to seal a round hole than a square hole.