Well, I never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the room, but I recall from high-school science classes that water is the ultimate acid, or dissolvent; that nothing can survive being eroded by water, if given enough time.
And so from that, I just assumed a boat submerged in water would deteriorate more quickly than a boat on dry land, but of course, there a multitude of other factors which I did not take into consideration.
One of the fringe benefits of being on the Norway ping list; one learns all sorts of unexpectedly different things, and in a "fun" way.
I think most of the vikings ships recovered were dug out of mud. I bring every foreign visitor to Norway to the Viking ship museum. If you come to Oslo, I'll give you a guided tour.
I have to tell you though that I am all aquited up at the moment, but as they say...in vino veritas....
You have the best ping list of all freerepublic.
Skål :-)