Preview: Recovering from an Open Boat Capsize, From Denial to Self Reliance
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November 13, 2020
Email this Video to a FriendA cautionary moment: Steve Stone purposely capsizes his Caledonia Yawl to show us what to expect when an open boat goes over.
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110 Responses So Far to “Recovering from an Open Boat Capsize, From Denial to Self Reliance”
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James Arthur says:
Gosh, came looking for a inflatable PFD recommendation and now memories flooding back: of being trapped-out solo, flying a hull of my Sol Cat 18 back and forth across Canyon Lake;
of avoiding Portuguese Men o’ war after pitchpoling and turtling off the Texas City Dike; and earlier, of endlessly tacking my Super(!) Sunfish up and down the skinny Hill Country lakes on the Guadalupe west of Kerrville.
Teenage sailing in Texas was a gas!
Steve Stone says:
Hey James. First, if you haven’t worn an inflatable PFD for a full day on the water, you might want to do that to make sure it’s what you want. Two things about them I couldn’t live with: 1. They’re actually a bit heavy and all that weight hangs from the back of your neck. It bugged me so much I couldn’t wear them; 2. I’ve seen them not inflate, and despite them being very reliable in general, I couldn’t live with the nagging thought that it might not inflate just when I need it most. And there’s a #3. My pfd you see in this video is so comfortable that I forget I have it on. Maybe not so if I were in Texas in 100 degree weather though.
James Arthur says:
Hey Steve, thanks for getting back! I have never worn an inflatable but see them everywhere, the Brits in particular love them. I have a couple different paddling “buoyancy aids” that are my go to during sailing season that work quite well, including the one you are wearing in this video. They work great, much better than the ski vest I wore back in my Texan days. Actually looking for something minimal to wear over bulky winter clothes while poking around the shallows of New England estuaries in my duck punt this winter. In a bad chance one can simply standup in the skinny water where I sail but there are some holes here and there that might prove tricky in the unlikely capsize. Did OCH never do a guide segment on safety gear? hard to believe. Anyway Merry Christmas to you and your crew! Jim Arthur
Steve Stone says:
Forgot a couple things about using a kayaking pfd. If knocked unconscious, it won’t right you to face up and keep your head/mouth/nose out of the water like the others will. It’s a risk I take knowing that my boat is small and the forces at play are less likely to knock me unconscious than on larger boats. But it’s a extra risk for the sake of comfort. Also, the inflatables, once inflated, are so cumbersome I believe they might hinder my mobility and even create an issue getting back into the boat. I’ve not tested that.
Howard Rice says:
Informative video but why do we always see these tests in calm water. A rough weather capsize and one with a loaded boat is an entirely different situation.
Walter Isenberg says:
I’d hate to try that with my 19′ trimaran with a 14′ beam!
Steve Stone says:
Did that a lot with our Hobie 18′ in high school 40 years ago. The keys were being 16, and having a bulb at the top of the mast (a milk jug in those days) to make sure the mast floats. It helped a lot that the water was warm in Texas, and I had learned the hard way the first time to always have a float tied to the top of the mast, especially if I was single handing. Ahhh, the days of hiking out on the trapeze and seeing if I could make it from one side of the lake to the other balanced on one pontoon.
James Arthur says:
Gosh, came looking for a inflatable PFD recommendation and now memories flooding back: of being trapped-out solo, flying a hull of my Sol Cat 18 back and forth across Canyon Lake;
of avoiding Portuguese Men o’ war after pitchpoling and turtling off the Texas City Dike; and earlier, of endlessly tacking my Super(!) Sunfish up and down the skinny Hill Country lakes on the Guadalupe west of Kerrville.
Teenage sailing in Texas was a gas!
Dan Murdoch says:
Steve, where did you get your carbon fiber mast? Does it have wood on the ends with the carbon tube in the center? Thank you.
Steve Stone says:
Hi Dan. Tony Delima at https://fortecarbon.com/. He/they are great. They know their stuff. The whole mast is carbon fiber. Be sure to have them put a sheave in the masthead for the halyard.
Dan Murdoch says:
Thank you so much!
Peter Gottlund says:
Thanks for the video, Steve. A picture is worth a thousand words!
A couple of thoughts:
Your demo was quite peaceful. Reality is quite confused. I have capsized my CY on a sunny but cold day, water around sixty. Windy. Two men aboard. Open boat. No planned extra buoyancy.
Mizzen floated out of partner, held to boat by sheet. Main stayed put. I released main halyard. Boat came up easily, but two men boarding (seems the right thing to do when you hit the cold water!) caused boat to be seriously swamped. Free water effect was pronounced. Five gallon bucket couldn’t keep up with water being blown into boat and from dipping bow or stern.
Friends came to rescue and one man was offloaded, mast pulled for stability, and we took turns bailing while held steady to other boat.
Everyone can imagine scenario.
My main takeaway was and is that the CY’s centerboard case is a serious design flaw. That there needs to be some floatation in the ends, but it needs to act as displacement. The mizzen “stinger” hole in the hull should not be overlooked. Masts need to be attached to boat. Rudder will float away unattached. Cold is the danger, not sinking. My boat was filled to the gunnels and floated with a man bailing. I was hypothermic. If you manage to get everything straightened out, you really need to get into dry clothing.
I would be interested in Rowdy’s plan to secure it’s OB. It was conveniently left back on the dock! Will it be useful in recovery after dunking? People should consider the negative effect of all the ballast onboard. Including real ballast.
One last thing… when you can, sail with friends!
Peter Gottlund/CY NIP
Norman Johnson says:
Thanks for the reality check Peter. I am planning to build a CLC peapod this spring to sail in the Aegean (living on Chios island, Greece) and it seems pretty gusty here. I will be practicing some recoveries before venturing out too far. Water temperature is much more forgiving here in spring, summer and fall, but the wind varies from “lathi” (oily smooth) to 7 Beaufort pretty quickly. Given my minimal sailing experience, I expect to capsize from time to time.
Steve Stone says:
Excellent advice Peter. I do plan to do another test capsize in high winds and sea state, just haven’t yet had the opportunity/guts. “OB”? Drawing a blank on what “OB” would be, probably because it’s so obvious, but I lose much of my mariner terminology over the long winters in Maine.
Geoffrey Adams says:
O/B = outboard (electric or gas),either case it most likely would be of no use after going to the bottom.
just my $0.02.
Steve Stone says:
Ahh, outboard. I think this test was done before I had the electric motor, not sure, but I don’t recall it being part of the picture/consideration in those days. My little motor is always secured to the rail with a line. I suspect the mount would keep it in place without the safety line. But if I capsize to starboard the motor would definitely be submerged. How much damage it might suffer after being submerged I’m not sure, but from what I understand a good thorough rinsing after salt water exposure will solve it.
More on Peter’s point re: floatation. As he points out in his story, if help had not arrived, things could have gotten serious very quickly and could have turned fatal. I finally have flotation that I’m happy with, four big Aere Beach Rollers, two along each side strapped securely under the side seats. Remember, that’s a huge amount of upward pressure these things exert, so they need to be secured in a bullet proof manner and the seats need to be secured to the boat in the same way. I’ve seen flotation rip interiors out of small boats when capsized. Good desginers/builders/cruisers like Iain Oughtred and Geoff Kerr know this.
James Arthur says:
Two Aere Rollers ripped the thwarts out of my brother’s dory after he capsized out of sight of the rest of our fleet during a serious spring squall on the Chesapeake a few years ago. Boat was awash and completely unstable, don’t think he would have made it had a waterman not happened by on his way home to Smith Island. Terrifying lesson, bullet proof is key.
Steve Stone says:
To my knowledge the “stinger hole” was no issue at all in taking on water. But flotation is key in general as described elsewhere. I suspect the top of the center board case (which is open) would be a breach well before the stinger hole.
Peter Willcox says:
Great video with good information. Bu the thing that keep going through my mind is: WHY sail an open boat in cold weather and cold water? I have sailed in plenty of snow storms, and been to 83 degrees North. But doing it in an open boat to me is like rock climbing without a rope.
Mark Sprinkle says:
Because cold weather and cold water are a fact of life in coastal Maine, and we don’t all have a full keel yacht with a cabin, and it’s possible to do cold water, open boat cruising safely but only with good preparation, practice, and descision-making.
I’m a long time sea kayaker with a lot of cold, rough water expeditions under my belt, so perhaps I have a different perspective on this, but I appreciate the thought that goes into this scenario, as I’m soon expanding into open boat cruising in a CY. For myself, I’ll be wearing a drysuit outside of summer, and treating the CY as a giant kayak.
Donald Sullivan says:
Mark, thanks for your comment; can you recommend a brand or style of dry suit meant for this type of sailing. I am in the market for one . . . see my capsizing experience in my Caledonia Yawl below: November 15, 11:05 AM
Mark Sprinkle says:
I’ve always used Kokatat suits and have had a bunch of them. Always reliable. I’d stay away from the Radius versions because they’ve had some issues with the zippers.
For CY sailing in cold water, I think I will forgo the full on suit and use a pair of Kokatat dry bibs with gortex booties with kayaking boots mated to a semi-dry top, which has latex wrist gaskets but just a lycra neck seal, which isn’t fully waterproof but does keep the water out pretty well if your head goes underwater, which isn’t that likely in recovering from a capsize in a CY unlike needing to roll up in a kayak. A little water might get in, but not much, and it’s much more comfortable to wear. Once you learn how to mate up the 2 halfs, it’s quite waterproof. I’ve gone swimming in mine for a half hour with no leakage. Hope this helps. I think more open boaters in cold water should be thinking like sea kayakers and dressing for immersion/water temps. It’s just a lot safer and more comfortable too after a learning curve.
Donald Sullivan says:
Thank you, Mark, very helpful . . .
Mark Sprinkle says:
Don, another nice option might Kokatat’s new line of semi-drysuits with a neo-neck gasket, which are made for kayak fishing. The Hydrus material would be fine for sailing, and it’s quite a bit cheaper. Cheers.
Rik van der Vaart says:
Excellent post.
Especially since my last adventure… I posted something on it to share lessons.
https://pathfindervanessa.blogspot.com/2020/08/capsize-lessons.html
Regards,
Rik van der Vaart
Steve Stone says:
Thanks for posting your experience Rik.
Harry Bryan says:
Steve,
Thanks for the important video. Both your and Ben Fuller’s videos use the Caledonia yawl, a boat large enough to clamber back in without holding the rails under. If you are in, say, a 12′ wooden skiff with little or no extra floatation, here are a couple of tips that have helped in our practice swampings.
If you have a simple lug or spritsail, with the boat on its side it may be quite easy to pull out the mast and rig all standing. It won’t get lost as the sheet will hold it close by. This gets rid of weight and adds to stability.
Next, swim to the stern and push it well down under water. Try to shove the boat forward as it returns to the surface. It is surprising how much water will flow out of the boat with this procedure.
Nothing, however, is more important than an accessible bucket tied to the boat.
Harry Bryan
Brian Gillan says:
Hello from South Australia, loved the video. I built a Ian Oughtred Design Grey Seal. The hull is quite similar to the Caledonian Yawl, although the Seal is not an open boat. I’m wondering if I should try the capsize test in my boat? Has anyone done this with a 23’boat? Comments?
Wesley Brooks says:
Grey Seal is ballasted, so intentional capsize should be impossible.
Ben Fuller says:
Different size, but we had to pull rigs on log canoes to be able to right them. But we had to have weight on the board so they wouldn’t turtle with the rig out. So that’s something to check on a small boat. Also whether you can get the rig out without straining the partners. With my ducker I have righted the boat, then pulled the rig out and tossed it over the side. Then went about bailing.
With open sailing canoes not only pushing down the stern got rid of lots of water, you could also get water to slop getting the canoe rocking; I’ve seen a canoe almost completely dried out by shaking. Not so good if there is a sea running.
Lou Kimball says:
Great video Steve. I too would only add that it is important to release the sheets, not just for the pocketed water (see other comments) but for the boat not to sail itself away as you get upright. Either that or release the halyards.
Ben Fuller says:
Did a test capsize on a similar sized Bolger Chebacco in Tacoma a few years back. It was very hard to capsize. We righted it without problems, then went to bail. Bailing was fine until we decided to see what would happed if water got into the cabin. Not so good.
Peter Frost says:
I liked this video. I have been a Laser sailor for many years. I am aware of and have experienced every way possible to capsize a Laser, certainly including the “death roll”. I never minded capsizing because if I was quick enough I would be on the dagger board before the mast hit the water and be sailing again. Alas, my agility has departed, my strength is diminished and I find capsizing altogether unpalatable.
I don’t sail my Laser much anymore, despite having three to choose from on our island in Georgian Bay. However, my wife and I now sail a Wayfarer and I think we need to practice self rescue. As Steve has demonstrated, there are many things needed to be taken care of in advance of a capsize (and he was in quiet waters, albeit cold. Thanks for this lesson, Steve.
Steve Stone says:
Ahhh . . . the “Death Roll Capsize” . . . so that thing I’ve been experiencing downwind in 20 knots (and staying away from by instinct) has a formal name.
It’s always what we don’t know, and thinking that we do know, that gets us in trouble, ay? More on that and other after-the-fact reflections coming soon.
I really appreciate everyone’s the thoughtful comments re: this video. It’s an infinity learning curve this sailing and open boat camp cruising thing.
One thing worth mentioning, that I failed to in the video, is that I find the Caledonia Yawl incredibly stable and seaworthy. More than any other small boat I’ve sailed. And that may be more the reason for my failure to test a capsize (plus my confidence in Geoff Kerr’s craftsmanship) than anything.
Ben Fuller says:
Some place else I noted that Paul Elvstrom looked at the physics of this when first sailing Finns and wrote it up in his first book I think. Something that can happen the easiest with unstayed rigs.
One lets the boom way out down wind, so its almost 90 degrees out. Means the head of the sail is ahead of the mast. So the forces on the boom want to roll you one way, the forces on the head the other. Now induce a little oscillation by say the sea. Not good. Prevention is simple, downwind trim by the head of the sail, don’t let it ahead of the mast. Really pay attention on lug rigged boats which are carrying more weight aloft than marconi boats. If lots of weather helm develops, heel your boat to windward some, something that is pretty effective in little boats.
Lyons Witten says:
We did an unscheduled capsize in our 17′ Town Class sloop while lake sailing in VT. Spinaker was up and we were flying… and then we were running out of lake… and then having a discussion about if we should drop the kite, or could we turn enough to bypass the point of land. Well if you are having that discussion, its probably time to drop the kite, as we learned. Over we went, a tangle of sheets and lines. seat flotation and one canoe paddle drifted away, but I was able to collect them while my wife held the bow into the wind. We discovered we did not have as much flotation onboard as we would have liked, so now we have much more, and distributed fore and aft. It was a good lesson, no grounding at high speed, no injuries. A good story in the end, and several good outcomes.
John Fitzhugh says:
Great idea for a video but I would have liked to have seen more about checklist when capsize occurs in a heavy sea or wind, as it usually does. Perhaps others among 60 responses have addressed this already. But immediately doing a nose count to make sure all are accounted for and no one is entangled in sheets or under sail. Confirming all have life jackets on and properly secured. Dropping sail and developing a plan to keep people safe and uprighting boat if possible. Sea anchor was mentioned. Etc.
Donald Sullivan says:
John, a check list is a very good idea; as one of the real world capsizee’s (see my comment from 11/15/20 at 11:05 AM), I’ll take a shot at it:
Before you leave shore:
1. Secure the rudder so it cannot slip out of the gudgeons (if so configured)
2. Secure emergency ditty bag so it can be easily accessed with a port or starboard capsize
3. Secure the mizzen mast; I secure the mizzen halyard to a belying pin on the mast partner.
4. Secure the bailing bucket, anchor, any centerboard slot stuffing material (like a noodle) and any other important items. Make sure the bitter end of the anchor line is tied on.
5. Insure all crew are properly wearing their PDF’s; now is the time to check this, not at capsizing.
While sailing:
1. Secure the oars
Upon capsizing:
1. Check that all crew are safe and comfortable, always holding on to the boat
2. Drop the anchor or drogue
3. Stuff the centerboard slot as planned
4. Explain that you will be swimming around the back side of the boat to right her, which means going out of sight of the crew; also ask that they don’t hold lines or spars that would prevent the boat from righting.
5. Right the boat by standing on the centerboard
6. If possible, drop the main before entering the boat.
7. Climb aboard in the aft section; if the anchor, wind and tide are keeping the boat head to wind, leave the mizzen slack for now, it takes very little to roll the boat again at this stage
8. Ask any crew to stay in the water while you start bailing
9. Add crew to the boat as stability warrants
10. Check that ALL crew are aboard
11. Complete bailing, pull the anchor, raise the main, and sail away . . .
randy holton says:
Why climb into the boat specifically from the aft section? Thank you.
Steve Stone says:
Not sure what Donald’s reason’s might be but there are a few reasons when climbing aboard this CY with extra flotation: It’s the lowest spot on the rail to get over, and climbing over a forward area dips the bow into any oncoming waves. It also puts me into the area I need to be for bailing. There’s plenty of buoyancy to keep it afloat and the rails above the water, but if there’s a heavy sea trying to lap over the bow then weight aft helps keep the nose up and prevent more water from coming in while bailing. It also tends the be the cockpit area that has enough open room to bail in most boats. Lastly, the boat can sail well before she’s fully bailed, and sometimes it’s necessary to sail the boat before fully bailed — either away from a bold granite shore or over to a nearby beach — so being in the cockpit enables me to grab the tiller and the sheet and sail as soon as possible.
Donald Sullivan says:
Randy, my main thought for entering the boat in the aft section was to keep the center board trunk slot as high as possible during the initial bailing. I have not capsized my boat since the original event, so I don’t know if my center board trunk slot will ride above the waterline with the new flotation, but that of course is the goal.
I also carry a cut up swimming noodle that fits snugly in the centerboard trunk slot, which would dramatically limit the amount of water that could come through should that still be an issue.
I agree with Steve, I don’t think it’s critical where you enter the boat, the most important thing is that you get in and get billing soon as possible. I did drop the main before entering the boat, which makes it less likely to get blown over again while you’re climbing aboard, and also does not require you to go forward to drop the main once you enter the boat.
And finally, after my capsizing experience, I did convert my Caledonia Yawl from a standing lug rig to the Gunter rig.
I have enjoyed the flexibility of having three sails, especially the ability to drop the main and sail balanced on the jib and mizzen.
Fun to revisit old comments . . . Cheers, Donald
Robin Hilliard says:
I have been meaning to do this with my Oughtred Ness Boat since I launched – with your example in much colder water I think I’ll have to do it this summer :-).
Scott Christianson says:
Wow! Thanks for the thought provoking video and comments everyone. I haven’t done it yet, but I think I’ll add a dry bag of firewood starter and some kindling. One of my boats is a Montgomery 17, so this gets me thinking 🤔 about a knockdown and it’s repercussions, a different kettle of fish than a CY. A Nutshell is another boat, easier to do a test capsize. I do have a good hand pump aboard the M-17 and an electric one and of course a bucket aboard both boats.
Thanks again for the video and comments.
Gregory Davis says:
I read that the M17 is “self-righting” (if the hatch is closed?) so you may have difficulty knocking her down.
Michael Moore says:
Thanks for this very important article! In my youth, I capsized numerous kinds of dinghies, from El Toros to a 470 while on the trapeze, and there’s always the shock of the cold and the moment when you realize you might be in trouble. As I’ve aged and gained girth, I’ve appreciated the value of inflatable PFD’s for staying out of the way while scuttling around on my Scamp. After my friend Fernando turtled his Scamp in big waves and became entangled in lines, I added a “knife pull” to my inflatable PFD, but I anticipate that when my turn comes to re-enter my boat, my knife will be used as a last minute “deflator” of the vest so that I can roll over the high gunwale unhampered. I may look at the more trim “buoyancy aids” that modern dinghy racers wear for future outings. They look like neoprene vests that would still allow easy movement in and out of the water, and might possibly provide a little insulation while in the water organizing self rescue. Thanks again for stimulating some off season thoughts about our small boat safety.
Shawn Laemmrich says:
I can completely agree. My son and I built some stitch and glue kayaks (larger cockpit than a sea kayak with no skirt). On a nice late summer day we took them into a harbor that opened on Lake Superior. While crossing the bay, I managed to take 2 small rollers from the same side in rapid succession and went over. I tried everything to get back into the boat, but couldn’t.
I consider myself a strong swimmer, and used to have no trouble swimming a mile. But that 500 yards in 60 degree water with 1-2 foot rollers was a long swim. Even with a life jacket on. You can’t under estimate what cold water does to your muscles. Since then, I have rolled it several times in warmer conditions and practiced getting back in.
Then a year later we took a sail fish out in a protected lake for an afternoon sail. After getting dumped out several times (which is half the fun when you’re really trying to push the edge) we managed to have the sail do a 180 and the halyard snapped. We re-rigged the bow line into a halyard and started heading for the dock when the rudder sheared off. So we sailed, thankfully down wind) with our legs over one side and a hand on the boom to help steer the boat. Managed to get back to the landing but probably looked pretty strange. When I re-build that boat, It’ll have a place for a 2-piece kayak paddle on it somewhere.
The morale of the story is always have a plan for how to fix the things that shouldn’t ever break.
keith kelley says:
Steve –
thanks so much for the reminder about practice, practice, practice……..particularly as we grow older and our capacities may change bit by bit or, sometimes, suddenly. i so clearly remember going over in Lake Champlain at the ago of 17 and the struggle to get my breath and get the dinghy righted – the memory is wth me always as I buckle up my pfd….now, in my mid -70’s, I am shifting toward little trimarans (a hobie and windrider) for my explorations….a kind of fun shift from a lifetime of monohulls……..thanks again…be well
Edward Odenkirchen says:
Nice vid….One floating polypropylene line, made fast to the mast at the partner, long enough to take by the bitter end and swim round the stern (or round the bow if you have a mizzen) can provide one with a great purchase for righting the boat in addition to the centerboard.
Kees Prins says:
Nice work on that video. Any capsize, deliberate or accidental, can be a great learning moment. About 20 years ago my wife and I found ourselves running downwind a Loch in Scotland during a raid. The wind was ever increasing while the waves got high enough for our Ness Yawl to surf down one wave and up the next. Eventhough the sail was triple reefed, things got out of control. Eventually we capsized in a ‘death roll’, where the yard of our balanced lug blew forward of the mast in a strong gust and pushed us over to windward. The boat was immediately swamped and we were swimming. And yes our self inflating life-vests made it hard to do anything. Only one of us could be in the boat, because she would just roll over again. There is barely any stability left in a swamped boat. Water slushing over the side and an open centerboard trunk made bailing impossible. Rescue boats were busy helping other capsized boats. Eventually my wife got onto a powerboat to get warm and me and the boat were towed to a beach on the lee shore. Emptying her was very difficult in breaking waves. The boat had buoyancy tanks in both ends, but the access hatches in the bulkheads leaked and pretty soon the tanks were full of water rendering them useless. In retrospect I would have liked to have a small jib onboard, so I could have taken the main down and still make progress.
I’ve since built several boats of this kind but made significant changes. Creating buoyancy tanks in both ends reduces water to be bailed, keeps your gear dry and reduces clutter. I put the decks close to the rail to maximize volume. Instead of hatches in the bulkheads I now put hatches on both decks, so they don’t leak after a capsize.
I also configure the centerboard so the trunk can be sealed. The part of the board that would stick out of the trunk can be cut off in an arc with the pivot as the center. The board can now be operated with an up-haul line coming out the aft end or the side of the trunk. For bringing the board down one can either use a bungie or put lead in the blade or both. A removable cap on the trunk seals it off, which is nice for rowing but even nicer in a capsize. One can drill a hole in this cap to poke a stick through to free the board when stuck with rocks from the beach. A cork or other plug seals this hole again. A short line attached to the tip of the board can help to pull the board out of the trunk.
Water ballast would be a good thing to prevent a capsize in the first place and it doesn’t affect a swamped boat. It is however a complication for the builder. Make sure the mast is tied down to the deck or thwart. Righting the boat with a mast only partly in the hole can do great damage.
Have fun out there and be safe!
Ben Fuller says:
I’m glad that you pointed out the death roll as very real hazard in these little lug rigged boats. If the yard gets ahead of the mast on a breezy day it’s not hard to get one of these rolls. Something Paul Elfstrom analyzed and wrote about when Finns were first being used for the Olympics. And even if you are trimming so that the yard doesn’t go forward of the mast, a really big gust can make that happen. So downwind don’t trim by the boom, trim by the head / yard.
If people want big hatches in their buoyancy tanks and are not put off by the aesthetics, look into the rims and hatches made for kayaka.
john shrapnel says:
Great thought provoking video Steve.
Meld almost all of the comments and there are great safety outcomes.
I can add (from first hand experience) that once I found myself out of my still upright (periwinkle) boat and in the water helping a fellow sailor. I could not for the life of me get back in over the high sides or stern. (I was 73 then) My lifejacket kept me away from the side, and my deployed rope ladder disappeared under the hull when I tried to use it. My feet stuck further in the mud on trying to spring up and aboard. Exhausted after 3/4 hour I finally managed it but reflected that a couple of things might help.
A simple readily available pair of flippers for the feet will give the extra force needed for the jump up or a long time swimming.
And a rigid folding transom ladder for all of us older sailors.
Mark Darley says:
I started life capsizing small boats in cold UK waters. However they are seldom as cold as Maine! (I skippered a Hinkley out of Southwest Harbour in my youth). And I continue to capsize them.
Only once have I had to be rescued and that was when the boat turtled (A Johnson 18) and my mast stuck in the bottom on a falling tide. Even though I was suitably dressed for the weather, (3pm in February in Northern California): 5mm thick wet suit, full oilskins, wool hat etc. by the time a crew of oystermen came by, I became extremely cold. By the time I was upright and had sailed back to the club, I was hypothermic and feeling extremely grateful for the lucky arrival of the oystermen. It taught me a lot about my overconfidence.
I have since made sure to carry flares in addition to the radio etc listed below, and I wrote an article for my yacht club newsletter describing the incident. Several families who had sailed on Tomales Bay for years without them, then decided to start carrying a radio, flares and a PLB. They also started to wear more windproof clothing!
Hypothermia:
True, cold water is the major culprit, but once out of the water the air temperature will rob you of what’s left of your body heat if you are not windproof….that is how refrigerators work…wind over a wet surface. It is essential to be windproof when wet or you will get cold fast.
PFD’s:
A couple of years ago I was on The Caledonia Raid in my Swallow Bayraider 20. When doing a practice capsize of a Salcombe yawl in Loch Ness, with the rescue boat virtually alongside, one of the crew went in backwards on the low side and his pfd blew up. No one noticed as the boat capsized that he was stuck in the rigging under water. Just in time a rescue boat crew dived in with a knife and cut him free. This incident was the subject of a special race committee meeting that night, and each skipper had to add to its race description the number of crew on board each day, so that any rescue boat would know how many they were looking for…. Beware of self inflating pfd’s, and keep track of your crew!
I mostly sail solo and often offshore. I always have on my floatation waistcoat, a waterproof radio, a Personal Floatation Beacon (PLB), and a sharp knife strapped to my left upper arm or calf. Also when sailing alone in water below 80f, I wear a drysuit. Nowadays they are very breathable so overheating is less of an issue. I am always dressed windproof (for the reason stated above about wind chill when wet) or if lightly dressed, have a jacket within reach after capsize. Oh, and that wool hat…worth at least one sweater!
Steve and Off Center Harbor: Thank you for a good honest assessment, especially the comments regarding the comfort of the test situation and the lack of true survival conditions. Well done.
Mark Darley says:
I should add: I don’t think anyone should leave harbor in a small sail boat without having done a practice capsize and recovery with that boat. It WILL happen one day. Be honest with yourself. Be ready. It might save your grandkids lives.
And then you can relax, and take it slow! (or fast).
Jerry McIntire says:
Thanks for the long and thorough consideration of preparing for and recovering from a capsize. I have capsized many times, all while a young sailor, and the water was relatively warm. Having the life jacket on and a tried plan for righting (and preventing a turtle) is so important.
Thanks also for your comment, Chris Tietjen, with its many additional helpful ideas.
Paul Davies says:
Hi Steve, Paul Davies from Hobart here, four days ago I capsized my lug rigged Vivier Aber near my place at the mouth of the Huon River, a large front hit with 180 degree wind shift going from 5 – 25 knots in less than a minute, despite being reefed, I lost control of the boat and it was over in seconds. It was early evening coming back from a longer sail. Turned turtle, centreboard retracted, rudder broke pin and came loose. Everything you went through happened, except it was bad weather and there was almost nothing I could do against the wind and yes cold water and only wearing light clothes as the day until then was 30 degrees C and beautiful. I was rescued, some one saw and jumped in a boat headed out and helped. First time over in 8 years on this waterway (it is open to the southern ocean so is pretty wild at times). Even with all the great points in your video, given the weather there’s no way I could have got the boat up and I guess would have ended up with hypothermia. I am grateful still to be here and that people are generous in offering help. I will be much better prepared next time and thanks for all the advice, I am already setting the boat up differently. I am also 10 years older than you realising how vulnerable you can be and how easy it is to make an error of judgement is sobering.
Harold Shanafield says:
Almost 45 years ago, I capsized a 470 in March while not wearing a PFD. I swam over to retrieve the rudder, and the boat righted itself, and sailed away, and to this day I don’t know how. There was only one boat out that day, with two drunk fellows who managed to just get to me before their engine died, permanently. I was unable to get into the boat, but they held onto me as they rowed to the shore. The 470 had beached itself on a nude beach, and the people in charge were yelling that we couldn’t land there. It would have been a funny movie if I wasn’t almost dead. In the end, I put the rudder on, and had to sail back to my harbor, towing the still disabled little rowboat. I bought those guys a few rounds after I stood under a hot shower for awhile. I learned to wear a PFD in small boats that day.
John Lofty says:
A very helpful video on the critical need to check out how a capsized boat lies once capsized. In my youth sailing dinghies in the UK, we did capsize drills with our students as part of basic training in Wayfarers. The RYA approach was to have the crew float inboard close to the mast. As the boat was righted by the person on the centreboard, the crew were then scooped into the boat and could start bailing and assist the person in the water, The technique worked very well and avoids having everyone in the water when a boat can start sailing again,
Another helpful energy saving technique is to brace the arm holding the bucket against the knee which then enable the larger thigh muscles to bail rather than just the arms.
Good comments by respondents on the situation of turtled boats, which can position the crew beneath the upturned hull hopefully in an air space. Practicing capsize situations in a sheltered situation is most valuable. Thanks, Steve, for a great safety video.
John Lofty says:
An excellent suggestion for any boat with a lot of freeboard, Mirrors are great dinghies and very easy to build at home.
Rich Vogel says:
Great video. Thanks.
My advice for all open boat sailors is to tie everything down, as you do not want to be swimming around looking for this and that, in cold water, instead of tending to the capsized boat. Never leave the boat. I put much larger fenders under the seats in my CY for flotation, as large as will fit, two on each side, tied in such a way so they can be easily converted for fender use when needed. All things on small boats should have at least two functions.
Hypothermia is not something to be fooled around with. I think more could have been said about that. I would not go out in my CY when the water temperature is below 60, unless I had a wetsuit on, or stayed close enough to shore to swim ashore with a line and then pull the boat ashore into shallow water where boat can be bailed from outside, if necessary, after warming up onshore. Do not plan on being able to do anything if you get hypothermia. Of course it all depends on how much exposure to cold water you have had.
John Wujack says:
I’m glad to see others offer opinion about cold water. An easy to remember consideration is the “100 Rule.” If the combined water plus air temperature is below 100 degrees, a capsize is extremely hazardous to your health (if not wearing a wetsuit/drysuit). The 100 Rule is something to keep in mind all of the time, but especially in the Spring when we’re always eager to get out on the water. It’s even more important to keep this 100 Rule in mind when carrying crew/passengers/kids and should be at the top of the “Go, No-Go” decision making process when sailing remotely.
Rich Vogel says:
Sounds reasonable, but still i would give much greater weight to water temperature than air temperature, because it is the water temperature that is causing the hypothermia due to the huge heat capacity of water compared to air.
Mark Darley says:
True, cold water is the major culprit, but once out of the water the air temperature will rob you of what’s left of your body heat if you are not windproof….that is how refrigerators work…wind over a wet surface. Essential to be windproof when wet.
Good honest assessment, especially the comments regarding the comfort of the test situation and the lack of real survival conditions. Well done.
Tom Edom says:
Well done for bringing up the subject of small boat capsize. Interesting video. As you said a number of times yourself, wind, wave and tide add a whole deeper dimension to the capsize problem.. Maybe when you’ve implemented the changes you could do it again in wind and sea conditions that could lead to a capsize? With a rescue boat in attendance.and wearing a dry suit please. I suspect you will find that more buoyancy is needed in real conditions than in flat water, to allow self rescue.
If a cross ref would be helpful, Roger Barnes, chairman of the UK based Dinghy Cruising Association capsized his Ilur twice in one year under real conditions and reflected on video about it. The first is https://youtu.be/O-rJH9D_908. Then look for one on his channel called ‘ a winter’s tale’ for the second, also ‘mayday’ It’s all very instructive.
Marc LaFrance says:
Great video Steve and crew! As I build my CY I have been thinking about managing a capsize
alone. Figuring out floatation location is going to be a fun challenge!
I have been a big fan of John Vigor’s books and his think upside down concept… after a total knockdown in Pearson 31’. Everything in a boat needs a place and way to easily make it secure.
Tim R says:
I was always taught to put the floatation on one side only to prevent turning turtle. A friend flipped his Wayfarer in relatively shallow water, it would have turned turtle but the top of the mast got stuck in the mud. That turned into a three hour recovery and a bent mast
John Lunde says:
We built a 16 Ft Norwegian Faering using Ian Oughtred’s Elfyn plans. She can sail nicely but at an advanced age I really don’t want to take a swim or have to right a boat. The answer is a pair of inflatable hydrodynamic sponsons that fit under the gunnels. They have saved us 2 times in the past three years. This happened trying to get the most speed on a day we should have reefed. The inspiration was pictures from a 1930s Old Town Canoe advertising a models with sponsons. They are also extremely helpful when you jump in the boat. They are out of the water when rowing and don’t seem to hinder speed when sailing. I highly recommend them for baby boomers who are into smaller boats.
Robert Hazard says:
Good video, Steve!
You included one important element that Ben Fuller’s capsize video missed: the falsetto shriek as you hit that cold water! And you were in a wetsuit… Now imagine a family dressed for a day of sailing hitting that water!
There is a good deal to be said for a boat that can be righted and sailed away without bailing. Phil Bolger’s Japanese Beach Cruiser and John Welsford’s Scamp are examples of that ability.
I’ll bet if you play around with added flotation in a CY you can get a similar result.
Crispin Miller says:
I’m forever grateful that I was taught to sail at the MIT boathouse, where capsizing was a normal part of life. They did tow you back in, but since you were the one already wet, it was your job to right the boat, and to stand in it and balance it during the tow. (This was in ’80’s Tech Dinghies, whose flotation tanks were at the ends, so they were on the midline, and the FG hull had no other buoyancy the way a wooden hull would, so the boat rolled upright as full as a bathtub, with negligible stability.) Also negligible freeboard, so not bailable if there were any waves around.
Meanwhile later racing dinghies — Larks, 420’s, 470’s, 505’s — all had lateral air tanks. And these days so do Techs. They were harder to right — a bit like catamarans — but once righted, they were nearly empty and you could indeed sail them away.
So when I bought an old Tech and wanted to sail to the Harbor Islands, I built lengthwise bolster-shaped bulkheads in it to imitate a 420’s air tanks. I did capsize one day in the outer harbor, and when we righted it the water inside was less than ankle deep. Would have sailed it away, too, except, um, I hadn’t tethered the rudder, so the rudder still lies somewhere off Gallops Island and I’ve now got a nice homemade wood-and-epoxy rudder. (With kick-up pivot and deep, NACA-foil blade, so ultimately I don’t mind the loss.)
Especially now that I’m 71, I also keep 12′ of a fat old scrap of 5/8′ mainsheet tied to the foot of the mast, as a purchase line to lean out on when I’m righting the boat, in case the board retracts or the hull has turtled.
Now that i’m getting interested in a Caledonia, if I build one it’s going to have fat fenders strapped into the bilges everywhere I can tolerate them.
T Tack Ryan says:
Steve, thank you for helping answer a main question I had about the CY- you read my mind. I had previously looked for pictures and stories of capsized CY recoveries and only found a still image from Denman Marine in Australia. They show their CY near turtle in semi-fair conditions. I am not sure which version of theirs they are showing- most seem to have a lot of built in flotation.
It was great to see you think out loud of what a real world situation might look like and the conversation it spurred. Especially that of Donald Sullivan telling of his real world experience capsizing the CY. Thank you and all the OCH team for your hard work. Much appreciated.
ric bergstrom says:
If she does get way on…. and that rudder is stuck over to one side…..she is going to bear away and sail off……
Roger Schip says:
This is an excellent video which undoubtedly will get sailors thinking and, hopefully, setting up their small craft to facilitate re-righting. Worth considering is the impact of hypothermia on one’s thought process. Having survived capsizes in Lake Ontario and Puget Sound (50 degree water), I believe that my IQ dropped dramatically once immersed. The longer you are in cold water, the less manual dexterity and problem solving ability you have. Every sailor should experience this at least once in a controlled situation; it will help you to appreciate the seriousness of a cold water capsize.
Crispin Miller says:
I once set a home-made mooring (chain shackled to boulders on the bottom) in about 12′ of cold clear water in Rockport, MA, wearing only a 1/8′ “farmer-john” wetsuit and a T-shirt. IQ — hell, even cognition — did drop dramatically. Had to tie a bowline here and there in the rig, normally a snap, but I was reduced to, duh… the rope goes under, here, and… uh… over, there….
Larry Cheek says:
Steve, a huge thanks for getting wet, cold, and exhausted to make this video. It’s one of the best OCH has done, and possibly THE most important one of all.
A couple of observations: Using small ‘biners for your tie-downs on essentials like your bailers would help release them quickly for use. Also, why rely on fenders for much of your flotation? You could build foam-filled compartments into the pointy ends and under the thwarts that would be foolproof and more effective. I’m now building a 14’6″ Vivier Ilur with a friend, and we’ll be using such compartments.
I wish (sort of) that I could safely perform a test capsize on my 21’ pocket cruiser (Devlin Song Wren) with ballast keel. I really don’t know what would happen in an actual knockdown. I will, however, make a thorough inventory of the cockpit following this video to find out what I’ve overlooked.
Donald Sullivan says:
Steve, thank you for going the extra mile here; for all of us. I built my CY last winter and capsized (unintentionally) in Long Island Sound in August . . . 15 knots, 1 to two foot sea, double reefed main. Folks on the beach said the wind seem to come out of nowhere just before they saw us capsize. My wife, Dawn, and I righted the boat as seen on Ben Fuller’s video, dropped the main, but with no floatation, and me in the boat alone, the waves just broke over the gunwales with no hope of bailing. Not sure where the centerboard trunk was relative to the water, but my guess is it was below. A good Samaritan offered to tow us to the nearest beach (500 yards away). The boat would not say upright under tow, so was towed on its side . . . a very frustrating 1 hour plus experience against the tide to the beach. The rudder/tiller, our dry-bag with two cell phones and a wallet, extra life preserver pack, one oar and our charts all floated away! Another good Samaritan was able to gather everything except the charts and delivered them to us on the beach.
I have since added 5400 square inches of floatation (measured to the exterior of the flotation buoys/fenders), and I plan to conduct an intentional capsize this summer. Steve, thank you for stressing the difference in conditions between a test and a real capsize . . . Dawn was not a happy camper, although heroic.
Ps: we did not think to anchor the boat, but the unsecured anchor took care of that itself.
T Tack Ryan says:
Donald, Thank you especially for writing of your real world experience in LI Sound in August. It really drive home how easily it is to have things go sideways and how difficult a self rescue can be even when there is assistance around and the water is warm.
I have been in a sinking boat off Black Point- Niantic in November and not sure if the last time I was standing on land was going to be the last time I was standing on land. That was 91’ and you wont find me on a paddle board to a passenger ferry without a waterproof handheld, flares, and inflatable pfd, and now readers, all in float bag. I learned redundancy from that lesson in 91’. Experience is the most informed teacher you can have. You have it now and I’d sail with you any day.
Arthur Wester says:
I capsized a small centerboard sloop many years ago. Standing on the center board to right the boat only worked after I dropped the sail, then it popped right up. Nice warm water in the passage between Tortola and St. John.
Ian Thomson says:
Excellent video on a subject not often covered.
On the subject of turtling, it might be an idea to fill a hollow mast with urethane foam providing there is nothing else inside. While it might increase your weight a bit topside it would surely reduce it downside.
Chris Tietjen says:
Great video and a beautiful boat. That being said those small open boats are toys against the variability of open water weather particularly when the water is so cold as to be life threatening in and of itself. Permanent and sufficient floatation should be built-in. A lot of the draw to these small boats seems to be the exercise of craftsmanship in building them and the maintenance of the aesthetic of a “traditional” appearance, but the people sailing them are typically weekend warriors rather than hardened fisherman who’ve logged in their ten-thousand hours. I wonder how many have given it the thought that you have. In a sea state a capsized boat like that will quickly be broadside to the waves and could easily be wave and wind driven to turtle with the tips of the masts and sails aiding the process by being driven down into the water in the side slip. If the board slid back into the slot chances are you would have great difficulty in just getting up onto the hull let alone drawing it back up to use as a righting lever. Fingers don’t work that well when they’re cold and wet. The human body feels light and capable when immersed but as you attempt to haul yourself up out of the water the briefly forgotten effect of gravity becomes unnervingly apparent. Knotted lines sized for easy handing that are permanently attached to each rail amidships and that are long enough to be thrown across the inverted hull should be installed and kept in bags that stay near their attachment points at the rails. Carry a five gallon pail instead of the little bucket. Find a way to manage that hole in the boat (CB slot) so that it becomes a non-issue. Stuff it with a noodle if nothing else. Make sure the running lines on the sails can be released easily. Have a quick disconnect method for the sheets where they attach to the booms and halyards that can be released quickly. Make sure halyard tails are kept in bags along the mast and not in random snarls on the floor boards. Consider having a second halyard that can raise a small float to the masthead if the threatening conditions suddenly appear. Not going turtle is a huge improvement in a capsize situation.
Fair winds and safe adventures.
Donald Sullivan says:
Chris:
Eliminating or minimizing the centerboard slot as an issue is a great idea, and a noodle is probably a great suggestion . . . Thank you
Patrick Daniels says:
A 5 gallon pail full of water is too heavy for a small person or when you are cold and wet… Don’t ask me how I know…
Crispin Miller says:
Yes, I wouldn’t try to heave 30-40 pounds of water at a time, especially from a stability-compromised boat. But you don’t have to fill it, and it may be quicker to scoop with a half-full big bucket than to dip a smaller one completely full.
Or may not. I’d test things in advance by standing in shallow water and experimenting with what vessels you’ve got that feel most ergonomic. One thing I’ve tried is a 16-inch hemispherical mixing bowl, to hold sideways and scoop with, so it slings the water in a semicircle through the bottom of the bowl and forward over the side.
Crispin Miller says:
Thanks for all the thoughts. I’ve capsized only on nice summer days where turtling was no big deal. If the weather isn’t so nice, then your deployable mast-head float idea sounds like a healthy option. As with all of this stuff, one should conduct a drill and test it, but I would expect that a 6″ fender or a gallon jug (or a spare PFD or boat cushion) might well be enough of a float. BTW the jugs they sell car-windshield fluid in are sturdier than milk jugs (so they also make better bailers). Fenders are a lot sturdier yet, though.
In my experience the sturdiest cheap bottles of all, for resisting rupture, are PET soda bottles. (Don’t have bailer handles, though.) When I was a penny-pinching student and wanted a bunch of really cheap fenders, I tested one of those by capping it tightly and laying it on a gritty concrete sidewalk and jumping on it with shod feet 100 times. It got all wrinkled and roughened up but I couldn’t pop it. I took another and bolted a tire valve into its cap and pumped it up to 120 psi and left it lying in an empty bathtub overnight with a towel over it to arrest any shrapnel. It held.
Crispin Miller says:
I think I’ve also seen sails that have a 12″ or 18″ triangle of flexible closed-cell foam quilted into the head of the sail.
Jim Shepherd says:
Nothing says “MIT guy” like that level of experimentation with a soda bottle…
Joe Nadeau says:
Good info on a subject nobody really talks about.
The most important lesson I learned when I capsized our 19’ sailboat with my two young boys aboard was that everybody should wear a life jacket, not just the youngsters. I had my jacket on the seat next to me and it was extremely hard, almost impossible really, to put on after I was in the water. That surprised me and I’ve never forgotten it. Our capsize was on a very windy day as I would expect most would be so dropping the sail ASAP was critical.
Thomas Buzzi says:
Thanks for braving the cold! You are in good shape to hop back into your boat after floating in 53 degree water. A well done demo and I am sure it will save lives in the future. I am getting into small open boat sailing after a life of much larger sailing craft and your “drill” is something that I will do although I will do it down here in Texas where the waters I sail are MUCH warmer.
Ronald Roberts says:
Simply want to thank all the individuals involved in producing this 15 minute important production. Surely15 minutes was nothing compared to all the time used in writing, filming, planning, etc. Excellent food for thought for discovering one’s readiness when this may happen to us and our loved ones enjoying a pleasant afternoon sail when, oh no Bam! I really enjoy this practical, down to earth & no nonsense site.
Time well spent – Thanks Guys!!
Ben Fuller says:
Looks like the CY needs more floatation. A couple of big rollers lashed up under the side benches. Maybe some floatation under those forward thwarts. If your cb case is marginal, anything stuffed in will help. In the real world you will probably not have your board up all the way, Don’t know your mechanism; I like having some bungy to help hold it down.
Most people rig their halyards to the mast or that forward thwart. Nice and convenient but I like to run the halyard to a cleat that I can reach without going all the way forward. Cam cleat on the CB trunk or under the seat forward of your CB trunk. Price you pay is a turning block on your mast thwart that has to be threaded, or one that lives on your halyard with a biner that clips to an eye.
Something that I’ve been meaning to do is put a snap shackle on my bucket lanyard; might be a good idaa to clip it to something while bailing so when you lose your grip it doesn’t go over board.
I’ve built a waterproof electric portable battery powered pump which can help. Perhaps more useful if you expect hard conditions would be a manual gusher or whale type built into the boat.
Oars in the oarlocks come out as you have seen. Easy to stow them under a thwart or in a smaller boat have some straps or lashings. I like to get them out of the way Norweigian style stuck over the bow,
Good that you jam the dry bags under a thwart. In a bigger boat than mine I might have a net rigged aft under which they could go, maybe another one forward underwhich the anchor and other stuff could go.
I like to use a divers net bag for small waterproof containers, for things like flares first aid, nav stuff. In my boat it gets lashed in ; I can see and get to stuff.
In the real world it is unlikely that a capsize in this kind of boat is sudden the way we see them in racing dinghies; you could see the amount of work it took to get the CY over. Swamping, dropping a rail under is far more likely. Most of these boats have floor boards (which should be both removable and fastened in) which makes it hard to get water out once you are close to floorboard level, so its good to have a place where you can reach the bottom.
Noted the self inflating comment. Lately I’ve been using two PFD’s. I have a manual inflation waist one that I wear when rowing, and then a pocketed kayak style one that I wear when sailng. The auto inflate style are nice keep you high but as some have noted hard to work in them. Lately I have been wearing a manually inflate partial hybrid vest that doesn’t have pockets, a down side but has enough floatation to assist you swimming.
Nuff said, stay save out there.
Richard Baker says:
An excellent video. My comments:
1. I capsized only once many years ago . We could not right the dingy as water got between the liner and the hull. Luckily we were rescued after about 4 hours. Although the water was near 80 I was unable to climb into the rescue boat – simply I was too cold.
2. Inflatable pfd may keep you afloat but as pointed out greatly restrict mobility – in 45 years on the water, we never used them. A good vest pfd is comfortable, can help keep you warm, and cushion a fall or other impact.
3. As to adding floatation; only half of it will be effective when capsized ie: at 90 degrees to the water. I would prefer not to use fenders under seats, but consider raising the duck boards an inch or so and fastening custom fit slabs of high density styrofoam. This will reduce the inside volume and of course any water from a capsize.
Great videos on this site – thank you Steve!
Ben Fuller says:
Too much floatation where ever it is can lead to problems. You don’t want so much that you can’t reach the board. Some combination of floatation low and and on the sides is ideal and how much and where depends on the boat. On a CY for example I can see that fully sealed side compartments might float you so high that you can’t get to the board and contribute to turtleing. You need that set so the board doesn’t need a chin up to climb. If you have bags it has to stay in place. I’ve just escalated my rolller by getting covers that have places that through which the straps are threaded, like the British Holt Allan float bags.
Crispin Miller says:
This would be an interesting (and important) question of what balance to strike, since it seems to me there could be an important benefit to having the righted boat be empty enough that it’s stable and can be sailed rather than being at the mercy of wind and current. If you install a fat or knotted line on each rail that you can pull to the underside of the hull and hang onto and lean back against while you prop your feet on the hull, then you aren’t so dependent on the centerboard alone as a purchase to exert leverage. Especially if you’re actually turtled. Elsewhere here I talked about providing that function with a single big rope fastened to the foot of the mast, but lines on both rails as someone here has suggested (sorry, would credit you but don’t find your post now) sound better because you don’t have to go under a turtled boat to get at them.
For a boat as beamy as the CY, you might add a refinement of adding pre-tied loops in these at a suitable position for them to serve as boarding steps, as suggested by Charles Armitage here. (That is, with a beamy boat at least if you’re quick you don’t have to re-board over the transom, which for that matter a CY doesn’t offer. I HAVE seen my uncle, years ago, demonstrate re-entering a canoe over the end but it didn’t look easy. Also, if you have crew, you can have someone counterweight you by holding down the opposite rail.)
Ian Hendrie says:
Excellent video. I think if a boat the size of Howdy turtles, you don’t have enough moment, even with the centreboard out to right her. It would be a swim under the boat, using captured air to lower the main and then hand walk up (down?) the main mast to get it to the surface. All this in a storm? Best not to turtle.
Crispin Miller says:
I think I’ve gone under a turtled 12-footer to sort out something or other — probably to release the halyard — but the idea gives me pause now, with the thought of the mainsheet looping around in there looking to get snagged in between me and my PFD. In warm water, you may have the luxury of time to take it easy and be methodical, but in cold water that might not be so easy. Snug, inch-thick foam-vest-style PFD’s, while they may not save you if you’re knocked out, may be the safest if you’re having to swim around in rigging.
Wolfgang Doughty says:
Great demo
Your concern about the water coming in the boat could be addressed by removing some of the objects which are displacing the water. This might raise the centerboard envelope top opening. Or merely stuff something in the center board opening before attempting to right your craft.
As a non sailor I can only see possible solutions w/ one eye. Plug the hole in the hull.
Beach towel….
Ben Fuller says:
When I was sailing log canoes, the t shirt in the trunk was about the first thing done for capsize rescue.
Don Boren says:
Thanks! Good information!
jd fentie says:
Thanks for sharing this. I believe it’s always a good idea to ask ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’ and think about making it happen under safe/controlled circumstances.
One suggestion, if you’re often sailing with same crew, particularly youngsters, is to get them involved once you have the basics worked out. Explain what you’re doing and why. Assign them roles. Ask for their input. Treat it as a (serious) adventure. If it ever does happen for real, they’ll be ready and useful instead of panicked liabilities. If it never happens they will have developed respect for the wind/water rather than fear.
Ben Fuller says:
Always a good thing to do. When I was guiding I reviewed emergency procedures with clients, same when I was skippering a six pack solo.
Bruce Debree says:
A good reminder to develop a set up that works for your boat. I wonder if too much flotation might cause the boat to turtle ( been there, pitch poled a Hobie, mast stuck in the mud ). Also, been looking at a hybrid pfd, Mustang I think, which has some solid flotation and a self triggering inflatable section, anyone try one?
Ben Fuller says:
See my note about the hybrid. Down side is not being able to carry stuff on them much more than a knife.
Patrick Daniels says:
Some kind of re-entry device (rope loop, small ladder, like that) and maybe a battery operated pump to get that vast pile of water out of there while you get yourself combobulated and look for your stuff (in a honker after you hit your head going in…). A drysuit. It is nice to see that vessel come up so easy…
Charles Armitage says:
Spot on re the re-entry device – when learning to sail as a kid in Mirror dinghies in UK, we had great difficulty getting back in as the gunwhale was too high – my father made two rope loops about 3 feet long on either side of the stern that you could flip overboard, put your foot in the loop and climb aboard (important to have them at the stern to minimise the risk of capsizing again). You can make a loop out of the mainsheet, but when cold and wet with less well functioning fingers, speed is of the essence. Forethought goes a long way…
John Lofty says:
An excellent suggestion for any boat with a lot of freeboard, Mirrors are great dinghies and very easy to build at home.
John Bouton says:
I, too, found the video instructive and useful. As a Dyer Dhow sailor on a small NH lake, I have some experience with capsizing — less fun for us in our mid-fifties than it was as kids! I learned once, the hard way, that it’s also vital that the lanyards to your oarlocks are secure, for one is in for a hard pull with only one oarlock. I’m curious how long you were exposed to the water (I know that you bailed for 5 minutes) relative to the hypothermia danger you cited — and I must confess that I wouldn’t think to bring wool clothes midsummer in a drybag — but I will now!
Matt Clouse says:
As a CY owner, it was very helpful to see this. I’ve watched Ben’s video on capsizing multiple times over the years. I’ll watch this one again too.
You were anchored for the demonstration, but I think about securing the anchors(s), lines, and basket too. I want them to be both ready to use and to stay put when I capsize. I like the dual airhorns. We also have whistles on all of our life jackets too.
Glenn Holland says:
After watching just first time. THANK YOU!!!
I have a CY and capsized (unintentionally) last summer. T-Storm popped up. Anyway, the thing that contributed most is the owner/skipper (me). Lost control of the Mizzen. I was solo but had friends near in other boats, (TSCA event). Was literally in front of my home marina, (plenty of lookers). Had NO flotation in the boat, but she floated about like Howdy. Easy to bring her upright. Had plenty of help within 2 minutes. To bail, but we floated her to the fuel dock and got an electric pump-out.
I now have flotation, (beach rollers, under each side). One other thing I will change is PFD. I had an auto-inflate style on. NO good for self rescue work. Yes, keeps you afloat and upright but it was like a doughnut around my neck. I’ll be watching the vidoe many more times. THANKS, thanks and thanks again!! Glenn
Kevin Brennan says:
I personally know of 2 people that unexpectedly ended up in the water with self inflating pfd’s and both said they made it very difficult to maneuver in the water and get themselves back in the boat. One of those individuals removed the pfd to do so. Think long and hard about them, but always wear something. My 2 cents.
Stephen L. Clark says:
Steve, well done & important. Though I thought I knew you brought up more things to consider. As my friend Robert McCurdy says “ You go to go to know”.
Chris Waters says:
Good info, thanks for taking one for the team.
Gary herbertson says:
Great to discover the centerboard trunk opening is above the waterline even with you in the swamped boat. This trial under controlled conditions is really valuable. I remember being in a youth racing league (Albacore class) in which a part of one race each summer was that at some point on the course each boat had to deliberately capsize. It was a great way to create safety in the fleet. The only critique I have of this video is that it is good practice to release all sheets before attempting to right the boat, as sheeted sails can pocket so much water weight that your body weight on the centerboard might not counterbalance.