What Should You Do If Your Small Open Boat Capsizes: Stay Calm & Survive?

Small open boats, like the ones used for sailing or casual outings, can be a lot of fun, but they can flip over if you get a sudden strong gust of wind.  Flipping or capsizing can usually be avoided by promptly easing or releasing the main sheet as soon as you feel the gust of wind and notice the boat heeling more than normal.  The main sheet is the name for the rope or line that you use to adjust the angle of the main sail to the wind.  What should you do if your small open boat capsizes? The answer lies in staying calm and taking quick action to ensure your safety. 

Step 1: Stay Calm and Assess the Situation 

The first thing to do is stay calm. Panic can make everything worse, and you may forget the important steps you need to take. Take a deep breath.   

Step 2: Keep Your Head Above Water

You should already be wearing a type III Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) aka Life jacket.  A PFD is very difficult to put on once you are in the water.  The type III PFD is designed to allow more freedom of movement than Type I or Type II PFD’s and so the Type III PFD is good for small sailboats, Kayaks and other small vessels where freedom of movement is important.   

Step 3: Right the Boat 

How you right the boat differs for monohulls, catamarans and trimarans.  You should not take a boat out until you have had instruction on how to right the type of boat you will be sailing.  I teach this to anyone I sell a boat to as part of the 8 hour lesson I give to anyone who purchases a boat from Rick’s Small Sailboats.  In addition there are good You Tube videos on most aspects of sailing including how to right various types of small sailboats.  The photo above is showing how to right a small monohull sailboat.  You simply put as much weight on the daggerboard or centreboard as you can, and the boat should turn right side up in 10 to 20 seconds or so. 

Step 4: Climb Back In 

Once the boat is upright, Do a strong scissors kick at the same time you are using your arms to pull yourself back aboard.  If you don’t have the upper body strength to pull yourself back on board, then try to tie a loop in a line, such as the main halyard (the halyard is the line you use to hoist the main sail.  Then put one of your feet in the loop and use your leg muscles and arms to get back on board. 

Step 5: Call for Help 

If you can’t get back in the boat. or are in a dangerous situation, it’s time to call for help. Use a hand held, waterproof VHF Radio on channel 16 to call for help, Wave your arms if you see any boats nearby, or activate a personal locating Beacon (PLB).  

Step 6: Wait for Help 

If you're stuck in the water without a way to get back into the boat, you’ll need to remain as calm as possible. Staying with the boat is almost aways safer than attempting to swim to shore, especially if the water is cold or there's a current, or you are not a strong swimmer.  

Final Perspectives  

Be a safety conscious boater.  Before going out, listen to a marine weather forecast, take note of predicted wind direction & speed, and tide information Practice flipping and righting your boat in calm shallow water near shore before venturing out farther from shore.  Wear your life jacket at all times, no matter how calm the weather may be.  Bring a waterproof hand held VHF Radio and PLB with you, especially if you are sailing in a large body of water.  Before leaving shore, tell some friends where you are going and what time you should be back by.  Dress for the weather.  You may need to wear a wet suit or dry suit to stay warm.  Your life jacket can help you stay warm also.  It is almost always cooler on the water than on land.