Self righting boats

Some vessels with a centre plate are considered self-righting with no crew on board, with the centre plate down, and the mast at no more than 90 degrees.

Experience shows self-righting boats can and do get ‘knocked down’ or capsize, increasing the risk of inversion and entrapment. There are known examples where through a variety of factors they have subsequently inverted, including with the keel or weighted centre board retracted. There are known examples where a sailor has slipped out of a knocked down boat, increasing the risk of entrapment and reducing the ability to right the boat. If you are faced with such a situation, the important thing is knowing what to do and how to do it.

Mitigations, such as mast head floats, may increase the time a boat is on its side rather than inverted.

Manufacturers will use owner manuals and guides to share information about a vessel’s limitations (e.g. rigging, safety features, conditions, number of people, load).

Some sailors may have restricted mobility or ability to help themselves if they ended up in the water or partially in the water. Equipment is available to maintain posture or improve control of steering / sails that has the effect of securing the sailor to the vessel. Both of these factors can increase the risk of entrapment.

Boats with a ballasted lifting keel are heavy and while the standard techniques to right them work, they may require more power.

The self-righting characteristics of any boat are compromised if a lifting keel or weighted centreboard are not in the down position, as is the ability to right from an inverted position.

Actively trimming sails, rather than cleating them off enables them to be released quickly if needed.

Implications for practice and procedures

• Users of any vessel should familiarise themselves with its stability and righting characteristics.
• Use vessels within the limits and safety features described by the manufacturers.
• Any mechanism for securing the plate or keel in the down position should be checked to ensure it is operating as intended and all sailors and volunteers should be briefed on the importance of its use.
• Brief volunteers, instructors and participants about the value of actively trimming sails rather than cleating them off.
• If a sailor is limited in their ability to help themselves if they ended up in the water or where they are secured to the vessel in any way, it is worth considering additional mitigations:

• mast head buoyancy
• reducing sail area
• the level of safety cover to ensure supervision in the immediate vicinity.
• when the conditions may limit operation (see manufacturers recommendations).

• Procedures and drills for recovering a 'self-righting' boat should include scenarios where a) the boat has inverted with the keel in the lowered position and b) where the keel or centreboard has retracted from its ‘lowered’ position,
• When choosing engine size and vessel type for safety boats, consider the types of vessels you may be recovering,
• The preference is to right a knocked down or inverted boat in reverse, with the engine away from anyone who may be in the water. However, if low engine power may cause concern and potentially restrict the ability to recover the craft, you could consider using a longer tow rope and recover by driving forwards.