The Importance of Capsize Testing

I was glad to see your recent article on the back page regarding one person’s experience with a capsized boat (Artful Sailor #122). I’m so glad he did this testing on his boat and I agree with his conclusions.

- Mark Downing

I would add that I think everyone with a boat that can capsize should do so, under controlled conditions.

My wife and I sail Intrepid, an 18’ Buccaneer Class, on various exploratory missions around the Pacific Northwest. It weighs about 700 pounds without crew, has an open cockpit and a closeable but not watertight compartment forward of the mast.

Our first capsize was accidental—we ended up being towed to the dock upside down by a jet ski! That was when we learned our rudder would slip out of the gudgeons when upside down and sink.

We changed a number of things about our boat and then took it out for an intentional capsize. We capsized four times and recovered and emptied our boat four times.

From that, we learned many of the same things mentioned in the recent SCA article.