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Lessons from a Capsize

The following is copied with permission from the May 2007 issue of Sea Horse, the monthly magazine of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (our favorite sailing magazine). We recommend reading the comments several times. The lessons learned might just save your life...

Ed Broadway, owner and skipper of the Max Fun 35 Hooligan V, has written some thoughts on the recent loss of his yacht together, tragically, with one of its crew. Hooligan V's accident at 0320 on 3 February, some seven miles south of Salcombe, is every skipper's nightmare. The incident is being officially investigated so any comments are confined to lessons that can be learned (particularly in a Fastnet year) rather than speculation on what caused the loss of the boat's keel.

"After the capsize four of us met at the stern of the boat, opened the flare pack and fired three parachute flares from the water in the dark. Then a wave dropped into the container, which promptly sank, along with the rest of the flares.

"We had taken the ISAF crew course so knew something about liferafts. Ours was stowed at the stern of the cockpit sole with the knife for cutting the lashing attached to the tiller ahead of the raft - all now under water and beyond reach. We all carry knives so one of us started to cut through the lashing to release the liferaft.

"With the stern submerged for much of the time, and at maximum reach for the rest of the time, this proved very difficult and exhausting. It took about half an hour to release the raft and by then the cold was getting to us. Frozen hands dropped the knife just as the last strands were cut through, and we were rapidly losing the ability to think rationally. We finally boarded the raft but found it impossible to bail with the flexible bailers provided.

"There were now several ships in the area so we fired handheld red flares and were picked up after about 50 minutes."

Key lessons:

Our lifejackets were all auto-inflate, so swimming out from the cabin I could not wear one. Should some be manual-inflate? If so, how many? But wear them.
The flare pack was in the cabin with the grab bag. Fortunately I was in the cabin so could push them out through the hatch. Is there a better place to stow these items?
The flare pack sank with most of the flares as soon as the top was removed. Polystyrene inside for permanent flotation?
Flares have different ignition systems. Surely we need standardization here? Being in the water with waves breaking over you and with your hands above your head in the dark is no way to be reading instructions.
All crew should carry knives and small waterproof torches as a matter of course. You may also consider mini-flares.
Liferaft stowage should be reviewed. Ours was accessible with the boat upside down. The four survivors would not be around if our raft had been 'safely' stored in a locker.
The need for training cannot be overemphasized. We had done sea survival many times and the lessons learned were invaluable, largely because we worked as a team following a set procedure. You may not be able to think yourselves out of trouble after even a short time in the water. Ideally, train as a crew.

- Ed Broadway

When the MAIB in the UK publishes their report on this accident, we'll post it on SetSail.

Meanwhile, for more information on Survival Training, click here for a 6-part series on safety and survival.