Capsizing refers to when a boat is inverted such that the bottom of the boat is on top. The term is also used to describe a boat that has broached, pitch poled, rolled, or sunk.

A large sailing boat during the process of capsizing may become demasted, in which the rigging breaks, either by the mast bending or fracturing and or the standing rigging breaking.

An intermediate sailor is recommended to capsize their dinghy in a safe location with supervision, at least once to become acquainted with their boat's floating properties. The boat should then be righted, bailed out, and the sails reset, so that in the event of an uncontrolled capsize, the boat and its occupants may self recover.

A capsized boat if it has sufficient floatation to prevent sinking, may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted. Small dinghies often capsize in the normal course of use, and users of such boats should wear appropriate lifesaving gear, such as a lifejacket and wetsuit. Boaters should consult their local boating regulations for the full list of required gear.

Among ship types, the RORO is more prone to capsize due to a design feature of that class of ferry: large open car decks near to the water line.

A capsized kayak may be overturned with an eskimo roll.

Famous capsizes

• SMS Szent István, 1918, Austro-Hungarian capital warship, torpedoed, 89 dead.
• Herald of Free Enterprise, 6 March 1987, killing 193 passengers.
• Jan Heweliusz, 14 January 1993, leaving 54 people dead.
• Estonia, 28 September 1994, killing 852 passengers.
• La Joola 26 September 2002, Senegalese ferry, at least 1,863 dead

External links

• Capsize formula for displacement sailboats.

Nautical terms | Sailing manoeuvres

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