SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-stay-with-boat

In most cases, what should you do if your boat capsizes in open water?

Stay with the boat.

  1. Swim for the nearest shore
  2. Stay with the boat ✔
  3. Swim away from the boat

Why: A capsized boat usually stays afloat and is far easier for rescuers to spot than a swimmer's head. Swimming in cold water wears you out fast. Climb on or hang on and get as much of yourself out of the water as you can.

Huh, didn't know that: Smaller outboard powered boats built after 1978 are designed to support you even when full of water or capsized.

The dad joke
Why stay with a capsized boat? It's the biggest thing out there for rescuers to spot.
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Sources

  1. USCG, A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats (2023) https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Boaters-Guide-to-Federal-Requirements-for-Receational-Boats-20231108.pdf
  2. USCG, A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats (2023) https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Boaters-Guide-to-Federal-Requirements-for-Receational-Boats-20231108.pdf

Test yourself in the game

Boating & WaterIn the first few minutes after falling into cold water, what should you do?Boating & WaterSeveral people end up in cold water after a capsize. What does the Coast Guard advise?Boating & WaterWhy does the Coast Guard warn against anchoring a small boat from the stern?

That's stuff everyone should know.