By Ian Farrier
I think the most important thing to come out of any capsize is for every owner to realize that it can happen, and to take precautions as outlined in the Sailing Manual. Particularly to keep safety gear in the inverted safety compartment.
There was one capsize in England years ago that became a national TV documentary, purely because the skipper did not have anything in his safety compartment, much to my annoyance. One of the crew had to swim back inside to get flares, couldn't get out again, and divers had to be called in to get her out. Great TV drama. The crew were fine, and the boat was rescued. In contrast. a 35' mono also capsized in the same treacherous area (the Needles) last year, and 3 of 4 crew were killed. No TV documentary though, and the trimaran ended up with the publicity and possibly a bad safety image, even though it stayed afloat as a safe liferaft and rescued the crew.
Wayne's experience with continuous spinnaker sheets should be noted, and in this vein, never use self tailing spinnaker sheet winches either. I don't even like them on jib sheets. Self-tailing winches caused a number of capsizes in Australia years ago, and thus should not be used to cleat sheets in windy conditions, and never on spinnaker sheets.
To put capsizes in perspective, it was 10 years after I started designing/ building trimarans before one of my designs first capsized, and then another 3 years before the second. But with over 1,700 boats out there now, I expect to see at least a few capsize every year, same as there will be a certain percentage of cars and airplanes crash.
In fact, if the multihull capsize rate was the same as the serious accident rate for light aircraft, we should expect around 19 capsizes a year. However, it is nothing like that, but one capsize is still one too many. The current serious accident (resulting in death or serious injury) rate amongst U.S. light aircraft is 1.13 % per year.
Capsizes like Wayne's, caused by collision or unexpected circumstances, will always be with us, but many are also avoidable-so let's see a little care out there, and slow down at the right time.
Monos, of course, are not immune either, with such incidents as 10 trailerable monohull yachts capsizing in the 1995 Marlay Point Race (Australia's largest yacht race), while the trailerable multihulls in the same race had no such problems, with an F-31 setting a new race record. Similarly, 13 monos did the same thing in Queeensland's Bay to Bay Race in 1992. A Trailertri 680s also capsized, but it was quickly righted using the folding system (and the help of a friendly power boat) and actually finished the course under sail. Three or four monohulls stayed on the bottom. A 54 foot monohull also broached and sank in the 1992 Ft. Lauderdale to Key West race just before being overtaken by an F-27.
Don't forget that another last resort to avoid capsize, particularly if a sheet is hung up, is to let go the halyard. One of my 19' Tramp designs was saved in just this manner years ago in Australia. The experienced 18' skiff crew were driving it to the limit with a huge skiff kite up (they were later clocked at 23 knots) when they over cooked it. It was gone far enough that two of the three crew had already jumped off, when the skipper let go of the halyard. Back she came.
I will put a copy of the latest version of some safety recommendations, plus some other updated information (pages 26 to 33 of the new Corsair Sailing Manual) as a downloadable pdf document at http://www.f-boat.com/safety/
Ian Farrier
http://www.f-boat.com/
Also found some lost photos of recovering my Tramp http://www.f-boat.com/safety/
[Ed. note - Wayne Erickson capsized F-27 Almond Joy during the "Duwamish Head" regatta 10 Jan 1998 when he ran over debris, losing the centerboard and rudder. The spinnaker was set with a continuous sheet and even when released, pulled the boat over before it could be doused. more info]
Righting at sea, unless outside help is
available, is probably not a 
feasible
option as yet. Probably better to leave the craft as it is, where the crew
are safe, and await rescue. When the opportunity arises, and outside assistance
is available, the most successful system for any multihull, is to tow the
capsized boat fore and aft, the tow line going to the aft end, in the form
of a bridle. (see diagram)
Which end depends on the boat, but the general rule is to choose the end that is floating highest. Thus as the boat begins to move, the lowest end, be it bows or stern begin to sink, and even more so as the water inside rushes to that end. The boat should then flip back upright, bow over stern or visa versa. If the above procedure does not work, then try flooding the end that needs to sink, or add some crew weight (ready to abandon ship once the end concerned starts to go under). If this fails, try towing the other direction. Some controlled flooding may also be required. Towing sideways will not work.
The above instructions and diagram are © Corsair Marine, reprinted with permission by NorthWest Multihull Association. Clip and laminate, place in plastic bag in a place accessible by salvage crew if your boat is upside down.
Capsize matters can be depressing, but to put it in perspective, a capsize is simply very difficult to do. Luffing up slightly, or bearing away (if on a reach) is usually all that is required. The risk of capsize can be virtually eliminated simply by reducing sail according to the conditions, and being prepared to let the sheets go.
A multihull has the capability of very high speeds when desired, and the risk factor can consequently be higher. The choice is yours however, as it is not compulsory to go fast. In general, the risk factor will only begin to increase when boat speed exceeds 15 knots while reaching, or about 8 knots to windward. When sailed for the conditions, or with safety in mind, Corsairs are the safest craft afloat.
Credits: NorthWest Multihull Association, Ian Farrier and Cosair Marine
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Last updated 14 Apr 2000