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Capsizing and Falling Overboard: Prevention and Protocol

In Canada, capsizing (41%) and falling overboard (26%) are the leading causes of recreational boating fatalities (Drowning Prevention Research Centre). The good news is that there are many precautions you can take to prevent your vessel from capsizing, and things you can do to increase your chances of survival even if you end up in the water.

Key takeaways

• Canadian boaters can prevent their boat from capsizing by adopting responsible behavior while riding in a boat, and by driving their boats carefully.
• It is also important to avoid falling overboard, which is best accomplished by maintaining three points of contact with the boat at all times.
• If your boat should capsize, call for help and take every precaution to stay warm, afloat and safe from a propeller strike. 
• If someone falls overboard, follow a five-step protocol: stop the boat and turn off the engine, throw a life-saving device, assign a lookout, use a manual propelling device to approach carefully and help them reboard using approved boating safety equipment.

Table of contents

• Prevent Your Boat from Capsizing: A Two-Part Solution
  • 1. Adapt Responsible Passenger Behavior
  • 2. Drive Your Boat Responsibly
• How to Avoid Falling Overboard
• What to Do If You Capsize
  • Capsizing while boating alone
  • Capsizing while boating with others
• What to Do When Someone Falls in the Water: Follow These Five Steps
  • Step One: Stop
  • Step Two: Throw a Life-saving Device
  • Step Three: Assign a Lookout
  • Step Four: Approach Carefully
  • Step Five: Help Them Reboard
• Always Be Prepared to End Up in The Water
• Frequently Asked Questions

Prevent Your Boat from Capsizing: A Two-Part Solution

Capsizing occurs when a boat is off-balance, either due to what is taking place in the boat, or to external factors.

There are two approaches you can take to prevent your boat from capsizing: 

1. Adapt Responsible Passenger Behavior

Your behavior in the boat can affect its balance and your safety.

Stay low, and stay centred

Stay low in your boat and stay in the centre of the vessel. Always keep both hands and one foot or both feet and one hand in contact with the boat while underway.

Distribute weight evenly

In small boats like motor boats and canoes, make sure you distribute the weight of passengers and objects evenly to prevent rolling.

Sit only on seats

Never sit on any part of the boat that is not specifically designed for seating.

Respect the capacity limit

Respect your boat’s capacity limits and don’t overload your vessel. Putting too many people or too much gear in a pleasure craft will make it wobble or ride too low, which can lead to taking on water or capsizing.

Do not lean over the edge

Leaning over the edge can cause the boat to tip, especially if your boat is small or if several people lean at the same time.

2. Drive Your Boat Responsibly

Driving a boat is a big responsibility. Your choices as captain will influence the likelihood of capsizing and falls overboard.

Take corners carefully

Take corners at a safe speed, and do not turn too sharply.

Beware of wakes

Watch out for the wake created by other boats, and always take each wake head-on from the bow.

Watch the weather

Do not go boating if there is a risk of bad weather, such as high winds that could cause choppy water. Be prepared to respond appropriately if the weather should suddenly change.

Learn to anchor properly

Always anchor your vessel to the bow, and never the stern.

Boat sober

Never go boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Carry distress signals

Always carry appropriate marine distress signals and radio equipment, such as a VHF marine radio, so you can call for help in case of an emergency. Carrying appropriate safety equipment on board is one of your legal responsibilities as a boat operator in Canada.

How to Avoid Falling Overboard

Falling overboard and capsizing are related risks, as they both lead to you ending up in the water.

Maintain three points of contact to avoid falling in the water

Always keep both hands and one foot or both feet and one hand in contact with the boat while underway. Even when at a standstill, never move around in your boat without holding a rail or some other solid part of the boat.

Be careful and stay alert to avoid slipping or losing your balance. 

What to Do If You Capsize

Capsizing while boating alone

• If you are in a smaller vessel like a canoe or rowboat, and it capsizes, stay with your boat and use it to help you float if you can. Don’t try to swim to shore unless you are certain that you can do so (if the shore is less than 50 metres away and you are a strong swimmer). Remember, distances on water are often much farther than they appear.
• Whatever the boat size, call for help if you need it. Use your engine cut-off switch to turn off the boat engine to avoid a deadly propeller strike.
• Conserve energy and stay warm. Get out of the water if you can.
• If you have fallen into a fast-moving river, float on your back with your feet pointed downstream so you can push off from obstacles like fallen trees and avoid being trapped (and drowning).
• Most important of all: don’t panic!

Capsizing while boating with others

• First, stay calm and do a head count. The immediate danger after a capsize is panic and disorganization. Call out everyone’s name to ensure no one is trapped under the vessel or caught in ropes. Once accounted for, ensure everyone has their life jacket (PFD) fastened properly.
• Next, stay with the boat and call for help. A boat is much easier for a Search and Rescue (SAR) team or helicopter to spot than a person’s head, and even a capsized boat usually provides some flotation.

What to Do When Someone Falls in the Water: Follow These Five Steps

If a passenger falls overboard while you’re operating a boat, do the following:

Step One: Stop

Immediately slow down and bring the boat to a stop. If you are operating a motorized vessel, turn off the engine immediately to avoid death or life-threatening injury by propeller strike. 

Step Two: Throw a Life-saving Device

Quickly throw a buoyant object, such as a life buoy or lifejacket, to the person in the water, even if they are wearing a life jacket. This will help them stay afloat and mark their location if they go under. This is especially important due to the risk of losing consciousness due to cold water shock, which is possible even at warm temperatures. 

Step Three: Assign a Lookout

Choose someone on board to keep constant visual contact with the person overboard. They should continually point to the individual’s position in the water.

Step Four: Approach Carefully

Use a manual propelling device to manoeuvre the boat carefully, approaching close enough to reach the person. Keep them on the operator’s side of the boat. to manoeuvre your boat instead.

Step Five: Help Them Reboard

Toss a buoyant line to the person and pull them toward the boat. Help them back on board using the boarding ladder or other reboarding device.

Always Be Prepared to End Up in The Water

If you are on a boat, there is always a risk that you could end up in the water. To stay safe, do the following:

• Learn to swim before going boating.
• Always wear an approved, correctly fitting life jacket or PFD.
• Attach an engine cut-off switch to your wrist, lifejacket, or PFD to prevent serious injury or death due to a propeller strike if you fall in the water.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Drowning Prevention Research Centre. Recreational Boating-Related Fatalities in Canada, 2008–2017 [PDF]. https://dprc-crpn.ca/media/d0mluiej/dprc_recreational_boating-related_fatalities_canada_-_nov_2021.pdf

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