Whenever anyone finds out that I’m a sailor, their first questions are almost always “have you ever capsized?” and “isn’t it cold in winter?”
The answer to both is, yes, I have capsized a lot. And yes, it is very, very cold.
Very cold.
Capsizes happen much more easily than you might think, resulting in extended time untangling ropes and emptying water out of the cockpit.
The important thing to remember is that in the size of boat I sail, you’re unlikely to get injured in a capsize, mostly all that’ll happen it you’ll get wet.
I used to sail a skiff and the first thing our coach told my partner and I was that it takes 100 capsizes to learn to sail a 29er. We only sailed together for about 6 months but I really think we came close to that target.
If you let go of a skiff in the water while you’re launching, it will just fall over. They really are not designed to stay upright although that doesn’t stop you feeling a little demoralised after your fifth capsize of the hour.
The boat I sail now is much more stable and can stay upright on its own. I have definitely had my fair share of swimming with it too though.
In one of my first weekends sailing Lasers, I managed to execute a perfect Eskimo roll of my boat. This is when you end up being pulled underneath your boat as it capsizes and then pushed back out the other side by the water. Always a fun one.
Some of my favourite capsizes though are the light wind ones. There’s really no excuse to be falling in in no wind and yet I seem to do it all the time, much to the disappointment of many coaches.
Perhaps my finest capsize of all though will be a real gem from Loch Venechar winter training this year when an unexpected wind drop and shift resulted in a lovely backwards roll into the water for me.
Team GBRn't 