can a catamaran flip

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Do Catamarans Flip Over Easily? (5 Things To Know)

Catamarans are popular boats for enjoying a vacation or a day out on the water. If you’re interested in investing in a catamaran, you may be wondering if they flip over easily.

Catamarans don’t flip over easily as they have two watertight hulls, are naturally buoyant, and have fast-draining cabins should they become waterlogged. They also have excellent roll inertia (resistance to rolling), less draft, and an easy-to-use reefing system to reduce speed quickly in a storm.

In this article, I’ll discuss five things to know about catamarans that prove how resistant they are too flipping over.

Things To Know About the Likelihood of a Catamaran Flipping

When catamarans flip over, it’s usually because there are strong winds, rough seas, or the captain or crew has made an error.

The best way to avoid a catamaran from capsizing is for the captain and crew to remain constantly vigilant of changing weather conditions and take appropriate action when needed.

However, catamarans are still unlikely to flip over even when this is not done.

So, why are catamarans unlikely to flip over? Below I’ll explain in detail why catamarans are safe and stable vessels.

1. Catamarans Have Two Watertight Hulls

Catamarans have two water and airtight hulls . If one hull were to break and become filled with water, there’s a good chance that the catamaran would remain largely afloat because the second hull would still be airtight and intact.

This is, however, unlikely to happen because catamarans are constructed from incredibly robust materials and are designed to be waterproof.

Having two engines is another reason catamarans aren’t prone to flipping. Even if one engine fails, the captain can still control the vessel and safely navigate it over the waves.

Most catamarans also have enclosed cockpits, making it easier and safer for the captain to control the vessel in stormy weather.

2. Catamarans Are Naturally Buoyant

Catamarans are designed to be naturally buoyant and have multiple, isolated compartments that hold air so that the vessel remains afloat, even if other chambers have broken or become flooded.

The situation can be rectified if the cabin becomes filled with water because catamarans’ cabins have fast-drainage systems.

These multiple air-containing compartments make catamarans naturally buoyant, the main reason they sail easily on top of the water rather than digging down deep into the water.

Most catamarans are constructed from robust and lightweight materials. This feature, combined with a catamaran’s natural buoyancy, allows it to reach high speeds quickly. Flipping over is more common in stormy weather, but catamaran captains can promptly move to the shore or away from the storm to reduce the risk of capsizing.

Even in stormy weather, a catamaran’s bows almost always remain above the waterline and don’t become buried in waves due to the buoyancy.

Compared with regular models, racing catamarans have slender monohulls and are more likely to flip over. They can reach higher speeds, and their narrow hulls can act like lead weights in rough seas, making them more prone to tipping over into the oncoming wave.

3. Catamarans Have Less Draft

Catamarans have less draft than monohull boats as they have a dual-hull system that provide additional buoyancy.

Draft refers to how deep the water must be for the boat to sail over it. Because catamarans sail on the very surface of the water, they can handle shallow waters well, move to safety in sheltered bays, beaches, or harbors, and protect themselves in stormy weather.

Their ability to move to a safe place quickly can make catamarans less likely to flip over in a storm than other boats with different designs.

Catamarans Have Less Draft Than a Single Hulled Boat.

4. Catamarans Have Excellent Roll Inertia

Leisure and cruising catamarans are designed to make sailing as comfortable as possible and have excellent roll inertia. Roll inertia refers to how resistant a boat is to tipping over. Catamarans don’t typically heel or tip over when there are strong winds as they are buoyant and incredibly stable.

A catamaran’s impressive stability is primarily due to its wide stance that allows it to sail smoothly over waves with minimal rocking or swaying. Cruising catamarans usually have a beam to length ratio of around 50%, which means that they’re twice as long as they are wide.

Larger and broader dual-hull catamarans are more stable and less likely to flip over.

Catamarans are highly stable (even in rough weather), making changing sails or reefing on the external platform easier and safer. There is also a reduced risk of crew members getting injured during a storm, allowing them to perform their functions safely.

In rough weather, it’s easier to handle a boat with good roll inertia, allowing the captain to do all they can to ensure that the vessel remains afloat.

5. Catamarans Have Easy Reefing Systems

Catamarans have single-line reefing systems that are easy to operate from the cockpit.

When there are high winds or rough seas, the sailor can quickly reef the sails and ensure that the boat doesn’t have too much power and slows down.

The easy-to-use reefing system and the catamaran’s drogue (a device that trails behind the vessel and provides additional stability) help it remain afloat in a storm.

Flipping over typically occurs when the bow is buried into the wall of the upcoming wave. This concept is also called pitch polling.

However, even if the sailor has not managed to reef the sails sufficiently in rough winds, it’s unlikely that the catamaran would flip over because it will still have plenty of reserve buoyancy.

Final Thoughts

Unless the catamaran is a sleek racing model, there’s an extremely low chance that it will flip over.

Cruising catamarans are unlikely to flip over because:

They have various water and airtight compartments that give them buoyancy, less draft, and allow them to sail above the waterline.
Their wide stance enables them to glide over waves with little rocking or swaying.
They have excellent roll inertia (resistance to flipping over) as their dual hulls help prevent tipping over.
They have easy reefing systems that can be safely operated in the cockpit during stormy weather.

Bryan is a Las Vegas resident who loves spending his free time out on the water. Boating on Lake Mohave or Lake Havasu is his favorite way to unwind and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. More about Bryan.

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Why Do Catamarans Capsize? The Facts You Need To Know

Catamarans have become increasingly popular in recent years as a fun and safe way to explore the waters around you.

But what happens if a catamaran tips over? What are the causes and safety tips to avoid it? In this article, we’ll explore why catamarans are more prone to capsizing than other boats, what can cause them to capsize, and what you should do if your catamaran tips over.

We’ll also discuss what to do if your catamaran capsizes and how to right it if possible.

So, if you’re looking to stay safe while sailing your catamaran, this article is for you!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Catamarans can capsize due to a variety of reasons, including strong winds, large waves, and imbalance.

When a catamaran is caught in a gust of wind, the increased wind pressure on one side of the catamaran can cause it to lean to one side, which can lead to a capsize if not corrected.

Additionally, if the catamaran is not balanced properly, with too much weight on one side of the boat, it can easily capsize.

Lastly, large waves can easily cause the boat to roll, leading to a capsize.

The Design of Catamarans

Catamarans are two-hulled watercraft, which makes them inherently more susceptible to instability and capsize than more traditional vessels.

This is due to their wide-hulled design, which makes it easier for the boat to become unbalanced.

The two separate hulls also make them more difficult to steer, as the hulls act like two sails and can push the boat in unintended directions.

Additionally, catamarans have less buoyancy, making them more likely to capsize if they are overloaded with cargo.

The sails of a catamaran can also contribute to the likelihood of a capsize.

As the wind increases, the sails can act as a sail, pushing the boat over.

If the sails are not managed correctly, they can push the boat too far, resulting in a capsize.

Finally, large waves can cause a catamaran to become unstable and eventually capsize.

The wide-hulled design of catamarans makes them more vulnerable to waves, as the two hulls can move independently and cause the boat to become unbalanced.

Additionally, the asymmetrical shape of catamarans makes them more likely to flip over in high waves, as the force of the waves can push the boat in one direction and cause it to overturn.

Overall, catamarans are inherently more unstable than other types of vessels due to their wide-hulled design, and they can easily become unbalanced if improperly loaded with cargo.

Additionally, excessive wind can cause the sails of a catamaran to act as a sail, pushing it over and causing it to capsize.

Lastly, large waves can cause a catamaran to become unstable and eventually capsize.

For these reasons, it is important for catamaran owners to understand why catamarans can capsize and take the necessary precautions to prevent it.

Improper Loading Can Lead to Catamaran Capsizing

When it comes to catamarans, proper loading is key to staying afloat.

A catamaran is inherently more unstable than other types of vessels due to their wide-hulled design, and they can easily become unbalanced if improperly loaded with cargo.

This can cause the vessel to become unstable and eventually capsize.

To avoid this, it is important to ensure the catamaran is loaded correctly and that the weight is evenly distributed across the two hulls.

When loading a catamaran, it is important to consider the size, shape, and weight of the items being loaded.

It is also important to be aware of the catamarans overall weight capacity.

Overloading the vessel or having an unevenly distributed load can cause the catamaran to become off-balance, leading to dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations.

It is also important to be aware of the center of gravity when loading a catamaran.

Cargo should be distributed in such a way that the center of gravity remains low and the catamaran remains stable.

This will allow the vessel to handle waves and wind more effectively and reduce the risk of capsizing.

When loading a catamaran, it is important to be aware of the risks associated with improper loading.

Taking the time to properly load the vessel and ensure the weight is evenly distributed can help reduce the risk of capsizing and keep passengers and crew safe.

Wind Can Cause Catamarans to Capsize

When it comes to why catamarans capsize, strong winds are a major factor.

This is because catamarans are inherently more unstable than other types of vessels due to their wide-hulled design.

The wide hulls can act as sails, catching the wind and pushing the boat over.

This is especially true if the catamaran is not properly loaded, as excessive wind can quickly create an imbalance and cause it to capsize.

Additionally, strong winds can cause the sails of a catamaran to act as a sail, pushing it over and causing it to capsize.

This can be especially dangerous if the sails are not properly trimmed, as the wind can catch them and cause the catamaran to lose its balance.

Furthermore, if a catamaran is not equipped with good quality sails and rigging, they can easily break or tear in high winds, making it more difficult to control the vessel and leading to a possible capsize.

In order to prevent a catamaran from capsizing due to wind, it is important to always be aware of the current weather conditions and adjust the sails and rigging accordingly.

It is also important to make sure the catamaran is properly loaded and balanced, as an imbalance can quickly lead to capsize.

Finally, it is important to use quality sails and rigging, as they will be more resistant to strong winds and will help to keep the catamaran under control.

Large Waves Can Cause Catamarans to Capsize

When it comes to catamarans, large waves can be one of the main causes of capsizing.

This is due to the unique design of catamarans, which have two hulls connected by a platform.

This wide-hulled design gives catamarans more surface area than other types of vessels, making them inherently less stable.

While this can make them great for cruising in calm waters, it can also make them vulnerable to the effects of large waves.

When a large wave hits a catamaran, it can cause the vessel to become unbalanced.

This is because the wave can push one hull up while the other remains in the water.

This can create an imbalance in the catamarans center of gravity, causing it to become unstable and eventually capsize.

In addition to the effects of large waves, catamarans can also become unbalanced if they are improperly loaded with cargo.

As with any vessel, it is important to ensure that the catamaran is properly loaded so that it is not too top heavy.

If the vessel is carrying too much weight on one side, it can become unbalanced and be prone to capsizing.

Finally, excessive wind can also cause a catamaran to become unstable and eventually capsize.

Catamarans can act like a sail when the sails are open, and the wind can push the vessel over if it is not properly secured.

Its important to always make sure that the sails are properly secured and the catamaran is not exposed to excessive winds.

In conclusion, catamarans can capsize for a variety of reasons, such as strong winds, waves, and improper loading.

It is important to be aware of these potential dangers when operating a catamaran, and always take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the vessel and its occupants.

Safety Tips to Avoid Catamaran Capsizing

When it comes to owning and operating a catamaran, safety should always be your top priority.

While catamarans are inherently more unstable than other types of vessels, there are several steps you can take to help prevent your vessel from capsizing.

First, make sure your catamaran is properly loaded.

This means that the weight should be evenly distributed between the two hulls so as to maintain a balanced vessel.

Additionally, any heavy items should be secured in place to prevent them from shifting during travel.

Second, take caution when sailing in high winds or waves.

Catamarans are particularly vulnerable to strong winds and large waves, as the sails can act as a sail and push the vessel over.

If you are sailing in these conditions, make sure to keep the sails close-hauled and lower the mast to reduce wind resistance.

Additionally, try to stay away from large waves and steer into them instead of away to reduce the risk of capsizing.

Third, make sure all safety equipment is in working order.

This includes life jackets, flares, and other essential items that can be used in the event of an emergency.

Additionally, make sure that everyone on board is aware of the safety procedures and understands how to respond in case of a capsize.

By following these safety tips, you can help ensure that your catamaran remains upright and that everyone on board remains safe.

While capsizing can happen for a variety of reasons, it is important to take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.

How to React if Your Catamaran Is Capsizing

If you find yourself in a situation where you think that your catamaran is capsizing, the most important thing to do is remain calm.

It is tempting to panic, but if you panic, you may make it harder to react in a way that can help save your vessel.

It is also important to remember that catamarans can capsize in a matter of seconds, so it is important to act quickly.

The first step you should take is to lower the sails and turn off the engine.

This will help reduce the wind pressure on the hull and the risk of the catamaran tipping over.

Next, make sure that everyone on board is wearing life jackets and has access to a floatation device.

If possible, move to the center of the boat, as this is the safest spot in case of a capsize.

If the catamaran begins to capsize, dont jump off the boat.

Instead, grab onto something solid to help keep your balance and wait for the boat to right itself.

If the boat doesnt right itself, assess the situation for any potential hazards such as rocks or logs that may be in the water.

If the boat is still in danger of capsizing, it is best to abandon ship and get to safety.

It is important to remember that catamarans can capsize in a matter of seconds, so being prepared and knowing what to do when it happens can help keep everyone safe.

It is also important to make sure that the catamaran is properly loaded, that its sail settings are appropriate for the wind conditions, and that everyone on board is wearing a life jacket in case of a capsize.

By following these tips, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable outing on your catamaran.

Is It Possible To Right a Capsized Catamaran?

In most cases, it is possible to right a capsized catamaran.

However, the difficulty of the task depends on the size and shape of the vessel, as well as the conditions in which it capsized.

If the catamaran is small enough, it may be possible to right it by hand, but larger vessels may need to be righted with the help of a crane or other lifting device.

Additionally, the crew must take into account the weather conditions when attempting to right a capsized catamaran.

High winds can make the task more difficult, as they can push the vessel further away from the shore.

If the catamaran can be righted, the next step is to assess the damage and determine if the vessel can be safely sailed.

If the catamaran is severely damaged, the crew may need to abandon it or seek assistance from a towboat or other vessel.

If the damage is minor, the crew may be able to repair the vessel and continue sailing.

It is important to note that if a catamaran is righted, it is still vulnerable to capsizing again if it is not properly loaded or if the weather conditions are too severe.

Therefore, it is important for the crew to take all necessary precautions to ensure that the vessel is properly loaded and that the crew is aware of the conditions before continuing on their voyage.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to understand the risks associated with owning and operating a catamaran.

By taking the necessary precautions, such as proper loading, avoiding high winds and waves, and having the right safety equipment on board, you can ensure that your catamaran remains stable and you stay safe while on the water.

If you find yourself in a situation where your catamaran is capsizing, react quickly and take the proper steps to right the vessel.

With the right knowledge and preparation, you can enjoy your time on the water without worrying about a potential capsizing.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

‍ How Catamaran Stability Works

Catamarans are stable because of their unique design and wide beam. A wide boat can’t be shaken back and forth as easily, but the magic comes from the dual-hull design of a catamaran.

Catamarans distribute their weight equally over two identical hulls. Like outrigger sailboats, they resist tilting to one side because the other hull’s buoyancy overcomes the force of the rising or falling sea.

But unlike outriggers, which usually have their sails and weight on the larger hull, catamarans have it all in the middle. That means that the effect is equal on both sides.

It also makes much of the wave interference simply travel underneath the center of the catamaran instead of pushing it off to one side.

Other Benefits of Catamaran Buoyancy

As we alluded to before, catamarans can be made virtually unsinkable due to their inherent buoyancy and additional positive buoyancy that’s worked into the design by manufacturers.

Additionally, catamarans often employ low-buoyancy bows, which further increase speed and stability. They create an effect called ‘wave-piercing,’ in which the low-buoyancy bows are forced through waves instead of riding over them.

This plowing effect causes the catamaran’s bows to cut through the tops of waves like a knife, thus effectively decreasing the difference between the peak and the trough. This reduces front-to-back rolling and also prevents pounding in most situations.

The Pendulum Effect

The pendulum effect is based on a simple rule that monohulls have to contend with. Every action has an opposite reaction. Let’s examine a typical monohull to see how this phenomenon works.

Most monohull sailboats have a low center of gravity. On a single-hull vessel, this is an important safety feature as it allows the boat to recover from rolls. It also slows the rolling motion somewhat for the sake of the crew.

Picture this scenario. A displacement monohull with a deep and heavy keel is traveling perpendicular to the roll of the waves. A large wave rolls under the boat, lifting it up on the opposite side and causing it to roll towards the next wave.

Then, the weight of the keel swings it back, but the momentum carries it to a roll in the opposite direction, just like a clock pendulum. By the time the next wave arrives, the vessel is in the perfect position to be knocked sideways again.

This effect doesn’t occur on catamarans for a few reasons. Firstly, they have virtually no ballast and thus nothing to compound the roll or overcompensate for it—no pendulum effect.

Additionally, catamaran hulls can’t be rolled sideways without pushing the other hull down into the water, which its high buoyancy and shallow draft resist with great force. No push, no roll.

Heeling While Underway

Catamarans don’t heel for the same reason they don’t roll dramatically—buoyancy. Catamarans are highly buoyant, as they carry no ballast and feature thin hulls with tall freeboard. As a result, the sideways force of the wind isn’t sufficient to force the leeward hull very far down.

Benefits of Anti-Heeling Characteristics

Boats that don’t heel excessively have numerous benefits, especially for inexperienced sailors. A heavily-heeling monohull is very difficult to move around inside, as the floor is suddenly sideways.

Additionally, the deck and cockpit become wet and perilous. Catamarans stay level regardless of how fast they’re moving, which allows anyone to safely move around the boat, cook, eat, shower, and sleep without being thrown to the side or rolling out of bed.

Catamaran Reserve Buoyancy

Reserve buoyancy is any watertight space or material that keeps a boat afloat beyond its open and occupied spaces. It’s basically how much ‘float’ a boat has left when open spaces begin to float. And catamarans have a whole lot of it.

Because of their split design and wide footprint, catamarans can store a lot of reserve buoyancy in the form of un-ballasted spaces, unsinkable foam, and more. This is excellent for safety, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a boat will roll less.

What makes catamarans so special is how their hulls are designed. They sit high in the water and high above the water because the weight is well-distributed, and there are huge pockets of air in each of the hulls.

Examples of Incredible Catamaran Stability

But how stable are catamarans, and what does it mean for the passengers and crew? We found some anecdotes told by catamaran owners that are sure to make monohull owners envious.

For example, catamarans are known to be so stable that wine glasses don’t fall off galley tables during high winds. Additionally, people can enjoy a meal on the deck and stay dry during afternoon chop and plentiful whitecap activities.

Can Catamarans Capsize?

Under normal circumstances, the chances of a catamaran capsizing are extremely slim. The same factors that give way to superior inherent stability also do an excellent job preventing capsize. But the answer is a little more complicated than that.

There are some limited instances where a catamaran can capsize, and the results are a lot more troublesome than monohull capsizing. Yes, when a massive wave undercuts a catamaran under the right conditions (usually perpendicular to the waves and wind and in rough weather), a catamaran can flip over.

Unlike monohull sailboats, which rely on a low center of gravity and deep displacement for stability, catamarans gain most of their stability from factors above the water. This means that, when capsized, catamarans cannot self-right. In other words, if a catamaran capsizes, it’ll stay that way.

However, there are some benefits to catamarans when it comes to capsizing. For example, a capsized catamaran has the same buoyancy as an upright one. That means that the now inverted vessel makes for a great life raft and will remain stable in the upside-down position.

Given that catamarans are very difficult (or impossible) to sink, this can still be considered a safer scenario than a serious capsize in a monohull sailboat.

Are Catamarans Stable at Anchor?

Yes, catamarans are highly stable at anchor and generally don’t noticeably roll. Instead, they tend to bob up and down (if they even move at all). This is advantageous, as it keeps decks level and prevents guests from getting seasick.

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Trimaran Seaworthiness Explained! Will it Flip?

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Trimarans are known for their speed and excellent performance. However, not every vessel performs well in the ocean’s rolling waves, which begs the question – are trimarans able to handle rough seas?

Trimarans are seaworthy because their tri-hull construction makes them incredibly stable, even in the roughest sea conditions. They are lightweight, very buoyant, easy to handle, fast, and resistant to capsizing. Trimarans also have a shallow draft.

So, let’s get into the details and discuss why trimarans are an excellent choice for seafaring. I’ll tell you more about the features that make them safe and ideal for traversing the oceans. So, let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

What Makes A Trimaran Seaworthy?

A trimaran is seaworthy because of its wide base giving it capsize resistance, its high speeds allowing for outrunning storms, and good maneuverability, making transiting stormy areas with precision, safer.

I’ll describe these factors in more detail below:

Buoyant Construction

One of the most important factors making trimarans seaworthy is their buoyant construction.

Modern trimarans are made from two lightweight fiberglass layers with a foam core, giving them exceptional buoyancy.

This should be seen in comparison to their lead keel counterpart, the monohull.

Trimarans also consist of various sealed parts, allowing them to remain afloat if one or more parts become damaged in a collision. If the worst came to the worst and the ocean obliterated the entire trimaran, there would still be buoyant pieces to act as rafts for the crewmembers to hold onto.

Many trimarans also have watertight crossbeams between the hulls, further increasing their buoyancy.

If the trimaran were to become filled with water, any of its hulls would be able to keep it afloat.

Catamarans are known for their excellent stability, and if they heel (lean over with wind-filled sails), they can right themselves up to a 12° angle before flipping over.

To understand when a catamaran or trimaran will capsize, I suggest you read this article: Why Catamarans Capsize .

On the other hand, Trimarans are well-known for their righting torque (the ability of a vessel to right itself before flipping over). These vessels can reach a 27° angle before they flip over, but the trimaran will likely remain floating even if this happens.

So, although they heel more than cats, and studies suggest they would capsize “more easily”, they are very stable.

This stability and ability of trimarans to keep themselves upright are due to their wise base. Just like when someone pushes you, you take a step to widen your base, so do the trimarans amas (the floats to either of the side of the center hull).

This means that the wind’s force can push harder on the sails before it flips, harder than if it had a narrow base (monohull or cat).

With its tri-hull design, a trimaran’s weight is distributed primarily on the middle hull. This mid-central balance provides a lot of vertical stability for the vessel, but the two outrigger hulls (a.k.a. amas, connected via lateral beams) give added sideway stability. Its multi-directional strength allows a trimaran to remain stable even in the roughest seas.

While monohulls are heavy and tend to go through the waves, trimarans are light and go over. This means higher speeds but also a different more bumpy ride, at least while going into the wind.

A trimaran’s three hulls will contact the wave at different points. However, because their hulls are slimmer than a monohulls, they can slice through waves more easily but will lack the kinetic energy to drive through.

Shallow Draft

A boat’s draft refers to the distance between the bottom of the boat and the waterline. Trimarans have a very shallow draft due to their lightweight construction, hull design, and buoyancy.

A trimaran’s shallow draft means that it will be able to sail in waters that monohulls can’t. This allows for more shallow water harboring options, something that can be very useful when a storm is approaching.

Maneuverability

Lightweight and responsive steering means not only that a trimaran is fun to sail, but it also allows for more precise maneuvering. This is not only useful in marinas when navigating tight quarters, but it is also essential when transiting large waves at the right angle.

Capsizing Resistance

A trimaran’s design makes it very unlikely to capsize as it has a fast-draining deck, open-weave wing nets, and a wide base.

The fast-draining deck and cockpit have drainage holes to help prevent waterlogging in extreme conditions.

Trimarans also have open-weave wing nets to help decrease windage and reduce the amas susceptibility to digging into the water when waves crash over it.

As noted above, the trimarans main feature, the wide stance, allows for more power to the sail before there is a need to reef. This means higher speeds!

Speed is not a primary factor contributing to seaworthiness, but speed can improve a boat’s safety in storms.

If the trimaran encounters a dangerous storm, its high-speed capability allows it to move out of the stormy area faster, decreasing the chances of an accident.

Safe Cockpit

Trimarans usually have sealed or partially sealed cockpits with windshields, allowing the captain and crew members to navigate the vessel comfortably, even in extreme weather conditions.

A trimaran’s protected cockpit also helps keep the vessel’s essential navigational equipment safe during stormy conditions, contributing to its seaworthiness.

Final Thoughts

So are trimarans safe in rough seas.

Are you in the market for a new boat and considering a trimaran? If so, you may wonder how safe they are on rough seas.

Trimarans are safe in rough seas because they have high righting torques, and conditions have to be extreme before they flip over. They have excellent vertical and lateral stability due to their tri-hull design, and their buoyant construction helps keep them afloat.

Trimarans are some of the speediest vessels out there, and in rough seas, they can move out of the stormy area and into safety. They are also easy to handle and have protected cockpits, making them safer to use on rough seas.

Trimarans are seaworthy because they have three hulls, giving the vessel excellent stability, even in extremely rough seas. They consist of lightweight and buoyant foam-core material with multiple sealed sections to allow them to float if one or more parts become damaged.

Trimarans can quickly move to shallow harbors in storms with their shallow drafts and high-speed ability.

Trimarans are easy to handle, and their sheltered cockpits make it easy for the crew to navigate them expertly through the sea. The cockpit or deck is unlikely to become waterlogged because of the drainage.

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Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

Catamaran Capsize: What to Do When Your Boat Flips

by Emma Sullivan | Aug 10, 2023 | Sailing Adventures

Short answer catamaran capsize:

A catamaran capsize refers to the overturning or tipping over of a catamaran, a type of multihull boat with two parallel hulls. This can occur due to various factors such as strong winds, improper handling, or technical failures. Capsize prevention measures like proper training, ballasting systems, and stability considerations are crucial for safe navigation and reducing the risk of catamaran capsizing incidents.

Understanding Catamaran Capsizing: Causes, Risks, and Prevention

Catamarans are a popular choice among sailing enthusiasts due to their sleek design, stability, and impressive speed. However, even the most experienced sailors can fall victim to catamaran capsizing if they fail to understand the causes, risks involved, and how to prevent mishaps. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of understanding catamaran capsizing to ensure that you can enjoy your sailing adventures with peace of mind.

Causes of Catamaran Capsizing:

1. Overloading: One common cause of catamaran capsizing is overloading. Exceeding the weight limitations of your vessel can lead to instability and loss of control in rough waters. It is essential to understand your catamaran’s maximum carrying capacity and distribute weight evenly throughout the boat.

2. High Winds: Strong gusts can swiftly overpower a catamaran, making it prone to capsizing. Understanding weather patterns and keeping a close eye on wind forecasts becomes crucial before embarking on any sailing journey.

3. Wave Interference: Waves play an integral role in causing catamaran capsizing accidents. Large waves hitting the boat at unfavorable angles can destabilize it or even cause it to pitchpole (the front end dives into a wave while flipping). Studying wave behaviors and having knowledge of proper sailing techniques when encountering such conditions is vital for preventing mishaps.

Risks Involved in Catamaran Capsizing:

1. Injury or Loss of Life: The most significant risk associated with catamaran capsizing is potential injury or loss of life. Falling from a capsized vessel into rough waters poses serious dangers, especially if rescue or self-recovery measures are not promptly executed.

2. Damage to Property: Struggling against strong currents after a capsize can cause considerable damage to both your vessel and other boating equipment on board. Repairs can be costly, and the loss of personal belongings can be emotionally distressing.

3. Environmental Impact: Capsized catamarans may spill fuel, oil, or other hazardous substances into the environment, causing pollution and harm to marine life. Understanding the potential environmental impact of a capsizing event highlights the importance of responsible boating practices.

Preventing Catamaran Capsizing:

1. Proper Training and Education: Acquiring formal training courses in sailing, especially ones specifically focusing on operating a catamaran, is essential for preventing capsizing accidents. Learning about safety procedures, navigation techniques, and understanding your vessel’s capabilities will significantly reduce risks.

2. Maintenance and Inspection: Regularly inspecting your catamaran for any signs of wear or damage can help identify potential issues that could lead to a capsize. Maintaining sails, rigging, and hull integrity ensures that your vessel is in optimal condition for safe sailing .

3. Weather Monitoring: Stay updated with meteorological reports and observe weather patterns carefully before setting sail . Avoid venturing out during severe weather conditions such as high winds or thunderstorms to minimize the risk of capsizing incidents.

4. Weight Distribution: Pay close attention to how weight is distributed within your catamaran to maintain its stability . Ensuring an even distribution across both hulls reduces the risk of capsizing due to imbalance.

5. Safety Equipment: Always have suitable safety equipment readily available onboard your catamaran in case of emergencies. This includes personal flotation devices (PFDs), flares, whistles, safety lines, fire extinguishers, and distress signals – which are all vital tools for rescuers spotting you quickly during a capsize situation.

By thoroughly understanding the causes behind catamaran capsizing incidents along with their associated risks while implementing preventative measures explained above; you can minimize the likelihood of encountering such mishaps on your sailing adventures.”

Remember that maintaining vigilance at all times during your sailing trips is crucial , regardless of your experience level. Stay informed, respect the power of nature, and prioritize safety to ensure a memorable and enjoyable catamaran experience for yourself and everyone on board.

How to React When a Catamaran Capsizes: Step-by-Step Guide

Title: Successfully Navigating a Catamaran Capsizing: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction: Catamarans are undoubtedly marvelous vessels, designed to provide both stability and speed on the water . However, even the most experienced sailors may find themselves in a situation where their catamaran capsizes unexpectedly. To help you stay prepared and confident, we have crafted a detailed step-by-step guide on how to react when faced with such an unfortunate event. From staying calm to implementing effective techniques, this guide will equip you with the necessary knowledge to swiftly recover from a catamaran capsizing.

Step 1: Maintain Composure In any crisis situation, keeping calm is key. Take a deep breath, clear your mind and remind yourself that panic only exacerbates the challenge at hand. Remaining composed allows you to think rationally and make wise decisions during each subsequent step.

Step 2: Assess the Situation Upon realizing that your catamaran has capsized, take a moment to evaluate the circumstances around you. Determine whether any crew members or passengers require immediate assistance or medical attention. Prioritizing safety should always be your primary concern.

Step 3: Activate Floatation Devices Ensure that everyone onboard has access to personal floatation devices (PFDs). Encourage everyone to put them on without delay – these will significantly enhance everyone’s chances of staying buoyant while awaiting rescue.

Step 4: Conserve Energy Capsizing can be physically demanding; therefore, it is crucial for everyone involved to conserve energy during this challenging time. Remind crew members and passengers not to exert themselves unnecessarily and advise them on using slow movements in order not to tip over or destabilize the boat further.

Step 5: Establish Communication Locate any communication devices available onboard, such as handheld radios or emergency flares . If possible, make contact with nearby vessels or coastguards immediately for assistance. Modern technologies like personal locator beacons (PLBs) can effectively alert authorities to your location, ensuring swift and targeted rescue efforts.

Step 6: Activate Self-Righting Mechanism Many catamarans are equipped with self-righting features. Determine whether your vessel possesses this capability and, if so, initiate the self-righting mechanism as per your specific manufacturer’s instructions. This will help upright the boat swiftly and minimize any further complications.

Step 7: Teamwork is Essential Maintain a collective mindset throughout the ordeal by fostering teamwork amongst crew members and passengers. Assign roles to individuals based on their abilities, such as staying close to less confident swimmers or assisting in communication efforts. Cooperation plays a vital role in maximizing everyone’s safety during a catamaran capsizing event.

Step 8: Abandon Ship If Necessary In extreme situations where the catamaran cannot be successfully righted or is taking on significant water , abandoning ship may become necessary. Ensure that everyone is aware of emergency escape routes and how to properly use life rafts or other flotation devices for evacuation. Stay together as a group to increase visibility for rescuers and minimize potential risks of separation.

Conclusion: No sailor desires to experience the unsettling event of a catamaran capsizing; however, being well-prepared significantly improves your chances of overcoming such an incident unscathed. By following this step-by-step guide with composure, careful assessment, effective communication, teamwork, and necessary equipment utilization, you will empower yourself and others with confidence when facing such circumstances at sea. Remember: Safety should always remain paramount on any sailing adventure !

Frequently Asked Questions about Catamaran Capsizing

Are you a catamaran enthusiast or someone interested in the world of sailing? If so, you may have heard about catamaran capsizing and the potential risks involved. In this blog post, we will delve into frequently asked questions about catamaran capsizing to provide you with a detailed professional explanation . So let’s dive right in!

1. What is catamaran capsizing? Catamaran capsizing refers to the situation where a catamaran boat overturns or flips onto its side or completely upside down due to various external factors such as strong winds, large waves, or improperly distributed weight on the vessel.

2. What are the common causes of catamaran capsizing? There are several factors that can contribute to a catamaran capsizing. Some of the most common causes include extreme weather conditions such as high winds and heavy waves, sudden shifts in wind direction, improper handling by sailors, insufficient crew experience or training, overloading of equipment or passengers, and structural issues with the boat itself.

3. How likely is it for a catamaran to capsize ? While catamarans are generally considered stable vessels, there is still a chance of capsizing under certain circumstances. The likelihood of capsizing depends on various factors including the size and design of the catamaran, prevailing weather conditions, crew skills and experience levels, and adherence to safety protocols.

4. Can you prevent catamarans from capsizing altogether? While it is impossible to completely eliminate all risks associated with sailing on a catamaran , there are measures that can be taken to minimize the chances of capsizing. These include proper weight distribution on board by evenly distributing passengers and equipment across both hulls, regular maintenance checks and repairs to ensure structural integrity of the vessel, acquiring adequate knowledge about weather patterns before setting sail , keeping an eye on changing wind conditions during trips, and investing in appropriate safety equipment such as life jackets and flotation devices.

5. What should I do if my catamaran capsizes? In the unfortunate event that your catamaran capsizes, it is crucial to remain calm and follow proper safety protocols. Firstly, make sure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket and accounted for. Attempt to right the boat by applying appropriate techniques learned through training or seek professional assistance if necessary. If unable to overturn the catamaran, seek refuge on top of the inverted hulls until rescue arrives or until you are able to safely swim to shore, depending on the proximity of land.

6. Are there any measures in place to enhance catamaran safety? Absolutely! In many sailing communities, there are regulatory bodies and organizations that promote safe sailing practices for catamarans. These can include mandatory safety inspections for vessels, standardized training programs for skippers and crew members, guidelines on weight distribution limits, and recommendations regarding suitable weather conditions for outings.

7. Is catamaran capsizing more dangerous than monohulls? Both catamarans and monohulls have their own unique characteristics when it comes to capsizing risks. While a monohull may be more prone to rolling over completely due to its single hull design, a catamaran is more likely to capsize onto its side or invert partially due to its dual-hull configuration. Both scenarios can present dangers depending on several factors such as sea state , weather conditions, crew experience level, and rescue accessibility.

8. Can I still enjoy sailing on a catamaran without worrying about capsizing? Absolutely! The joy of sailing on a well-maintained and properly operated catamaran far outweighs the potential risks associated with capsizing events. By taking appropriate precautions such as ensuring crew competency level matches prevailing conditions, adhering to weight distribution guidelines set by manufacturers or designers, using reliable weather forecasting services before embarking on trips, and practicing emergency drills with your crew, you can greatly minimize the chance of experiencing a capsizing event.

So there you have it – the frequently asked questions about catamaran capsizing. We hope this detailed professional, witty and clever explanation has shed some light on this topic and provided valuable insights for anyone considering sailing on a catamaran . Remember to always prioritize safety when enjoying your sailing adventures !

The Anatomy of a Catamaran Capsize: Key Factors to Consider

Catamarans are known for their outstanding stability and performance in the water. However, despite their impressive design, these amazing vessels are not immune to capsizing under certain conditions. Understanding the anatomy of a catamaran capsize is essential for sailors and boat enthusiasts alike, as it allows us to learn how to prevent such incidents and ensure our safety when navigating these remarkable watercraft.

One of the key factors that can lead to a catamaran capsize is excessive wind or gusts. While increased wind is generally advantageous for sailing, when coupled with strong currents or waves, it can create an unbalanced force on the boat, increasing the risk of tipping over. A sudden violent gust or wind shift can catch even seasoned sailors off guard, making it crucial to stay vigilant and react promptly by adjusting sails or heading into the wind to reduce pressure on them.

Another vital aspect contributing to a catamaran capsize is weight distribution. Catamarans rely heavily on their wide hulls for stability, which can sometimes lead novice sailors to overlook the significance of proper weight distribution within the vessel. If there is an excess load on one side due to unevenly distributed cargo or passengers congregating in one area of the boat, it can destabilize the catamaran and make it more prone to flipping over during challenging weather conditions .

In addition to excessive wind and poor weight distribution, wave action plays a significant role in catamaran disasters. When powerful waves crash against a catamaran’s hulls at certain angles or heights, they exert tremendous forces that can easily overcome its stability measures. For instance, if caught by an unexpected large wave while crossing a bar entrance or maneuvering through narrow channels where choppy seas prevail, there’s a higher possibility of encountering instability issues that may potentially result in capsize.

Furthermore, sail handling skills are critical when trying to prevent a catamaran from capsizing. A catamaran’s sail plan is designed to optimize performance, but this also means that sail forces can become excessive in challenging conditions. If the sails are not appropriately adjusted or if inexperienced sailors fail to anticipate gusts and adjust accordingly, the boat may be overwhelmed by the power of the wind, leading to an alarming loss of control and potential capsize.

Lastly, seaworthiness is a fundamental consideration when it comes to preventing catamaran capsizes. Regular maintenance and inspections should be conducted to ensure that all vital components such as rigging, rudders, and hull integrity are in impeccable condition. Proper communication equipment should also be onboard at all times to allow for quick distress calls or requests for assistance during unforeseen emergencies.

To conclude, understanding the various factors contributing to a catamaran capsize is essential for any sailor or boat enthusiast who wishes to embark on this exhilarating water adventure. By recognizing the crucial role of excessive wind, weight distribution, wave action, sail handling skills, and seaworthiness precautions, individuals can minimize their risk of encountering a catastrophic event while enjoying the pleasures of sailing on these beautiful vessels. So before setting out on your next catamaran voyage, make sure you’re well-prepared and equipped with safety knowledge that will keep you sailing smoothly !

Top Safety Tips for Avoiding and Surviving a Catamaran Capsize

Title: Navigating the High Seas: Top Safety Tips for Avoiding and Surviving a Catamaran Capsize

Introduction:

The allure of catamarans lies in their ability to skim across the water, effortlessly harnessing the wind’s power . However, as with any water-based activity, accidents can happen. Understanding the necessary precautions and knowing how to react in dire circumstances is paramount to ensure your safety while enjoying this thrilling experience . In this blog post, we present you with our comprehensive guide on top safety tips for avoiding and surviving a catamaran capsize. So buckle up; we’re about to set sail into the world of nautical preparedness!

1. Choose Your Vessel Wisely:

Your primary defense against a capsizing event starts with selecting a suitable catamaran . Ensure that it has appropriate stability features like outriggers or pontoons that offer additional buoyancy in case of rough waters or sudden gusts of wind. Additionally, always check the weather forecast before embarking on your journey to avoid unfavorable conditions.

2. Master Your Catamaran Handling Skills:

Knowledge and expertise are priceless while cruising aboard a catamaran. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with your vessel’s manual, understanding all systems and controls entirely—training courses and sailing schools can be excellent resources for acquiring essential skills such as docking maneuvers, navigation techniques, and emergency drills.

3. Keep an Eye on Weight Distribution:

A well-distributed weight load enhances stability significantly during transfers of power between hulls when riding waves or strong gusts. Ensure that weighty gear is evenly distributed between both hulls, taking care not to place excessive weight on one side which may lead to imbalance and potential tipping.

4. Rigorous Pre-sailing Checks:

Prior to setting sail , conduct thorough pre-departure checks focused on key safety areas such as rigging tension, mast integrity, hull conditions (including hatches), rudder alignment, and electronics functionality. Moreover, make it a habit to inspect the vessel’s keels, ensuring they are free from any debris or obstruction that might affect stability.

5. Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Never underestimate the importance of PPE for all onboard. Each crew member should be equipped with a well-fitting personal flotation device (PFD) suited for their weight and body type. Additionally, wearing non-slip footwear and donning protective clothing against sunburns will keep you comfortable throughout your journey.

6. Maintain Constant Vigilance:

While the joys of sailing can sometimes be entrancing, maintaining constant situational awareness is crucial aboard a catamaran. Always keep an eye out for sudden changes in wind direction or intensity, potential obstacles such as submerged rocks or reefs, and other moving vessels that may pose collision risks.

7. Execute Controlled Gybes:

Performing controlled gybes (turning the boat downwind) helps mitigate risks associated with strong gusts during maneuvers. By gradually turning instead of executing sharp turns, you reduce the chances of capsizing due to abrupt shifts in wind pressure on the sail .

8. React Swiftly During Capsizing:

Despite taking every possible precautionary measure, there may still be instances where your catamaran capsizes unexpectedly. If this happens, stay calm and remember these essential steps: hold on to something secure within the hull if accessible, prioritize assessing everyone’s safety first before attempting self-rescue; avoid panicking or swimming away from your vessel since it serves as a rescue platform until help arrives.

Conclusion:

Sailing aboard a catamaran provides an exhilarating experience loaded with adventure and serenity; however, being aware of potential risks associated with capsizing is vital to ensure a safe voyage. By following our top safety tips outlined above – choosing the right vessel, mastering handling skills, maintaining correct weight distribution, conducting rigorous pre-sail checks – you can vastly reduce the likelihood of a catamaran capsize. Remember, staying prepared and acting wisely during such an event is paramount to your survival at sea. So, bon voyage, fellow enthusiasts, and may the winds always be in your favor!

Exploring the Aftermath: Recovering from a Catamaran Capsize

Picture yourself sailing peacefully on a gorgeous sunny day, only to have your serene experience shattered by a sudden and unexpected event – a devastating catamaran capsize. It’s an unfortunate incident that can turn your joyful sailing adventure into a daunting and stressful situation . However, fear not! In this blog post, we will dive deep into the aftermath of a catamaran capsize and discuss the steps required to recover both physically and mentally from such an ordeal. So, grab your life jackets and let’s set sail into understanding the complexities of post-capsize recovery!

1. Assessing the Immediate Situation:

When faced with a catamaran capsize, it is crucial to remain calm and composed. Your immediate priority should be ensuring everyone’s safety onboard. Quickly conduct a headcount to account for all crew members while simultaneously checking for injuries or potential dangers in the surrounding environment such as debris or submerged objects.

2. Activating Emergency Signals and Communication Systems:

Once you have secured everyone’s safety, it is vital to activate emergency signals promptly. Utilize any available communication systems to notify nearby vessels or shore authorities about your predicament. This will enable them to dispatch rescue services swiftly, minimizing the time spent adrift.

3. Maneuvering Towards Stability:

With safety measures in place, it’s time to focus on stabilizing your catamaran after its terrifying roll-over incident. Depending on various factors such as water conditions and vessel type , there are multiple techniques you can employ for righting your capsized craft. Perhaps using auxiliary flotation devices or relying on collective crew effort, these methods may vary but share one common goal – restoring stability safely.

4.Controlling Water Intake:

Catamarans may suffer extensive damage during capsize incidents resulting in water flooding their hulls rapidly; thus controlling water intake becomes crucial for successful recovery efforts. Energetically employ bilge pumps or any other available means to eliminate excessive water ingress, as this allows your vessel to regain buoyancy and maneuverability.

5. Assessing the Extent of Damages:

Once stability is restored, it’s time to conduct a thorough inspection of your catamaran. Assess the extent of damages inflicted during the capsize incident carefully. Pay close attention to critical components such as rigging, sails, hull integrity, and safety equipment. Identifying potential structural issues upfront will aid in subsequent repair and recovery plans.

6. Towing or Sail-Assisted Recovery:

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of damage incurred, it’s time to plan your recovery strategy. Depending on the severity of damages and proximity to help, you may choose between towing your craft back to land or utilizing its remaining sailing capabilities for a sail -assisted return home. Remember, ensuring everyone’s safety remains paramount throughout this decision-making process.

7. Seeking Professional Assistance:

Involving an experienced maritime professional during post-capsize recovery can prove invaluable. They can offer expert advice regarding vessel repairs and assist in making critical decisions about whether immediate repairs are necessary or if repatriating via tow should take precedence.

8. Debriefing and Reflecting:

Finally, once your catamaran is safely repaired or taken for professional assistance; it is essential to reflect upon the tumultuous experience openly with your crew members and those involved in the rescue operation. A debriefing session will not only provide closure but also contribute towards bolstering future safety practices and enhancing preparedness for similar emergencies.

Facing a catamaran capsize might send waves of panic through even the most seasoned sailors; however, with proper preparation, quick thinking, and adherence to safety protocols outlined above – recovering from such an unpredictable event becomes feasible both physically and mentally.

Embrace every opportunity for learning from this experience while acknowledging the resilience displayed by yourself and your crew. Sail on, knowing that you now possess the knowledge to navigate through the aftermath of a catamaran capsize with confidence and grace. Bon voyage!

Can a Sailboat Flip Over? How to Prevent It

You feel your sailboat is a seaworthy vessel, and it’s certainly never did anything to change your mind. Well, until the last time you went out for a day on the water.

It was a bit windy and you felt your sailboat sort of rocking. You admittedly got concerned. The whole experience has you wondering, can a sailboat flip over? How would you prevent such a thing?

So can a Sailboat Flip Over? Yes, sailboats can flip or roll over, which is also referred to as capsizing. To prevent this from happening, make sure you do the following:

Don’t ride your sailboat in inclement weather, including strong winds, rains, lightning, and thunder
Don’t attach your boat’s anchor line to the stern, but rather, the bow as you anchor your boat
Don’t turn too quickly
Keep people contained near the gunwale but not outside of it for boat stability and balance
Maintain a low center of gravity by asking everyone to stay seated for the sailboat ride
Avoid weighing down your boat with too much cargo or too many passengers
Make sure all passengers avoid using the motor cover, seat backs, the bow, or the gunwale as a place to sit

In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about your sailboat flipping over or capsizing. That includes what it is, why it happens, and what to do if your own boat flips. We’ll also expand on the above pointers for preventing a capsizing incident.

What Is Sailboat Flipping?

Sailboat flipping or rolling is more commonly referred to as capsizing. Any boat can capsize, but sailboats often have a higher chance of doing so. Why is that? Well, just look at the design of a sailboat.

In bigger boats, the keel is heavier to create more balance and make this vessel harder to capsize. Could it still happen? Sure, but it’s not nearly as likely. If you own a smaller sailboat, then the keel is similarly sized and weighted, meaning it’s small, too.

Otherwise, your boat would be all lopsided. A smaller, weaker keel cannot withstand as much force as a bigger sailboat’s keel could. Therefore, all it takes is a strong wind and your boat could tip.

Then you have to think about what happens you when you heel your sailboat. This already leans you strongly at one angle, either left or right. Again, on a particularly windy day, it wouldn’t take much from there to push you over.

Let’s rewind for a moment and define what capsizing is for clarity’s sake. Also referred to as keeling over, flipping over, or rolling over, capsizing is when your boat loses its balance in the water. It may tip to one side and fall there. In some instances, the boat could even flip upside down.

For small vessels, a boat that’s turned completely upside down or inverted is referred to as a turn turtle. While the name might be amusing, if you capsize or turtle, you need to do what you can immediately to turn your sailboat back over. Lives are at stake, after all. The process of correcting the turn-over, called righting, is something you should learn.

How Is It Caused?

Okay, now that you understand a bit more about capsizing, let’s talk about the factors that could cause your sailboat to flip over and even turtle on the water, shall we?

Improper Heeling

A lot of capsizing incidents could be avoided by learning proper boating techniques. In sailing, you will heel, or angle your boat left or right, typically to turn or do other maneuvers such as tacking or jibing. As we said in the last section, this already puts you in a pretty vulnerable predicament, because you’re practically tipping your boat over yourself.

You may capsize the first few times you go out on your sailboat and learn how to heel. It’s almost expected of you as a small boat owner. By practicing your heeling and following the other advice in this section (and the rest of this article), you’ll feel more confident in your abilities and exert more control over the boat. That in turn makes you less likely to capsize.

Inclement Weather

When you go boating, we assume you’re choosing a temperate day in which to do so. It can be sunny or even a little bit overcast, but one thing you don’t want? A lot of wind. Wind is the natural enemy of any boater, and that goes for hulking vessels like pontoon boats to smaller ones like your sailboat.

It’s true that sailboats need a little wind, but it’s important to distinguish between a nice breeze and gusts that are pushing 15 miles per hour.

When the weather gets too windy, controlling your boat becomes that much harder to do. You can’t predict what will happen with the weather, which puts you at a greater risk of capsizing. Now, riding with the wind is your best bet in such a situation rather than trying to fight it. Anytime you attempt to fight the wind, trust us when we say you’ll lose in your sailboat. There’s no getting around it.

So yes, it’s possible to ride with the wind on a particularly blustery day, but that doesn’t mean you should want to. The best means of surviving a windy day on your boat is to avoid going out in one in the first place.

Inclement weather includes more than just wind, of course. Rain and thunderstorms also count. This kind of weather brings with it choppy waters, strong winds, and pelting rains that impede visibility. If you try to ride in such conditions, capsizing is all but a guarantee, and it may even happen more than once.

It’s crucial you check the weather forecast ahead of time for the day you plan on riding your sailboat. Then, the day of, make sure you look at the weather one more time so you can confirm the forecast didn’t change. If you can, use an app for this, and make sure you review the hourly predictions so you know your entire day is clear.

If there’s a 50 or 60 percent chance of rain or strong winds for the day, it’s better to postpone your ride for a clearer, brighter day. There are always other opportunities.

Sailboats are relatively durable, sure, but that doesn’t mean their parts hold up forever. Fittings and other seams and seals can slowly degrade, allowing water to get into the boat. Sometimes it seeps into compartments you can’t easily access and other times it’s more overt, covering the floor of your sailboat.

Both situations are no good. A boat that’s flooding or leaking will fill with water, getting weighed down as it does. What happens when you throw a rock in a lake? It sinks straight to the bottom. Your boat becomes like that rock, getting pulled under.

Hopefully, you can detect a leak before it ever gets to the point where your boat is unrecoverable. Once you notice something’s gone wrong, you want to get your sailboat to land. Then, when you’re out of danger, you can assess the severity of the leak. You may find you can patch it up yourself or you might want to let a professional take care of it.

In the future, buy boats with high-quality fittings, such as bronze or stainless steel. They should hold up better than the cheap ones that may have come with your boat originally.

Too Much Weight Onboard

We told you before that a chief reason for capsizing is user error, and we weren’t kidding. Every boat, from a single-person canoe to a large pontoon boat and full sized sailboats, has what’s called a weight capacity. They have to, or else you wouldn’t know how much weight you could safely stow aboard your vessel.

Sometimes you have to look on the manufacturer’s website and other times you’ll need to read through the owner’s manual to figure out exactly what your boat’s weight limit is. Once you know, it’s crucial you follow that limit down to the letter. If you don’t and you bring too much cargo or one too many passengers, guess what will happen? You’re probably going to capsize.

Why? The boat can’t handle the extra weight. Also, more than likely, you didn’t distribute the weight evenly. If you have cargo all clustered in one corner or your passengers sitting to one side, that side of the boat now has a lot more weight than the other. When you maneuver your sailboat, you’ll feel like you’re heeling even though you’re not. The heavier side will lean closer to the water and could even slip right in, flipping you over.

Going Too Fast

Yet another user error mistake that can capsize your sailboat is speeding. Look, sailboats aren’t particularly quick vessels. Their cruising speed hovers somewhere around 12 MPH. Others can only traverse the water at 8 MPH. You’re not going to win any boat races in a sailboat, but that’s okay. If you wanted to do that, you’d get a deck boat. Sailboats are meant for leisurely experiences.

Pushing your sailboat to the limits of its speed will almost always result in you getting turned over or rolling the boat on its side. You become too unstable taking tight turns at a higher speed. It’s much better to go slow.

Modifying Your Sailboat

If your sailboat’s warranty already expired or you never had one to begin with, then you might have felt the itch to modify the boat. You thought you added some cool design flourishes or made it more functional in another way, but did you consider the sailboat’s stability in the process?

By tinkering too much, your boat can become unstable on the water and thus dangerous to use. You should probably contemplate undoing whatever changes you made or you will run a higher risk of capsizing when you use the boat.

How to Avoid Flipping Your Sailboat Over

You’re right in wanting to avoid capsizing your sailboat. To that end, make sure you follow the advice we present in this section.

Avoid Inclement Weather

As we discussed earlier in the article, strong winds, rough waves, and heavy rains are not great riding conditions for your sailboat. Use a weather app or watch the TV news to get a feel for the forecast and then make smart choices.

Know How to Anchor Your Boat

When you go to anchor your sailboat, you want to make sure you connect the anchor line properly. Avoid attaching it to your sailboat’s stern. Instead, you want to tie the line to your bow. This setup will provide the most stability for your sailboat, keeping it from tipping over while anchored.

Don’t Rush Your Turns

We also mentioned how trying to speed up in a sailboat is not only difficult (since they only go about 12 MPH at most), but a dangerous choice, too. Whether through inexperience, nervousness, or a curiosity to push the limits, don’t try to see what your boat can do by speeding up when turning. You’ll end up turtled or rolled over.

Don’t Let Passengers Get Too Close to the Gunwale

Your sailboat’s gunwale is the upper edge along the boat’s sides. If that doesn’t sound like a great place to have people sit or rest, that’s because it’s not. If your passengers’ shoulders extend past the gunwale, then you’re already putting your boat’s stability at risk.

Keep a Low Center of Gravity

To maintain your center of gravity and keep it low, ensure that once the boat is in motion that no one moves, even to stand up. Double-check, even triple-check with your passengers that they’re all good before you set sail. From there, remind everyone that they have to stay where they are for the duration of the ride.

Don’t Let Passengers Sit Anywhere Else but in Seats/Chairs

Where your passengers sit matters, too. Once you’re past idle speed, no one should sit on the pedestal seats. You also want to avoid having your passengers use the motor cover, seat backs, bow, or gunwale as makeshift chairs. None of these are meant for people sit on. Not only can your passengers potentially break these boat parts, but this puts a lot of extra weight on the sailboat, disturbing the weight balance.

Which Boats Are Most Likely to Capsize?

According to boating resource BoatUS , the smaller your boat is, the higher the risk it’s at of capsizing. They mention that boats between 15 and 19 feet have a 41 percent chance of tipping over. Slightly bigger boats 20 to 24 feet will capsize 26 percent of the time.

If your boat is more than 25 feet, you have an 18-percent chance of capsizing, the lowest risk.

So, if you’re sailing a dinghy of 8-10 feet, you will have a significantly higher risk of capsizing compared to bigger sailboats. We know that capsizing a dinghy is not causing much damage but still it is not a welcoming experience.

However, when for example a 38 feet sailboat tips over, this will definitely put a lot of strain on the rigging and mast and generally it causes a lot of damage to the boat.

Sailboats that have fixed keels are less prone to capsizing in the wild waters. This is because the keel hold the ballast that keeps the boat right-side-up and provide stability to it. And therefore it minimizes the risk of the boat’s capsizing. Even if a boat with fixed keel do tip over, the keel will forces the boat to right itself again.

What to Do When You Capsize

Okay, so the worst just happened and you capsized. Now what?

Well, first off, you want to check yourself. Are you injured? Has a part of the boat fallen on you, preventing you from moving? If you’re free to get away, then you want to look for the rest of your passengers.

Do you see them all close by or is someone missing? If so, you need to look for them. If everyone wears life vests, then finding passengers shouldn’t prove too hard.

Once you have everyone safe and sound, next, you want to address your sailboat. It may have just tipped over on its side. In that case, try to access it by climbing up on it. If you and a few other passengers can upright the boat, then do it. Some boats can right themselves, they have a so called self-righting keel which really comes in handy when capsized.

If the boat has turned completely over, you probably can’t roll it back upright when you’re in the water. You’ll want to wait until you feel ready and able to swim to shore. If that’s not possible, try to get on the boat so you’re out of the water. Then, flag down help. Otherwise, make sure you float, as this can lessen your chances of getting hypothermia compared to treading water.

Avoiding Capsizing And Swamping

Three boaters are plucked from the water 25 miles offshore after their boat capsized. Learn how to prevent getting into this mess in the first place.

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard

A day out on the water led to three men being rescued by good Samaritans some 25 miles offshore of Hernando Beach, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico. The trio, all wearing life jackets, were pulled November 2, 2019, from the overturned hull of a 26-foot Sea Fox center-console.

An EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) set off from the capsized boat triggered a response from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater. A C-130 aircrew dropped a life raft to three people, but a nearby good Samaritan aboard a power catamaran was first on scene and took the three men aboard. There were no reported injuries. Watch a video of the incredible rescue above.

A Look At The Numbers

A capsize is defined as a boat rolling over onto its side or completely over. Swamping typically means that a boat fills with water (often from capsizing) but remains floating.

What causes boats to capsize and swamp? In a word: instability. Boats are inherently stable until something causes them to become unstable. That something is weight — where it is and how much it is determines when a boat will tip over far enough to capsize or fill with water.

In an analysis of five years of GEICO | BoatUS Marine Insurance claims that involved capsizes and swampings, we learned what you can do to prevent this from happening in your own boat. Here's what we learned:

Nearly all capsizes can be assigned to one of three causes: too much or poorly distributed weight , leaky vessels , and bad weather .
The majority of incidents occur on small boats. Nearly 10% were 8-footers (such as dinghies). The largest group (41%) was in the 15- to 19-foot range. These boats were typically fishing boats with large, hard-to-drain cockpits, sometimes in poor weather, and sometimes overloaded. A quarter of the pie (26%) comprises boats 20 to 24 feet. Half of those were outboard-powered 22 footers. Larger boats tend to be more stable and rarely capsize.
Life jackets can buy extra time until you're rescued, but they have to be worn to work. BoatUS Foundation tests showed that even modest waves can make it very difficult to don a life jacket when you're in the water — a job made harder still if you have to search for one after capsizing.

Most power boats built before 1972 have no flotation and will sink out from under the crew if swamped.

Weighty Issues

Small boats are much more susceptible to an extra person or two or a couple heavy coolers aboard than larger boats.
Older boats may have gained weight over the years as more gear is stored aboard or the hull has absorbed water.
On boats with cockpit drains, a heavy friend or a second cooler might be all it takes to make the water come back in through the drains.
Most boats under 20 feet are required to have flotation. They also must have a capacity plate that states how much weight and how many people can be safely aboard.
Exceeding the capacity limits, even in calm water, is asking for trouble. In many states, operators can be ticketed for it.
Safe passenger loading is controlled by the number of "underway seating positions." So two slim adults taking four or five small children out for a spin on a boat designed to seat four is a big safety risk, even though the total passenger weight might be well under the boat's stated capacity.
Weight distribution is almost as important as the amount. Too many people on one side of the boat (Hey, look at that whale!) forces the gunwale too far down, potentially allowing water to pour in.

Pontoon boats are generally more stable than monohulls, but even they can be capsized by an unbalanced load. (Photo: John Silver)

Some boat manufacturers label upper decks on larger boats to indicate how many passengers can be on them. Weight that is substantially above the waterline raises the boat's center of gravity and makes the boat less stable.
Installing a four-stroke engine on an older boat can add 10% to 15% more weight than it was designed for. Water can backflow into the cockpit.
Fishermen and hunters in small boats can make their boats unstable simply by standing up because their center of gravity rises.
Capsizes can be caused by modifications that affect the stability of the boat. Contact the manufacturer or a naval architect if you're unsure how a modification will affect stability.

Leaky Vessels

Sometimes it's as simple as forgetting to put the drain plug in. Other times it's leaking fittings. Tying the drain plug to your boat key is a simple way to remember the plug.
Water sloshing around the bottom of the boat affects stability, and waves or a wake can cause it to flip.
Leaking fittings are usually out of sight, often in livewells and bait boxes. Several claims were reported when an owner installed a livewell fitting using cheap PVC pipes and valves, and at least one livewell had no shutoff valve at all with no way to stop the ingress of water once it began leaking.
Any fitting that penetrates the hull needs to be closeable and should be made from stainless steel, bronze, or Marelon.
Some livewells are plumbed in such a way that they'll flood the boat if the valve is left open while underway.
Many older outboard-powered boats have low transom cutouts that can cause the boat to flood simply by slowing down too quickly, especially with extra wight in the stern. Newer boats have a well that reduces the risk.
Some boats have cockpits that drain into the bilge (generally considered a poor design), requiring the use of a bilge pump to even stay afloat. Bilge pumps are designed to remove nuisance water only, not to keep a boat from sinking. If you boat's cockpit drains into the bilge, be aware that if the bilge pump fails, your boat can fill with water and capsize or sink.

Large waves can overwhelm a boat and cause it to capsize. Keeping the bow into the waves can prevent the boat from rolling.

Bad Weather

Small boats are easily overwhelmed by modest waves or even wake, especially if they've got a full load and sit low in the water.
A sudden squall can flip even a larger boat. Check the weather forecast before you go out and keep a weather eye on the sky.
In most areas, NOAA broadcasts continuous weather via VHF radio. If you're within range, smartphone apps can show you detailed weather maps, including radar, which can indicate approaching storms.
Weather changes quickly on the water, so at the first sign of bad weather, head back to the dock. If you're caught out in a squall, have your passengers stay low near the center of the boat to maintain stability.

The truth about ceramic coatings for boats.

Our editor investigates the marketing claims of consumer-grade ceramic coatings.

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Multihull Capsize Risk Check

Waves, squalls, and inattention to trim and helm contribute to instability..

In recent years we’ve seen a surge in interest in multihulls. Thirty years ago, when my experience with cruising multihulls began, nearly all of the skippers served an apprenticeship with beach cats, learning their quirks by the seat of their pants. They hiked out on trapezes and flew head-over-heels past their pitch-pole prone Hobie 16s, until they learned the importance of keeping weight way aft on a reach and bearing off when the lee bow began to porpoise.

By contrast, the new generation of big cat buyers skipped this learning process, learning on monohulls or even choosing a big stable cat as their first boat. Heck, nobody even builds real beach cats anymore, only pumped up racing machines and rotomolded resort toys. So we’re guessing there are a few things these first-time cruising multihull sailors don’t know, even if they have sailed cruising cats before.

It is extremely hard to capsize a modern cruising cat. Either a basic disregard for seamanship or extreme weather is required. But no matter what the salesman tells you (“none of our boats have ever …”), it can happen. A strong gust with sail up or a breaking wave in a survival storm can do it. And when a multihull goes over, they don’t come back.

Trimarans tend to be more performance oriented than catamarans. In part, this is because it’s easier to design a folding trimaran, and as a result Farrier, Corsair, and Dragonfly trimarans had a disproportionate share of the market.

In spite of this and in spite of the fact that many are raced aggressively in windy conditions, capsizes are few, certainly fewer than in equivalent performance catamaran classes. But when they do go over, they do so in different ways.

Trimarans have greater beam than catamarans, making them considerably more resistant to capsize by wind alone, whether gusts or sustained wind. They heel sooner and more than catamaran, giving more warning that they are over powered.

Waves are a different matter. The amas are generally much finer, designed for low resistance when sailing deeply immersed to windward. As a result, trimarans are more susceptible to broach and capsize when broad reaching at high speed or when caught on the beam by a large breaking wave.

In the first case, the boat is sailing fast and overtaking waves. You surf down a nice steep one, into the backside of the next one, the ama buries up to the beam and the boat slows down. The apparent wind increases, the following wave lifts the transom, and the boat slews into a broach. If all sail is instantly eased, the boat will generally come back down, even from scary levels of heel, but not always.

In the second case a large wave breaks under the boat, pulling the leeward ama down and rolling the boat. Catamarans, on the other hand, are more likely to slide sideways when hit by a breaking wave, particularly if the keels are shallow (or raised in the case of daggerboards), because the hulls are too big to be forced under. They simply get dragged to leeward, alerting the crew that it is time to start bearing off the wind.

Another place the numbers leave us short is ama design. In the 70s and 80s, most catamarans were designed with considerable flare in the bow, like other boats of the period. This will keep the bow from burying, right? Nope. When a hull is skinny it can always be driven through a wave, and wide flare causes a rapid increase in drag once submerged, causing the boat to slow and possibly pitchpole.

Hobie Cat sailors know this well. More modern designs either eliminate or minimize this flare, making for more predictable behavior in rough conditions. A classic case is the evolution of Ian Farrier’s designs from bows that flare above the waterline to a wave-piercing shape with little flare, no deck flange, increased forward volume, and reduced rocker (see photos page 18). After more than two decades of designing multihulls, Farrier saw clear advantages of the new bow form. The F-22 is a little faster, but more importantly, it is less prone to broach or pitchpole, allowing it to be driven harder.

Beam and Stability

The stability index goes up with beam. Why isn’t more beam always better? Because as beam increases, a pitchpole off the wind becomes more likely, both under sail and under bare poles. (The optimum length-to-beam ratios is 1.7:1 – 2.2:1 for cats and 1.2:1-1.8:1 for trimarans.) Again, hull shape and buoyancy also play critical roles in averting a pitchpole, so beam alone shouldn’t be regarded as a determining factor.

Drogues and Chutes

While monohull sailors circle the globe without ever needing their drogues and sea anchors, multihulls are more likely to use them. In part, this is because strategies such as heaving to and lying a hull don’t work for multihulls. Moderate beam seas cause an uncomfortable snap-roll, and sailing or laying ahull in a multihull is poor seamanship in beam seas.

Fortunately, drogues work better with multihulls. The boats are lighter, reducing loads. They rise over the waves, like a raft. Dangerous surfing, and the risk of pitchpole and broach that comes with it, is eliminated. There’s no deep keel to trip over to the side and the broad beam increases the lever arm, reducing yawing to a bare minimum.

Speed-limiting drogues are often used by delivery skippers simply to ease the motion and take some work off the autopilot. By keeping her head down, a wind-only capsize becomes extremely unlikely, and rolling stops, making for an easy ride. A properly sized drogue will keep her moving at 4-6 knots, but will not allow surfing, and by extension, pitch poling.

For more information on speed limiting drogues, see “ How Much Drag is a Drogue? ” PS , September 2016.

Capsize Case Studies

Knock wood, we’ve never capsized a cruising multihull (beach cat—plenty of times), but we have pushed them to the edge of the envelope, watched bows bury, and flown multi-ton hulls to see just how the boat liked it and how fast she would go. We’re going to tell you about these experiences and what can be learned from them, so you don’t have to try it.

First, it helps to examine a few examples of some big multihull capsizes.

Techtronics 35 catamaran, John Shuttleworth design

This dramatic pitchpole occurred in a strong breeze some 30 years ago. In order to combine both great speed and reasonable accommodation, the designer incorporated considerable flare just above the waterline, resulting in hulls that were skinny and efficient in most conditions, but wide when driven under water in steep chop.

The boat was sailing fast near Nova Scotia, regularly overtaking waves. The bows plowed into a backside of a particularly steep wave, the submerged drag was huge, and the boat stopped on a dime. At the same time, the apparent wind went from about 15 knots into the high 20s, tripling the force on the sails and rapidly lifting the stern over the bow. Some crew were injured, but they all survived.

PDQ 32 Catamaran

On July 4, 2010, the boat’s new owners had scheduled time to deliver their new-to-them boat up the northern California coast. A strong gale was predicted, but against all advice, they left anyway. The boat turned sideways to the confused seas and a breaking wave on the beam capsized the boat. There were no injuries, and the boat was recovered with only moderate damage a few weeks later. Repaired, she is still sailing.

Another PDQ 32 was capsized in the Virgin Islands when a solo sailor went below to tend to something and sailed out of the lee of the island and into a reinforced trade wind.

Sustaining speed with wider tacking angles will help overcome leeway.

Cruising cats can’t go to windward. That’s the rumor, and there’s a kernel of truth to it. Most lack deep keels or dagger boards and ex-charter cats are tragically under canvassed for lighter wind areas, a nod to near universal lack of multihull experience among charter skippers. Gotta keep them safe. But there are a few tricks that make the worst pig passable and the better cats downright weatherly. Those of you that learned your craft racing Hobies and Prindles know most of this stuff, but for the rest of you cruising cat sailors, there’s some stuff the owner’s manual leaves out.

“Tune” the Mast

Having no backstay means that the forestay cannot be kept tight unless you want to turn your boat into a banana and over stress the cap shrouds. Although the spreaders are swept back, they are designed primarily for side force with just a bit of pull on the forestay. The real forestay tension comes from mainsheet tension.

Why is it so important to keep the forestay stay tight? Leeward sag forces cloth into the luff of the genoa, making it fuller and blunting the entry into the wind. The draft moves aft, the slot is pinched, and aerodynamic drag increases. Even worse, leeway (sideslip) increases, further increasing drag and sliding you away from your destination. Sailing a cruising cat to windward is about fine tuning the lift to drag ratio, not just finding more power.

How do you avoid easing the mainsheet in strong winds? First, ease the traveler instead. To avoid pinching the slot, keep the main outhaul tight to flatten the lower portion of the main. Use a smaller jib or roll up some genoa; overlap closes the slot. Reef if need be; it is better to keep a smaller mainsail tight than to drag a loose mainsail upwind, with the resultant loose forestay and clogged slot. You will see monos with the main twisted off in a blow. Ignore them, they are not cruising cats. It is also physically much easier to play the traveler than the main sheet. Be glad you have a wide one.

Check Sheeting Angles

Very likely you do not have enough keel area to support large headsails. As a result, you don’t want the tight genoa lead angles of a deep keeled monohull. All you’ll do is sail sideways. Too loose, on the other hand, and you can’t point. In general, 7-10 degrees is discussed for monos that want to pinch up to 40 degrees true, but 14-16 degrees makes more sense for cruising cats that will sail at no less than 50 degrees true. Rig up some temporary barber haulers and experiment. Then install a permanent Barber-hauler; see “ Try a Barber Hauler for Better Sail Trim ,” Practical Sailor , September 2019.

The result will be slightly wider tacking angles, perhaps 105 degrees including leeway, but this will be faster for you. You don’t have the same hull speed limit, so let that work for you. Just don’t get tempted off onto a reach; you need to steer with the jib not far from luffing.

Watch the fore/aft lead position as well. You want the jib to twist off to match the main. Typically it should be right on the spreaders, but that depends on the spreaders. If you have aft swept shrouds, you may need to roll up a little genoa, to 110% max.

Use your Tell-Tales

On the jib there can be tell-tale ribbons all over, but on the main the only ones that count are on the leech. Keep all but the top one streaming aft. Telltales on the body of sail are confused by either mast turbulence (windward side) or pasted down by jib flow (leeward side) and won’t tell you much. But if the leach telltales suck around to leeward you are over sheeted.

Keep Your Bottom Clean

It’s not just about speed, it’s also pointing angle. Anything that robs speed also makes you go sideways, since with less flow over the foil there will be less lift. Flow over the foils themselves will be turbulent. Nothing slows you down like a dirty bottom.

Reef Wisdom

Push hard, but reef when you need to. You will have the greatest lift vs. windage ratio when you are driving hard. That said, it’s smart to reef most cruising cats well before they lift a hull to avoid overloading the keels. If you are feathering in the lulls or allowing sails to twist off, it’s time to reef.

Don’t Pinch

Pinching (pointing to high) doesn’t work for cats. Get them moving, let the helm get a little lighter (the result of good flow over the rudder and keel), and then head up until the feeling begins to falter. How do you know when it’s right? Experiment with tacking angles (GPS not compass, because you want to include leeway in your figuring) and speed until the pair feel optimized. With a genoa and full main trimmed in well, inside tracks and modified keels, and relatively smooth water, our test PDQ can tack through 100 degrees with the boat on autopilot. Hand steering can do a little better, though it’s not actually faster to windward. If we reef or use the self-tacking jib, that might open up to 110-115 degrees, depending on wave conditions. Reefing the main works better than rolling up jib.

Boats with daggerboards or centerboards. The comments about keeping a tight forestay and importance of a clean bottom are universal. But the reduction in leeway will allow you to point up a little higher, as high as monohulls if you want to. But if you point as high as you can, you won’t go any faster than similar monohulls, and quite probably slower. As a general rule, tacking through less than 90 degrees, even though possible, is not the best strategy. A slightly wider angle, such as 100 degrees, will give a big jump in boat speed with very little leeway.

Chris White Custom 57

In November 2016, winds had been blowing 25-30 knots in stormy conditions about 400 miles north of the Dominican Republic. The main had two reefs in, and the boat was reaching under control at moderate speed when a microburst hit, causing the boat to capsize on its beam. There were no serious injuries.

Another Chris White 57 capsized on July 31, 2010. It had been blowing 18-20 knots and the main had a single reef. The autopilot steered. The wind jumped to 62 knots in a squall and changed direction so quickly that no autopilot could be expected to correct in time.

Gemini 105mC

In 2018, the 34-foot catamaran was sailing in the Gulf of Mexico under full sail at about 6 knots in a 10-15 knot breeze. Squalls had been reported on the VHF. The crew could see a squall line, and decided to run for cover. Before they could get the sails down, the gust front hit, the wind shifted 180 degrees, and the boat quickly went over.

38-foot Roger Simpson Design

The catamaran Ramtha was hit head-on by the infamous Queen’s Birthday storm in 1994. The mainsail was blown out, and steering was lost. Lacking any control the crew was taken off the boat, and the boat was recovered basically unharmed 2 weeks later. A Catalac catamaran caught in the same storm trailed a drogue and came through unharmed. Of the eight vessels that called for help, two were multihulls. Twenty-one sailors were rescued, three aboard the monohull Quartermaster were lost at sea.

15 meter Marsaudon Ts

Hallucine capsized off Portugal on November 11 of this year. This is a high performance cat, in the same general category as the familiar Gunboat series. It was well reefed and the winds were only 16-20 knots. According to crew, it struck a submerged object, and the sudden deceleration caused the boat to capsize.

Multihulls We’ve Sailed

Clearly seamanship is a factor in all of our the previous examples. The watch needs to be vigilant and active. Keeping up any sail during squally weather can be risky. Even in the generally benign tropics, nature quickly can whip up a fury. But it is also true that design choices can impact risk of capsize. Let’s see what the numbers can tell us, and what requires a deeper look.

Stiletto Catamaran

We’ve experienced a number of capsizes both racing and while driving hard in these popular 23-foot catamarans. The combination of light displacement and full bow sections make pitchpoling unlikely, and the result is very high speed potential when broad reaching. Unfortunately, a narrow beam, light weight, and powerful rig result in a low stability factor. The potential for capsize is real when too much sail is up and apparent wind is directly on the beam. The boat can lift a hull in 12 knots true. This makes for exciting sailing when you bring your A-game, but limits the boat to coastal sailing.

Corsair F-24 MK I trimaran

Small and well canvased, these boats can capsize if driven hard (which they often are), but they are broad beamed, short-masted, and designed for windy sailing areas. F-24s are slower off wind than the Stiletto, in part because of greater weight and reduced sail area, but also because the main hull has more rocker and does not plane as well. They are faster to weather and point considerably higher than a Stiletto (90-degree tacking angle vs. 110 degrees). This is the result of greater beam, a more efficient centerboard design, and slender amas that are easily driven in displacement mode. The boat is quite forgiving if reefed.

Going purely by the numbers, this boat seems nearly identical to the F-24. In practice, they sail quite differently. The Dash uses a dagger board instead of centerboard, which is both more hydrodynamic and faster, but more vulnerable to damage if grounded at high speed.

The rotating mast adds power that is not reflected in the numbers. The bridgedeck clearance is higher above the waterline, reducing water drag from wave strikes. The wave-piercing amas create greater stability up wind and off the wind. The result is a boat that is slightly faster than the original F-24 and can be driven much harder off the wind without fear of pitchpole or broach.

Without proper testing, calculating stability yields only a rough picture.

Evaluating multihull performance based on design numbers is a bit more complicated than it is with ballasted, displacement monohulls, whose speed is generally limited by hull form. [Editor’s note: The formula for Performance Index, PI has been updated from the one that originally appeared in the February 2021 issue of Practical Sailor.

The following definitions of units apply to the adjacent table:

SA = sail area in square feet

D (displacement) = weight in pounds

LWL = length of waterline in feet

HCOE = height of sail center of effort above the waterline in feet

B = beam in feet

BCL = beam at the centerline of the hulls in feet.

Since a multihull pivots around the centerline beam, the overall beam is off the point and is not used in formulas. Calculate by subtracting the individual hull beam from the overall beam.

SD ratio = SA/(D/64)^0.66

This ratio gives a measure of relative speed potential on flat water for monohulls, but it doesn’t really work for multihulls.

Bruce number = (SA)^0.5/(D)^0.333

Basically this is the SD ratio for multihulls, it gives a better fit.

Performance index = (SA/HCOE)^0.5 x (D/1000)^0.166

By including the height of the COE and displacement, this ratio reflects the ability of the boat to use that power to sail fast, but it understates the importance of stability to the cruiser.

Stability factor = 9.8*((0.5*BCL*D)/(SA*HCOE))^0.5

This approximates the wind strength in knots required to lift a hull and includes a 40% gust factor. In the adjacent data sheet, we compare the formula’s predicted stability to observed behavior. Based on our experience on the boats represented, the results are roughly accurate.

Ama buoyancy = expressed as a % of total displacement.

Look for ama buoyancy greater than 150% of displacement, and 200 is better. Some early trimaran designs had less than 100 percent buoyancy and would capsize well before flying the center hull. They exhibited high submerged drag when pressed hard and were prone to capsize in breaking waves.

Modern tris have ama buoyancy between 150 and 200 percent of displacement and can fly the center hull, though even racing boats try to keep the center hull still touching. In addition, as a trimaran heels, the downward pressure of wind on the sail increases, increasing the risk of capsize. The initial heel on a trimaran is more than it is on catamarans, and all of that downward force pushes the ama even deeper in the water. Thus, like monohulls, it usually makes sense to keep heel moderate.

These numbers can only be used to predict the rough characteristics of a boat and must be supplemented by experience.

This is the first real cruising multihull in our lineup. A few have capsized. One was the result of the skipper pushing too hard in very gusty conditions with no one on watch. The other occurred when a crew unfamiliar with the boat ignored local wisdom and set sail into near gale conditions.

Although the speed potential of the PDQ 32 and the F-24 are very similar, and the stability index is not very different, the feel in rough conditions is more stable, the result of much greater weight and fuller hull sections.

Like most cruising cats, the PDQs hulls are relatively full in order to provide accommodation space, and as a result, driving them under is difficult. The increased weight slows the motion and damps the impact of gusts. Yes, you can fly a hull in about 25 knots apparent wind (we proved this during testing on flat water with steady winds), and she’ll go 8-9 knots to weather doing it, but this is not something you should ever do with a cruising cat.

Stability by the Numbers

The “stability factor” in the table above (row 14) is based on flatwater conditions, and ignores two additional factors. Unlike monohulls, the wind will press on the underside of the bridgedeck of a multihull once it passes about 25 degrees of heel, pushing it up and over. This can happen quite suddenly when the boat flies off a wave and the underside is suddenly exposed to wind blowing up the slope of the wave. A breaking wave also adds rotational momentum, pitching the windward hull upwards.

Multihulls by the Numbers

Autopilot is a common thread in many capsizes. The gust “came out of no place…” No it didn’t. A beach cat sailor never trusts gusty winds. The autopilot should be disengaged windspeeds and a constant sheet watch is mandatory when gusts reach 30-40 percent of those required to fly a hull, and even sooner if there are tall clouds in the neighborhood. Reef early if a helm watch is too much trouble.

“But surely the sails will blow first, before the boat can capsize?” That would be an expensive lesson, but more to the point, history tells us that well-built sails won’t blow.

“Surely the rig will fail before I can lift a hull?” Again, that could only be the result of appallingly poor design, since a rig that weak will not last offshore and could not be depended on in a storm. Furthermore, good seamanship requires that you be able to put the full power of the rig to work if beating off a lee shore becomes necessary.

Keeping both hulls in the water is up to you. Fortunately, under bare poles and on relatively flat water even smaller cruising cats can take 70 knots on the beam without lifting … but we don’t set out to test that theory, because once it blows for a while over even 40 knots, the real risk is waves.

Everything critical to safety in a blow we learned on beach cats. Like riding a bike, or—better yet—riding a bike off-road, there are lessons learned the hard way, and those lessons stay learned. If you’ve been launched into a pitchpole a few times, the feeling you get just before things go wrong becomes ingrained.

Perhaps you are of a mature age and believe you monohull skills are more than enough to see you through. If you never sail aggressively or get caught in serious weather, you’re probably right.

However, if there’s a cruising cat in your future, a season spent dialing in a beach cat will be time well spent. Certainly, such experience should be a prerequisite for anyone buying a performance multihull. The statement might be a little pointed, but it just makes sense.

Capsize by Wind Alone

Capsizing by wind alone is uncommon on cruising multihulls. Occasionally a performance boat will go over in squally weather. The crew could easily have reefed down or gone to bare poles, but they clung to the idea that they are a sail boat, and a big cat feels so stable under sail—right up until a hull lifts.

Because a multihull cannot risk a knockdown (since that is a capsize), if a squall line is tall and dark, the smart multihull sailors drops all sail. Yes, you could feather up wind, but if the wind shifts suddenly, as gusts often do, the boat may not turn fast enough. Off the wind, few multihulls that can take a violent microburst and not risk a pitchpole. When a squall threatens, why risk a torn sail for a few moments of fast sailing?

You can’t go by angle of heel alone because of wave action. Cat instability begins with the position of the windward hull. Is it flying off waves?

A trimaran’s telltale is submersion of leeward ama. Is the leeward ama more than 30-40 percent under water? The maximum righting angles is a 12-15 degrees for cats and 25-30 degrees for trimarans, but that is on flat water. Once the weather is up, observation of motion becomes far more important. Is the boat falling into a deep trough, or is at about to launch off a steep wave and fly?

Just as monohulls can surprise a new sailor by rounding up and broaching in a breeze, multihulls have a few odd habits that only present themselves just before things go wrong. Excuse the repetition, but the best way to learn to instinctively recognize these signs is by sailing small multihulls.

Sailing Windward

Because of the great beam, instead of developing weather helm as they begin to fly a hull, multihulls can suddenly develop lee helm, causing the boat to bear away and power up at the worst possible moment. This is because the center of drag moves to the lee hull, while the center of drive remains in the center, causing the boat to bear away.

If the boat is a trimaran, with only a center rudder, this rounding up occurs just as steering goes away. This video of a MOD 70 capsize shows how subtle the early warning signs can be ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI2iIY61Lc8 ).

Sailing Downwind

Off the wind, the effect can be the reverse. The lee hull begins to bury, and you decide it is time to bear off, but the submerged lee bow acts like a forward rudder. It moves the center of effort far forward and prevents any turn to leeward. Nearly all trimarans will do this, because the amas are so fine. The solution is to bear away early, before the ama buries—or better yet, to reef.

Conclusions

We’re not trying to scare you off multi-hulls. Far from it. As you can probably tell, I am truly addicted. Modern designs have well-established reputation seaworthiness.

But multihull seaworthiness and seamanship are different from monohulls, and some of those differences are only apparent when you press the boat very hard, harder than will ever experience in normal weather and outside of hard racing. These subtle differences have caught experienced sailors by surprise, especially if their prior experience involved only monohulls or cruising multihulls that were never pressed to the limit.

Although the numbers only tell part of the story, pay attention to a boat’s stability index. You really don’t want an offshore cruising boat that needs to be reefed below 22-25 knots apparent. Faster boats can be enjoyable, but they require earlier reefing and a more active sailing style.

When squalls threaten or the waves get big, take the appropriate actions and take them early, understanding that things happen faster. And don’t forget: knockdowns are not recoverable. It is satisfying to have a boat that has a liferaft-like stability, as long as you understand how to use it.

Technical Editor Drew Frye is the author of “Rigging Modern Anchors.” He blogs at www.blogspot/sail-delmarva.com

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Here’s Why Sailboats Don’t Tip Over (Explained For Beginners)

Sailboats can tip over, though it is rare among keelboats.

Dinghies can flip over easily, depending on experience and conditions.

So with their big sails, why don’t sailboats tip over all the time?

Here’s Why Sailboats Don’t Tip Over (that often):

Sailboats are designed to heel over, and the more they heel, the more stable they become. This is because of the weight of the keel, counterbalancing the force on the sails. The more the boat heels, the more the weight of a keel acts as a lever to keep the boat upright.

Table of Contents

How Often do Sailboats Actually Tip Over?

Dinghies tip over frequently. Dinghy races are filled with capsizes, even by experienced sailors.

This is because you are pushing the boat to its speed limit in a race, and you will often be unable to release the pressure from the sails before the boat tips over.

Even outside of a race, though, dinghies are more prone to flipping. They do not have enough internal ballast to avoid it.

Catamarans usually tip over less often than dinghies, as their wider platform has more initial stability than monohulls. When they do tip over, it can be more catastrophic as they move faster.

Keelboats rarely tip over. Their ballast and weight distribution make them far more stable than dinghies.

What Prevents a Sailboat from Tipping Over?

In conjunction with other weight, the keel or centerboard is primarily what keeps a boat from capsizing.

This is essentially called ballast. There is ballast in the keel, and there is also usually ballast in the hull itself. The ballast in the keel is more efficient, as it directly works to counterbalance the force on the sails.

On boats such as dinghies, crew weight makes up a substantial amount of the boat’s ballast. This is why you will often see crew members hiking out over the rail; the further they are from the center-line of the boat, the more efficient their weight becomes as ballast.

Hull design can also help prevent sailboats from tipping over. A wider hull, for instance, will have more initial stability and help keep a boat upright.

Also, most deep-V designs will become more stable as the boat heels, as it becomes wider as it heels.

Paradoxically, a sailboat becomes more resistant to heeling the more it heels. This is because the tipping force decreases, and the righting moment increases. The righting moment is essentially the force from the keel.

If a boat is knocked all the way over, the heeling or tipping force is now gone, and the righting force is all that remains, so barring other conditions (like waves), the keelboat will begin to right itself.

But the righting moment usually counteracts the tipping moment before we reach this state.

What Does it Take to Tip Over a Sailboat?

The primary reason sailboats tip over is that there is too much pressure on the sails for the ballast to counteract.

This pressure is the wind. The stronger the wind, the more pressure on the sails, and that means more force trying to push the sailboat over.

In almost every case, a boat tips over because the wind is too strong. Usually, this takes the form of a gust that overpowers the ballast. So a boat may be sailing along in heavy weather, seeming to do fine, but a sudden gust causes it to tip over.

However, sea conditions can also capsize a sailboat. This usually means large waves.

A wave can lift and roll a sailboat if it is big enough compared to the boat’s size. Even in the relative safety of a harbor, a breaking wave can cause a boat to capsize.

When sailboats founder at sea, it is often a combination of wind and waves that cause the boat to be lost.

How to Avoid Capsizing on a Sailboat

There are two main ways to avoid capsizing a boat: what you do beforehand, reef your sails, and what you do when caught in higher winds, which is to de-power them.

Reefing your Sails Before the Wind Picks Up:

The best way to prevent a capsize beforehand is to reef your sails.

Almost every mainsail has one or more sets of reinforced rings and grommets that parallel the boom. Reefing means you lower the main until you reach one of these sets or lines of rings and secure the sail to the boom at this point.

This reduces your mainsail area. Most of these reef points reduce the sail area by 20-25%.

Most offshore cruisers will have three sets of reefs, so by the time they take in the third reef, they have reduced their mainsail by about 60%.

You may want to reduce your headsail, as well. Most genoas do not have reef points; instead, you change the headsail to a smaller one, like a jib.

There are some jibs with reef points, but they are not commonly used.

Finally, if you are expecting very high winds, you might put up your storm sails. These are sails with a very reduced area.

They do not really generate any power; instead, they primarily provide directional stability.

De-Powering your Sails in Gusts:

When you are sailing and find your boat hit by a gust of strong wind, you need to de-power them, or you may find yourself capsizing.

This is pretty easy to do; you let out the main sheet, or both the main sheet and the genoa sheet. This will spill off all the wind and cause your boat to right itself.

You may find yourself doing this over and over, depending on how much sail area you have and the amount of breeze you find yourself in.

You may find yourself wishing that you had reefed your sails!

Do Older Sailboats Tip Over More Easily?

Older boats are, in general, in no more danger of capsizing than modern boats.

The basics of naval architecture have been understood for quite a while now. Sailboats designed in the 1950s reflect an understanding that ballast is required to keep a boat upright.

The ballast may be designed more efficiently in some modern designs, but most modern boats are no more stable than their counterparts from a half-century ago.

Some older wooden boats are less stable, though. This is usually compensated for by adding lead to their keels to increase the ballast.

However, many modern designs, particularly racing boats, are more prone to roll-outs and knock-downs. This is because, in the quest for speed, the sail area is maximized. These boats are lighter and have more force generated by their sail plans.

These designs require a higher degree of skill to operate than other sailboats. Even then, there are still capsizes.

Several high-profile capsizes in recent America’s Cup races, such as the envelope of speed, are continually pushed.

How Far Over can a Sailboat Heel?

Most keelboats perform better with a degree of the heel to them.

The exact angle depends on several factors in the boat’s design, but the majority will still perform well with an angle of the heel from 15-25 degrees, with most modern cruising monohulls at the 20-degree range.

Beyond this, and the efficiency of a boat’s design is decreased, and you start to drag or, in some cases, lose helm control; at that point, you will want to reduce sail area.

But in most boats, you can heel farther than this without getting into danger. Many boats in storms heel 30 degrees or more without having major problems.

When you start exceeding that, though, problems start. At a 45 degree angle of heel, some of your rudders are now out of the water, and you are losing your steering, which means you cannot navigate the waves.

This can drive your bow down further, bringing on a knockdown or cause you to round up, perhaps bringing on an involuntary tack.

Most keelboats can start righting themselves when a full, 90-degree knockdown occurs, but it is difficult to be in, particularly if water starts to enter the cabin.

Some keelboats can even right themselves beyond 90 degrees, depending on how they are ballasted, but all have a point of no return when a turtle is inevitable.

As a general rule, going beyond 30 degrees starts to impair both your sailing and your ability to respond to problems as they occur. Once your heel beyond 45 degrees, you are sailing dangerously.

Final Thoughts:

A keelboat in most conditions will not tip all the way over because its righting moment, driven by the keel, increases the more it heels.

It takes a lot of force to capsize a keelboat.

American Sailing Association – The Keel

Yachting Monthly – Breaking Waves

Quantum Sails – Maintaining Control

Sail World – Reefing and Righting Moments

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Can a catamaran capsize.

Post Written By: Boater Jer
Published: March 24, 2020
Updated: July 8, 2022

Disclaimer: You might notice that we recommend products in some articles. We may earn a commission for referring you if you click the link and buy a product.

We only recommend products we’ve tried/tested/own (that’s why you won’t find thousands of affiliate links on my site). If you have experience with one of the products we’ve mentioned, please share your experiences in the comments at the end.

Can a catamaran capsize? Can it sink? Are cats safer than monohull boats? We’ll answer these and more questions about the catamaran, how stable a platform it is, whether or not the vessel can capsize and more right here. So, dig in and enjoy the tales of the cat and her sturdy nature.

Not only are catamarans a ton of fun, but they are also typically quite stable. Why? Well, they have two hulls, that’s why. But don’t think you can’t flip one over. Especially the smaller personal watercraft sized cats. They too are really stable but I’ll explain why these incredible little cats can also flip over, otherwise called capsizing.

Capsizing your cat can be a super scary experience. Especially the first time it happens. But, why would a super stable double-hulled craft ever capsize? Well, consider this. The catamaran is ridiculously fast. New cat riders may not realize the sort of speeds they can get on a cat and when they make a sharp turn…

Well, let’s just say that many new cat riders take their speed for granted. Let’s talk about catamarans in general for a moment though.

General Catamarans

The concept of a catamaran is simple. Two hulls are better than one. The catamaran was first created by the indigenous Austronesian peoples. That is, those who spoke the Austronesian languages. These would be people from many modern countries from Madagascar to Taiwan, Micronesia, Polynesia, and the surrounding area. The idea is believed to have come from these peoples lashing two canoes together for added stability in rough waters.

It is this added stability, built right into the very concept of the catamaran that has led to the belief that they cannot capsize. However, even the sturdy nature of a cat can be turned over in the right conditions.

Size Matters

So, when we are discussing whether or not a catamaran can capsize, we have to look at some facts. First off, any boat can technically capsize. Even if it is designed not to, any boat which travels on the surface of the water has the potential to capsize given the right conditions.

Second, we see one thing about catamarans is true and that is the larger the catamaran, the more stable. To sum up, any boat can capsize but the larger the catamaran, the less likely a capsize is to occur.

Personal Watercraft Versus A Ship

Now that we’ve determined the concept that a larger catamaran is more sturdy than a small one, let’s take a look at the size of the vessel and its ability to capsize.

Catamarans are fast. In fact, they are typically faster than monohull craft of equal size. However, we don’t want to get too carried away with their speed. Speed is actually the number one deciding factor when it comes to flipping a small catamaran. Here’s the short and sweet of it for you.

All catamarans go faster than equally sized monohull boats (given equal-sized engines and some other factors we won’t get into here). Sailing catamarans show this extra speed exceptionally well. The smaller the catamaran, the more it has a chance of capsizing. Not due to the instability of the vessel, but typically due to the person at the helm. You see, smaller catamarans go so fast that oftentimes a ‘new’ sailor may try to do a sharp turn at speed, not realizing the extra speed of a catamaran means extra momentum. When the vessel is turned sharply, a tip-over occurs and the personal watercraft can be capsized.

I’ve read forum after forum of new cat sailors describing their first capsize. It was actually quite astonishing to me as I’ve read far and wide about the extra stability of a catamaran and other multi-hull vessels. And it’s always the personal-sized, or catamarans that are meant to be operated by only a few people at the most that seem most vulnerable to flipping. And it’s always because they were going fast and tried to turn too sharply.

Due to the smaller size of personal watercraft, the obvious stability of the larger craft is not present. Not to say that a small catamaran isn’t sturdy. They are always more sturdy than monohull craft of equal length.

When it comes to larger ship sized catamarans, they are always more sturdy and extremely difficult to capsize, even with greater speeds than monohull craft. It seems that capsizing a catamaran is basically held to the smaller sailing cats and typically due to user error.

Frequently Asked Catamaran Questions

A catamaran is anchored in a small bay in this photo.

Can a catamaran sink?

Yes. Absolutely. Any vessel, ship, boat or other water traveling vehicle can sink. Even a submarine. So, yes a catamaran can sink. Although, catamarans are proven to be more sturdy than monohull craft. This makes them less likely to sink under normal conditions but does not negate the possibility. The difference in trying to sink a catamaran though is that you need to sink two hulls. This makes it ridiculously unlikely to occur.

Are catamarans safer than monohulls?

Yes. Technically a catamaran is safer than a monohull. Why? Well, first off, look at the answer above about the catamaran sinking. If you have two sealed hulls, like on a small personal watercraft sized catamaran, then you would need to puncture BOTH hulls to sink it. The likelihood of this happening is increasingly rare.

The second glaring fact about catamarans is their sturdiness. Imagine you are ice skating. Would you be more secure riding on a single blade (holding one foot up) than you would with both skates on the ice? Two blades are ALWAYS more stable than one. And this is entirely true for a catamaran. Having two hulls makes the vessel a floating platform. A single-hulled ship is more like a single skate on the ice. Having a more sturdy craft means you have a safer one.

A man holds the railing on a ship as he prepares to be sick from seasickness in this file photo.

Do catamarans make you seasick?

No. Catamarans are not responsible for making you seasick. Technically of course, neither is a boat. It is the rocking motion which is the cause of seasickness. When the rocking motion upsets your inner ear or equilibrium, it can make you disoriented and dizzy. Keep that up and without a strong stomach, you’ll be saying goodbye to the last meal you ate. However, if we’re comparing how seasick, or rather the degree to which a person feels seasickness on a catamaran versus a monohull boat, then the catamaran wins.

Catamarans are more sturdy and secure in the water by their design than a single hull craft. Due to this extra stability, the ride is often smoother and the two hull design mitigates a lot of the rocking motion of smaller waves. This is accomplished by having two hulls spread out on the water as opposed to only one. Therefore a catamaran will give a sailor a lesser degree of seasickness than that which would be felt by the sailor on a monohull boat of equal size.

What is the advantage of a catamaran?

Okay, so we’ve beaten the safety, sturdiness concept to death, right? Well, aside from what we’ve already covered, catamarans offer two more benefits over monohull ships. First, then they are faster. Considerably faster actually. This means you can get from a to b in less time and time, my friends, is the most valuable commodity in existence (yeah, not just on Earth but everywhere). You can’t get time back so a faster ship is, in my opinion, a selling point.

Secondly, the catamaran offers more deck space and if it’s a big ship, then you’ll have considerably more cabin space as well. Consider that a catamaran is two hulls attached via a deck. That means that not only do you have the cabin/deck space of a single hull vessel, but you also have two. But wait, there’s more! What about all the space between the two hulls? You’ve got that to work with also. To sum up, catamarans are safer, sturdier, faster and offer more space in and on the deck of the vessel.

Want to learn more about catamarans? Take a look at my in-depth article all about the different types of catamarans.

Bibliography

Catamaran – Wikipedia
Heavy Weather Strategies When Sailing a Catamaran – Sail Magazine
What causes seasickness? – National Ocean Service, National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

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Catamaran sailing across the Atlantic: Why multihulls are taking over the ARC

Elaine Bunting
July 2, 2020

Multihulls are making their mark on tradewinds sailing. Elaine Bunting reports from the 2019 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-credit-Paul-Laurie-Point-Photography

A catamaran on the ARC rally reefed for an approaching squall, as seen from Jeanneau 64 Layla. Photo: Paul Laurie/Point Photography

Something big has happened in ocean sailing. It could be the tipping point in the 34-year history of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers , when multihulls move from minority element to ruling party.

When a cruising catamaran sailed by four people in their sixties can beat a larger one-design round-the-world racer with a crew of 15, and many even bigger, you realise something has changed – maybe for good.

Just after midnight on 7 December 2019, Régis Guillemot, his partner Véronique, and two friends fizzed across the finish line in St Lucia in Guillemot’s 55ft cruising catamaran, Hallucine . It had taken them just 11 days and 16 hours.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-Hallucine-Marsaudon-TS5-credit-Tim-Wright-PhotoAction

Celebrations as the four crew of Hallucine , a Marsaudon TS5 catamaran, crosses the finish line at Rodney Bay, St Lucia. Photo: Tim Wright / PhotoAction

“Our boat is very quick, very simple and fast, and we are optimised for light weight,” explains the quietly spoken French sailor. His other half just laughs. “For him, there is full speed ahead, or nothing!”

Hallucine had sailed from Gran Canaria at an average of 12.5 knots, while the crew did Pilates on the aft deck each day, baked bread and shot GoPro videos.

Around 10 hours later came Sisi , a VO65 from the Austrian Ocean Race Project crewed by 12 Slovenian charter sailors and three professionals.

What a different experience: faster sailing but a course of long gybes, on a diet of freeze-dried food, no showers and hot-bunking in the round-the-world racer’s dark carbon recesses.

Astern of them both was top French solo sailor Jean-Pierre Dick’s The Kid , a 54ft carbon composite canting keel yacht designed as a performance cruising interpretation of IMOCA 60 principles.

Article continues below…

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Hallucine would also have beaten Ulisse , Patrizio Bertelli’s 105ft Frers superyacht , had it not diverted to another island on the final approach following a crew injury.

In the ARC+ rally, too, the route that goes via a pitstop in the Cape Verde Islands, the first to arrive in St Lucia was also a multihull, the Neel 47 trimaran Minimole .

Cruising multihulls numbers have been growing quickly. Of the 280-strong fleet in 2019, 60 were multis. But the most telling statistic is that they make up 50% of all the new boats.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-Neel-47-credit-Tim-Wright-PhotoAction

The crew of Neel 47 trimaran Minimole celebrate arrival in St Lucia 12 days after leaving Mindelo, Cape Verde. Photo: Tim Wright / PhotoAction

The crossing times are incontrovertible evidence that performance cruising multihulls and cruising catamarans designed foremost for spacious living can, if sailed well, be faster downwind than a monohull with a longer LOA.

Of course, what makes the ideal yacht for an upwind passage (for example, the return crossing to Europe) is quite a different matter, but more and more cruisers are planning only a one-way voyage and intend to ship their boats back, or are planning to sail onwards into the Pacific along the tradewinds route. This is a trend that is only going to continue.

Fast, light, simple

In one way, the line honours winner’s story is exceptional. For many years skipper Régis Guillemot ran a charter business in Martinique.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-hallucine-winches

Hallucine ’s anti-capsize system: Two cam cleats flip up to release genoa and spinnaker sheets if settings are exceeded

He is also an experienced racer, cousin of the French round the world sailor Marc Guillemot, and a three-times Route du Rhum competitor.

His Marsaudon TS5 is a lightweight cruiser with a carbon mast and deck, It displaces just 8.6 tonnes, and Guillemot keeps it light.

“It’s not too complicated,” he says. “We have a small 27lt per hour watermaker, solar panels, no generator and we don’t carry too much fuel or water. We set off with only 30lt of water per side, plus emergency water in bottles, and made water every day.

“I want to go fast. We can be sailing at 17 knots and sitting there comfortably having our coffee. And in the Caribbean the size [of the boat] is no problem: there’s more space, it’s cooler and less rolly in anchorages.”

And although the boat is light, it does carry scuba gear and a kitesurfer that they plan to use in the Caribbean and as they make their way across the South Pacific next year.

Guillemot ran single watches and sailed almost all the way with a full main and heavy A2 spinnaker. “We took it down at Pigeon Island after 11 days just to tack to the finish,” he says. They were able to gybe through 145-150° and were making 17-20 knots – “usually 17-18 knots steady”– as soon as they reached the tradewinds.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-hallucine-kill-cord

The kill cord in Hallucine ‘s saloon

In the few squalls they encountered, the wind never topped 17 knots apparent and they felt comfortable enough to keep the full main up and soak down by 10° until a squall passed. To help make sure they never pressed the boat so hard they risked capsize, Guillemot has an automatic sheet release system similar to those used on the huge Ultime trimarans.

Made by ACR, this monitors pitch and heel angle and is set to release the main and spinnaker sheet from a panel of cam cleats once certain settings are reached, and also set off an audible alarm. There is also a kill cord in the saloon. It’s a very simple system.

The yacht’s autopilot can, he says, handle speeds up to 24 knots, but for the last five days the crew hand steered all day. The boat is steered from the aft quarters with tillers, and the video above shows some of the speeds they were enjoying.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-hallucine-acr-unit

The ACR unit senses pitch and heel angle

But although Hallucine ’s crossing was super-fast, another Marsaudon catamaran provided a second benchmark. Fifth over the line was a TS42, Elektra , a 42ft smaller sister from the same French builders, which made the crossing in just under 13 days. They, too, left bigger boats astern – 10 hours behind her was a Swan 80.

Elektra ’s crew had sometimes reefed during the night and may represent a more typical example of sensible catamaran cruising because, as even Régis Guillemot admits: “They are like sportscars – when they go, they go,” he says. “There’s a limit and if you don’t know what you are doing, you can quickly go into the red zone.”

The crossing times of these big multis is a clear sign of an evolution in performance and speed. “I think you can’t necessarily judge all boats by Hallucine ’s performance, but what is interesting is how they are holding pace with larger monohulls,” says World Cruising Club (WCC) communications director Jeremy Wyatt.

catamaran-sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-outremer-4x-mast-view

View from aloft on Pierre Caouette’s and Lisa McKerracher’s Outremer 5X Biotrek

“A 55ft Bali was holding up with an X-61, which is a fast monohull, and if you pick out comparable elapsed times and distances sailed you can see that a Lagoon 42 is going the same speed as a 46ft Bavaria and significantly faster than a Discovery 55, if you’re sailing them well and getting the best out of them.

“Multihulls are more expensive to buy, more expensive to run and you have to remember that if the beam is over 8m you could be restricting yourself as to where in the world you can be lifted out.

“But for tradewinds sailing there’s a strong argument that they are the right choice and the ability to live your life without any sense of camping is the biggest win-win

“But,” he adds, “go on a performance sailing course first, would be my advice.”

South til the butter melts

Kevin Horne and his partner, Diane, are steadfast monohull sailors. The Australian skipper has a distinguished background in offshore racing with the well-known Aussie yacht Wild Thing , and was sailing in a crew with several professionals including round the world Clipper Race winner Wendy Tuck .

He bought his Jeanneau 51 Wild Spirit in 2018 and had been cruising in the Mediterranean , but is now sailing his way back home.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-jeanneau-51-Wild-Spirit

The crew of Wild Spirit (L-R): Kevin Horne, Diane Rogers and Russell Finch

Horne was taking part in the ARC+ rally – he liked the idea of a stop on the way across and was hugely enthusiastic about the visit to Cape Verde.

He too had an uncomplicated sailplan in action for the crossing: full main and asymmetric, and between Mindelo and St Lucia made “one gybe to the north and one down” to go as deep downwind as possible. They had daily runs of 160-180 miles, with one day over 200, hand-steered “80-85% of the time”.

“The boat was outstanding,” he says. “Our water tanks and fuel tanks were full at the start and we had two weeks of food, so a lot of weight, but the boat helmed beautifully and tracked along. We took the tender and outboard off, and the anchor and chain were stowed over the keel to centralise weight. The boat was stunning and it really was brochure sailing.”

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-oyster-625-aft-deck

Seas in the wake of Yolo , Gottfried Boehringer’s Oyster 625

This was a year for heading south until the butter melts, avoiding light winds along the rhumb line by following the classic route south towards Cape Verde where early tradewinds begin and turning right for St Lucia.

This is typical a VMG running course, and those yachts such as the VO65 that were running down hot angles had to sail many hundreds more miles that cost them dearly.

Sisi , the VO65, for example, logged 3,950 miles (one of the highest I’ve heard of in years of ARC coverage). For added context, Bouwe Bekking was also sailing a VO65 in the RORC Transatlantic Race between Lanzarote to Grenada, and he too reported sailing around 4,000 miles.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-vo65-sisi-winch-credit-Austrian-Ocean-Race-Project-Michael-Muck-Kremtz

Fast, wet downwind sailing on the VO65 Sisi . Photo: Austrian Ocean Race Project / Michael Muck Kremtz

Yachts able to sail deeper downwind at angles up to 170° are much better set up for this route. The old racing adage that ‘the shortest distance is invariably the fastest’ holds true on the transatlantic.

The southerly route adds around 300 miles compared to the rhumb line distance of 2,700 miles. That can be made back if avoiding light winds on the direct route, but reaching machines with no angles to play are not going to break any records.

This year the trades began gently and built steadily until yachts were seeing 20-25 knots and positively barrelling down westwards.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-vo65-sisi-crew-credit-Austrian-Ocean-Race-Project-Michael-Muck-Kremtz

Exhausted crew at the stern of the VO65 Sisi . The crossing was a full-on racing exercise, and hard, intensive work. Photo: Austrian Ocean Race Project / Michael Muck Kremtz

A common complaint was that life on board was very rolly. Many crews found the motion of building seas and fast sailing an unpleasant surprise, making daily tasks and sleeping quite hard work.

These conditions put boats under strain, and cause breakages. “But it’s really what we would expect, given the strength of the wind,” comments WCC’s Wyatt. “Wear and tear on steering cables, broken goosenecks… That is par for the course.”

Two crews reported bone fractures on board: one person broke an arm during a gybe that went wrong. This was likely because of the strong tradewinds, which made boats roll more.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-hydrovane-jury-rig-tiller

Szabi Mohai and his Hydrovane

Szabi Mohai, sailing on a Dutch entry, a Bavaria 49 named Wilson , entered the finish at Rodney Bay steering gingerly with an emergency tiller. The boat’s rudder blade had broken four days earlier.

“It was the middle of the night and very dark when we had a crash and heard a loud bang, and when we looked back we could see [the remains of] the blade in the water.”

The boat momentarily came to a halt; Mohai realised they had hit something. The collision left only a little of the foam filling around the web structure from the stock and they were unable to steer with it.

Happily, Mohai has a Hydrovane, which operates with its own rudder blade and is equipped with a stub handle for a tiller, so the crew was able to use this to control the boat. “That really was our best friend,” he says.

The crew had also broken the bowsprit in rough weather at the start of the rally, when the bow buried in a wave and a fitting holding the anchor failed.

The anchor shot up and sheared off the aluminium prodder. The crew lashed the remaining part back in place with a cat’s cradle of lines, as shown below.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-bavaria-49-broken-bowsprit

Repairs to his broken bowsprit

A few boats had encounters with so-called ‘ghost’ fishing nets. One yacht had part of a net entangled on the keel. Another reported passing a very large ghost net that they estimated to be around 50m x 20m in size.

Some of the crews we spoke to were disappointed they had seen very little marine life. Yet others photographed pods of dolphins, reported catching mahi mahi or seeing longtails, so perhaps these sightings were more common on boats where people were handsteering or on yachts without large biminis and sprayhoods?

At least three crews from the ARC+ reported nighttime encounters with other yachts that were unlit. These were not rally boats and did not appear on AIS.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-Jeanneau-64-foredeck-credit-Paul-Laurie-Point-Photography

Dolphins play at the bow of Jeanneau 64 Layla . Photo: Paul Laurie / Point Photography

With lower energy LED nav lights available and modern solar panels able to provide a steady supply of energy, it is hard to understand or excuse.

While the inexorable rise of the cruising catamaran is a very visible trend in bluewater sailing, it is not the only sea change. Another fast-growing movement is the business of vlogging.

Dozens of ARC crews, at least, are dabbling in video diaries and mini documentaries for a wider audience and a handful have followings large enough to monetise through YouTube and provide useful income.

Canadian sailor Lisa McKerracher, who is living on board their new Outremer 5X Biotrek with her partner Pierre Caouette and their labradoodle dog Tiller, is new to the game and began making video diaries for family to follow.

She is seeing an increasing following for her insights into the boat and life on board (the channel is called Biotrek-sailing ). Access to fast 4G/LTE wifi in Europe and through most of the Caribbean islands, and Wi-Fi in most cafes and restaurants has changed how people share their experiences and is giving a huge new audience with less or no sailing experience an enticing glimpse into what life on board entails.

sailing-across-the-atlantic-arc-2019-report-scarlet-oyster-crew-credit-Clare-Pengelly-World-Cruising

Ross Applebey (centre) and crew of Scarlet Oyster celebrate Ross’s fourth racing division win, the third consecutively. Photo: Clare Pengelly / World Cruising

In reality, life on passage is testing. Says skipper Szabi Mohai, “there is something happening every day” – by which he means something to fix or add to the jobs list.

But it is a very different pace than on land, and with an Atlantic crossing comes the satisfaction of knowing that, with every mile covered, the hard part is receding.

First published in the February 2020 edition of Yachting World.

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Catamaran flipped two die

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https://www.9news.com.au/national/n...nsw-news/3981916e-0ce4-4f34-93ba-54ad9c07c49c They said the wind was 30knots.

That's awful. I wonder what the make of the boat is. It says 11.7 meters, so about 38 feet for us Americans. Catamarans shouldn't just flip like that...

Without a keel they don't have much righting moment...

They have a huge low angle righting moment several times that of a monohull, becoming equal to that of monohull at ~50* heel, then decreasing to no righting moment at ~90*. The overall rotational energy (area under the stability curves) required to capsize a catamaran is ~50% greater than that required to capsize a monohull. So catamarans have large righting moment, are harder than a monohull to capsize, but will not recover from a capsize, where a monohull has some non-zero chance of recovery (but less than 100% chance). Mark

The conditions were difficult. We had 25 to 30-knot westerly winds with a sea of 1 to 2 metres [easterly swell] coming the other way, so it was fairly messy out there," he said. Click to expand...

It is a Spirited 380 and not the first one to flip over. big winds and waves and any cat can flip with almost no way to recover. it is winter down there.

Sailing caracteristics: This is a nice and fast sailing machine. She goes well to about 40 degrees apparent wind angle, does not like the mainsail to be sheeted in too close though. Like many cats she kicks up her skirts when the wind gets to approx. 10 - 12 kts and accelerates quickly. Running due downwind with only the jib in an E force 6 - 7 off Tarifa we were happilly running at 12 - 14 kts, topping 18 kts surfing down the waves with full boat control. Seeing double digit sailing figures becomes quite normal. She tackes happily and easily in smooth waters, in waves this was only achieved with backing the jib with the mainsail being uncleated. Critisism: 1) The most important one has to do with the placement of the engines right at the aft end of the hulls under the steps, with engine access only from the outside via forward hinged hatches incorporating one of the steps (see one of the pictures below). Though this arrangement allows one to stand on the lowest step and easily work on the engine, it only gives about 30 cm of wave clearance - this is not enough wave clearance in a seaway to open the hatch at sea if access is needed! One would also be fully exposed to the elements and the risk of falling overboard is also not to be overlooked. This in my eyes is a very bad design issue! 2) For a modern cat I would have expected it to have more bridgedeck clearance - at the aft end of the bridgedeck I measured 505mm / 560mm with / without bridgedeck stringers -, in the right wave conditions there is quite a lot of wave slamming - but this increase in bridgedeck clearance would reduce the headroom in the main cabin. 3) I feel she would also benefit from larger rudders to make her more responsive to rudder movement. Click to expand...

also noted that all five were wearing life jackets

That is really awful... :/ But these are not really that uncommon conditions: 30 knots of wind and 6 foot seas. I wonder if they had too much sail for the conditions. I sailed smaller cats (beach cats) and when over canvassed they were quite unstable.

Typically, we mono hull drivers use news like this to poke our multi hull siblings a bit, but not the right time, given the fatality. Instead, I’ll point out that I was up close with the one and only brand new Gunboat 68 last week. No 30 knot wind is going to flip that thing over. It was a beast. A serious floating mansion, not condo. If I ever go multi, that’s my first pick. 🙂

I calculate a SA/D of 32.5 I don't know catamarans, but that seems like a lot of sail.

Hi we owned a Spirit 380 for a couple of weeks before it flipped of Kangaroo Island. We were in the water for about 6 hours before being winched off. The boat was ashore 4 months later about 600NM away. News Video - Yahoo!7 News Here is a link to the Building of our boat by the original owner It took this builder 2 and half years to build full time with two people working on about 6500hours Building the Cat The boat sailed along well but anything over 10 + knots it just did not seem to sit well in the water was very light in the water. The design is very roomy inside and has quite a good layout We did contact the designer after the incident but did not have any joy there. We now have a new yacht built by Robert Chamberlin it is another Cat 11.6metres in length. This yacht in my opinion is a better boat. It sits on 10 knts all day and sticks to the water like Glue. The bigger brother of this boat just broke the Australian record for sailing around Australia see link Bruce Arms Hope this helps a little Click to expand...

David Biggar recorded 15-knot cruising, with one spurt of 22, in 18 knots of breeze. Click to expand...

Here's another thread about a lost Spirited 380. Given the small number made, it seems like an awfully high number have run into problems. I wonder if it's the boat, or the conditions that people sail them in? Cruisers Forum: Spirited 380 Lost in the Coral Sea

3 in 10 years? :|

Capsize is one concern pitchpoling is the other. Just like monos there are boats better suited for heavy seas and air and those best considered coastal. . Would have no problems jumping on a Rapido 60 for rtw. It would be quick. As stated above 6’ seas shouldn’t capsize any ocean boat be it mono or multi. Although there maybe a component of operator error ( no mention if they were reefed and to what degree).

There are almost no recorded incidents of ocean sailing, non-racing catamarans pitchpoling. It just isn't a real concern in a cruising catamaran. Chances are pretty much zero in any conditions compared to capsize. And there is no practical difference between a pitchpole and a capsize - in both instances the boat is overturned and is not coming right side up again. The Rapido 60 is not a catamaran. Mark

Just wild thoughts here... I'm not cat sailor but I've taken Hobies out a few times and managed to dig a hull in and flip the boat at full speed, butt over bow. The occasion I remember I was thrown 20 feet forward. Well clear of the hull, mast and sail. That's a long way! Other times I learned to dump the main whilst the bow was digging in. The boat in question with a full 30 knots (plus gusts? But those westerlies are quite stable) on a beam reach, would be going FAST. The owners were 78 years old. The son in his 50s but wasn't the owner so I wonder his sailing skills and the young teen. The swell was Easterly. The rudder underpowered. A go fast cat doing 15 knots or more. The sails fully powered (?) Mainsheet loaded. The boat - sailing flat even - digs the Lee bow into a 6 foot wave.... How does a 78 year old dump the main before it flips? Mark

I'm loving on all the sailors who have never sailed more than beach cats comparing them to cruising cats... to put it in perspective its like comparing a laser to a J-35. Come on folks. For a cruising cat a 38 footer is SMALL. Its still a 20,000lb boat its no beach cat. Much like attempting to attack the sea in a Catalina 30, it can do it, but its not exactly a bluewater mono. 30 knots is NOTHING for a cruising cat. 8 foot seas are nothing. However, step periods and confused seas can turn any boat into a pile of sticks as any great lakes sailor! This is a tragedy, and likely happened due to quickly deteriorating conditions. Respect for those who lost lives. Sounds like captain knew things were getting snotty, and had crew properly suit up (life vests), and managed to activate EPIRB. The whole catamaran versus mono debate is tired at best. It is true that once capsized you are toast in a cat, but its also true that they are much harder to flip, thanks colemj for putting some logic into the argument.

SailingUphill said: For a cruising cat a 38 footer is SMALL. Its still a 20,000lb boat its no beach cat. Click to expand...

Digging the bow of a cruising catamaran into a 6' wave should be a non-event. We've done this hundreds of times without any concern or feeling of the boat being on edge. Six foot seas are calm waters offshore. I've never been on a Spirited 380, but they look to be a good design. On the other hand, they have the same sail area and 1/3 the weight of our 46' catamaran, so it is likely they need to be sailed a bit conservatively at times. I don't know what the sail configuration was on the boat, but in 30kt winds on a beam reach, we would be triple reefed, or just sailing on headsail alone, and enjoying a leisurely and easy 9-10kt pace. Anything more would be outside our comfort zone. Mark

colemj said: in 30kt winds on a beam reach, we would be triple reefed, or just sailing on headsail alone, and enjoying a leisurely and easy 9-10kt pace. Anything more would be outside our comfort zone. Mark Click to expand...

Have sailed Corsairs in 6’. No main. No problem. More on the beach cat end. Also have crewed in Newport Bermuda multi hull race. Again no issues even in weather. Tend to like tris more then cats. Find less issues with slamming. Better performance to weather. Less hobbyhorsing. Trade off is less room unless you're talking about something like the Neels. But all multis are dependent upon form stability to stay upright. So the thinking for all multis compared with monos shifts. The clues that you’re overpowered are different on a multi. All multis unlike monos don’t heel much more in heavy air. They do heel a bit more but not enough for that to be the only way clue you’re waiting for. Unfortunate that a gunboat on its initial passage ran into trouble . And several of the newer chris white Atlantics dug a bow and flipped. The old saw “reef often...reef early” holds.

outbound said: ....Unfortunate that a gunboat on its initial passage ran into trouble..... Click to expand...

Think it also down flooded the engines and had steering troubles from what I recall. Still a friend did a long delivery on the 55 and absolutely loved the boat. Couldn’t say enough good about it. Excellent ride, pleasant to live on on passage and of course speedy.

The cat vs mono arguments tire me. Their never needs to be a comparison. One that flips, sinks..you need to look at the operator. Both types of boats in experienced hands can perform well. Again it has to do with the operator. Age is not determine a faultfull operator. I don’t see that as a criterion. Your brain isn’t slower , your skill are not forgotten with age, your ability to make decisions is still there. I get tired of people stereotyping people by age. Sure I understand that you physically loose some strength...and maybe balance but really what difference does 78 mean in terms of him sailing or captaining a vessel. The determining factor in this capsize will probably be found as a bad decision in terms of conditions. As Mark said the conditions mention are certainly nothing unusual for a well built boat, catamaran or mono.....but the person steering the boat may be the weak link here....but not by age....but by decision making

"Never forget that the sea is a harsh mistress, and will kill you if you let her." Probably the wisest sailing advice I've ever been given. My heart goes out to everyone who's lost someone at sea.

Just to put the mono vs Cat argument in perspective, it's probably better to be in a cat upside down than a mono going to the bottom. Just today, July 16, the Santa Cruz 70 (mono) OEX sank several hundred miles offshore during the second night of the 2019 Transpac. Her rudder shaft tore open a hole in the stern and they could not control the flooding. All 11 crew were saved by Roy Disney's boat nearby that diverted to pick up two life rafts of crew and return to San Pedro. OEX is at the bottom. As they approached in the dark, they said it was disheartening to see the boat with full sails still up going down....total loss but all crew saved......

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Tacking and jibing a catamaran

Catamarans tend to tack and jibe more slowly than monohull dinghies , but provide better stability. This is particularly noticeable when jibing, which is comparatively easy to control. The technique for both maneuvers is very different from a center mainsheet dinghy .

TACKING TIPS

In a catamaran, the helmsman should steer into the tack with the rig powered up and the boat sailing at speed. Steer carefully through the tack; be aware that slamming the rudders over can make them act as brakes. Both crew should stay on the windward side until the jib has

As you start to tack, keep the jib backed in order to help turn the bows, as catamarans are often slow to turn through the wind. Highperformance catamarans with daggerboards can pivot more quickly through the turn.

The helmsman faces aft as he crosses the boat, easing the mainsheet before ducking underthe boom. The crew watches the mainsail carefully, waiting until the mainsail has filled on the new side.

backed. This will help to lift the leeward hull, so that the catamaran pivots on the inside hull. Keep both the mainsheet and jib sheet pulled in tight until the jib starts to back and the bows bear away on the new tack. The helmsman should face aft while moving across the boat, easing the mainsheet to help "pop" the battens into their new position and accelerate the catamaran on to the new tack.

Crossing the eye of the wind to windward is similar for catamarans and dinghies, but usually you are tacking from a close reach instead of a close hauled course.

When the mainsail has filled on the new side, the crew pulls in the jib on that side. The helmsman and crew take up their new positions, ready to accelerate on the new tack before luffing to the new close reaching course.

TACKING AND JIBING A CATAMARAN 147

JiBiNG Tips

Catamarans are easier to jibe than monohull dinghies because they are more stable, and are unlikely to capsize when both hulls are on the water. As with any sailing boat, jibing becomes more challenging in stronger winds. Be aware that if you steer a catamaran into a jibe at high speed and then slow right down, the apparent wind will swing behind the boat and power up the rig midway through the jibe. Keeping the boat at a steady speed throughout the turn is the surest way to maintain control. As with tacking, the helmsman should steer carefully and progressively through the maneuver to avoid turning the rudders into brakes and halting part way through the turn.

Crossing the eye of the wind on to a downwind course you are usually jibing from broad reach to broad reach.

Ithe catamaran is at maximum speed as it bears away into the jibe. In light winds especially, the crew weight should be kept forward so the sterns do not dig into the water and slow the boat.

2 the helmsman faces aft while the crew faces forward as they cross the trampoline. At the right moment, the helmsman must flip the tiller extension past the boom end, on to the new side.

4 Once the mainsail has jibed, the helmsman straightens the rudders to prevent the bows turning too far into the wind. In lighter winds, it may be necessary to "pump" the boom so the full length battens curve the right way.

3 the helmsman takes hold of the falls of the mainsheet to pull the mainsail over to complete the jibe, while at the same time steering through the downwind point on to the new course.

"we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears— we are tied to the ocean."

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Catamaran capsize

When a catamaran capsizes, the crew need good technique in order to pull it up. This may include righting from a pitchpole or from total inversion.

A catamaran can capsize by being blown over sideways, or by driving the leeward bow into the water and "pitchpoling" (nosediving), as shown here. If you are out on the trapeze, try not to fall into the mainsail as this could break battens or push the boat upside down. Beware also of being thrown forward in a pitchpole, when the crew may swing around the bows as the boat suddenly decelerates. A catamaran floating on its side may be blown downwind faster than you can swim, so grab something as soon as you are in the water, to maintain contact. You can climb on to the lower hull of a capsized catamaran, or the underneath of the trampoline if it is upside down. Both are secure positions while you prepare to right.

PITCHPOLING

Catamarans have a tendency to dig the leeward bow into the water when unbalanced, resulting in a head-first capsize.

If the catamaran starts to invert, swim clear of the trampoline to ensure you are not trapped underneath the boat.

CATAMARAN CAPSIZE

If the catamaran is upside down, the crew should scramble onto the bottom hull, standing forward so that the bows swing around Into the wind. The boat will then be under control as It rights.

2 With both crew standingon the bottom hull, lead the righting line (normally in a pocket close to the mast base) overthe upper (windward) hull. Pull to lift the windward bow, helping the rig float to the surface.

3 Make sure all sheets are uncleated and pull again on the righting line to lift the rig out of the water. Once the wind can blow under the rig, giving additional lifting power, righting should be easy.

4 A lightweight crew may have insufficient leverage to lift the rig. One solution is for the crew to "piggyback" on the helmsman. If that does not work, a rescue boat may be needed to help lift the mast.

5 The catamaran will accelerate as it rolls upright. Both crew should drop into the water by the front beam, ready to hold the boat steady as the hull comes down, and prevent another capsize.

6 Climb back on board from the side. Climbing over the front beam can be difficult; clambering over the rear beam risks bruises or, more seriously, a bent tiller bar.

Continue reading here: Dinghy racing

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Introduction to catamarans

Readers' Questions

How do i turn my catamaran faster?

There are several ways you can potentially make your catamaran turn faster: Adjust the sail trim: Properly adjusting the sail trim can significantly affect the speed and maneuverability of your catamaran. Experiment with different sail settings, such as trimming the sails in more, letting them out slightly, or adjusting the angle of attack. This can help optimize your boat's performance in different wind conditions. Move crew weight: Shifting the weight of crew members can impact the catamaran's balance and stability, affecting its maneuverability. Refine your weight distribution, moving crew members and gear to improve the boat's ability to turn. For example, moving crew weight to the leeward side during turns can improve the boat's stability and responsiveness. Use the rudders effectively: The rudders are vital for controlling the direction and turning of the catamaran. Utilize your rudders strategically by applying slight pressure or adjustments to steer the boat more efficiently through turns. Practice using the rudders to initiate turns at the right time and angle to maximize performance. Optimize your route: Planning your route effectively can help you take advantage of wind shifts and currents to enhance your catamaran's turning ability. Analyze the wind patterns and choose your course wisely to achieve better angles during turns. Practice maneuvering techniques: Regularly practicing various maneuvering techniques can help you develop a better understanding of your catamaran's capabilities and improve your turning skills. This may include practicing tacking and gybing, mastering the timing and coordination required for smooth turns. Remember, every catamaran is unique, so it may require some experimentation and experience to determine the best techniques for maximizing your boat's turning ability. Safety should always be a priority, so ensure you have the necessary skills and knowledge before pushing the limits of your catamaran.

How to tack a catamaran dinghy?

Prepare your catamaran dinghy for tacking by taking out the rudder, mast, and sails. Stand in the center of the dinghy and prepare the sails for tacking by extending the spreader and headsail sheets out. Take one of the sheets in your hand and pull it tight while pushing the dinghy against the wind. Maintain the tension on the sheet and gradually start to turn the boat in the direction of the wind. At the same time, you want to shift your weight to the opposite side of the dinghy. Make sure to keep the sail full and to keep tension on the sheets. When the boat is about halfway through its tack, the sails should be 180° from their original angle. Make sure the sails remain full and finish the tack by allowing the sheets to be pulled tight. Once the tack is complete, make sure the dinghy is away from the wind, and you are ready to go.

How to successfully tack a catamaran?

Tacking a catamaran refers to changing the direction of the boat while sailing into the wind. Here are the steps to successfully tack a catamaran: Prepare the boat: Ensure that all equipment, sails, and rigging are in good condition and properly adjusted. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the boat's design and handling characteristics. Communication: If sailing with a crew, ensure proper communication and coordination between crew members. Assign roles and establish clear communication channels to avoid confusion during the tack. Determine wind direction: Observe the wind direction and identify the direction you want to sail toward. Prepare the sails: Ease the main sheet and release tension from the jib or jib sheets, allowing them to luff. Helm orientation: Steer the boat close-hauled, generally pointing at a 45-degree angle into the wind. Initiate the tack: To initiate the tack, turn the boat's bow through the wind to the opposite side. This should be done gradually to prevent excessive heeling or loss of control. Use the tiller or steering wheel to gradually turn the boat. Trim the jib: As the boat completes the turn and the sails start to fill on the opposite side, trim the jib sheet to tighten the jib. Trim the main sail: Once the sails are filled, trim the main sheet to achieve the desired sail trim for the new direction. Gradually tighten the sheet to prevent excessive heeling or overpowering the boat. Balance the boat: Make any necessary adjustments to maintain a balanced and controlled sailing position. Resume course: Once the tack is complete and the boat is on a new heading, resume sailing toward your desired direction. Remember, practice and experience play a significant role in successfully tacking a catamaran. It may take time to develop a feel for the boat's handling characteristics, so stay patient and keep practicing. Additionally, always prioritize safety by wearing appropriate safety gear and following boating regulations.

How to tack a catamaran?

Tacking a catamaran is very similar to tacking a monohull sailboat. When a boat is tacked, the sails change sides and the bow of the boat turns through the wind to the opposite side. On a catamaran this means clearing the leeward hull from the wind and pointing it so that it is heading evenly upwind. To do this, the jib sail is first eased and then sheeted in on the opposite side. The mainsail is then eased and trimmed to the other side. As the boat turns, the new leeward hull is pushed downwind and the windward hull is given larger angle of attack. Finally, the sails are trimmed to balance the boat.

Which is easier tacking or jibing?

Tacking is generally considered to be easier than jibing. Tacking involves changing direction by shifting the bow of the boat through the wind, while jibing involves changing direction by steering the stern of the boat through the wind. Jibing is often referred to as a "high-speed maneuver" and requires more control and skill to execute properly.

When to tack and jibe?

Tacking is when a boat turns its bow into the direction from which the wind is blowing. Jibing is when a boat turns its stern into the direction from which the wind is blowing.

How to jibe a catamaran?

To jibe a catamaran, start by making sure all sails are trimmed and secure. Make sure that the leeward hull is clear of any obstructions. Look back over your shoulder and as the stern of the boat swings around, pull the rudder towards you so that the boat turns into the wind. When the sail on the opposite side of the boat has filled, release the rudder and hold onto the boat's traveler, easing it to its original position. Finally, move the mainsheet to its original position.

Can you blow a catamaran over?

No, it is impossible to blow a catamaran over because its design is designed to be stable in the water. A catamaran's two hulls are wide and flat, which make them stable and resistant to tipping over.

How to right pitchpole catamaran?

To right a pitchpole catamaran, move the crew to the side of the boat that is facing up. Make sure that all crew members are facing in the same direction and ready to right the boat. Once the crew is in position, they should use their body weight to push the boat over while also swimming. With enough effort, the boat should eventually tip back over and begin to float again.

Why Do Sailing Catamarans Have Trampolines? (Complete Guide)

Categories Sailing

The sailboat, ship, yacht we are familiar with has a monohull but the catamaran is a uniquely designed boat with two hulls, not only that instead of a solid deck they have trampolines installed. It may come as a surprise to you but catamarans are better than the regular sailboat.

When the monohull sailboat is struggling to find stability, the catamaran is greatly stable and it doesn’t end here the trampoline installations are not just a goofy design it has an important purpose to fulfill. Let’s see what it’s

Why do sailing catamarans have trampolines?

In sailing catamarans having a trampoline instead of a solid deck is a simple way to reduce the weight as well as making the space available to use. When the boat is facing high waves, having a trampoline on the front allows the wave to go through pretty easily and makes the boat more stable.

Table of Contents

What is the purpose of the trampoline on a catamaran?

Weight reduction: .

Having a trampoline instead of a solid frame reduces the weight pretty dramatically.

Open weave or closed mesh, no matter what trampoline you choose for the catamaran, the weight will be lighter than the solid wooden or metal deck.

Providing stability:

The trampoline allows water to pass through. When you are facing high waves and have a solid framework in the deck then there is a high chance that your boat might overturn.

The solid deck framework will try to resist the wave’s force. But if your boat has a trampoline instead of a solid deck then the waves can easily pass through the open weave or closed mesh trampoline.

Less resistance to the wave makes the boat more stable and reduces the chance of capsizing or sinking.

Adding a Relaxing touch:

You can use the trampoline to sit down or lay down and enjoy a sunbath or just sit and enjoy the vast ocean view.

Sitting on a metal or wooden deck can be quite irritating and uncomfortable and you would need cushions, shade, and lots of other things to make it tolerable to sit on.

Sitting or lying on a trampoline will provide you with a relaxing experience without going through any extra hustle.

Variations in catamaran trampolines

You may find 2 types of catamaran trampoline variation on the market when it comes to differentiating using knitting characteristics. These are

Open weave trampoline
Close mesh trampoline.

Open weave trampoline is famous for its built quality and knit. It has large holes which help the water pass through or drain water quickly. It’s a safer option when you are sailing through rough and heavy waves.

Close mesh trampoline is comfortable to walk on. The knits are pretty densely packed. The visual aspects of this close mesh trampoline are great but it takes quite a bit of time to drain the water.

So if you are using a close mesh trampoline on a catamaran then you might have to compromise on sailing on the high waves.

Now you can also find different variations when it comes to building materials and quality. You may find

Dyneema netting
Polyester and polyethylene netting
Webbing
A mixture of various mesh materials

Among these variations, Dyneema is the most promising one. It will provide sufficient durability and abrasion. Though it’s gonna cost you a little bit of extra money to have these types of netting.

How to maintain a catamaran trampoline

The longevity of the catamaran trampoline will depend on how much it’s in use, how well it’s been maintained, its built quality, and proper installation.

Proper installation:

Proper installation of the trampoline is essential when you are thinking about its longevity. A perfectly installed trampoline will provide proper support to the framework.

If the installation process was not properly done, the trampoline will become loose and saggy which will eventually lead to loss of tension and stability.

So checking the tension and resistance of the trampoline and checking the knits and joints conditions is a must.

Choosing the best material:

The trampoline will be in direct contact with the sun. The sun lights, UV rays, sea salt, and water will greatly put an impact on its longevity.

Choosing UV ray-resistant materials for trampoline will surely increase its longevity. Look out for any trace of rust or broken knits, you should decide if the trampoline is worth restoration or need to replace with a new one.

Not putting excessive loads:

Putting excessive loads on the trampoline will surely make it wear down faster than usual. Overload will weaken the trampoline joint and fibers so keep an eye on keeping the trampoline at ease.

What kind of boat is a catamaran?

The catamaran is a boat with two hulls. The two hulls are equal in size and are parallel to each other.

The distances between are hulls not concealed with solid metal or any other materials. The cavity is covered with a trampoline. This particular design of the catamaran was to provide better stability and resistance to sailing in rough and mighty waves.

Are catamarans easier to sail?

Catamarans the boat with two hulls are faster, better, and much more stable than the boat with a monohull. The catamaran has a better sense of balance. The trampoline attachment not only reduces the overall weight of the boat it also has another purpose.

The trampoline lets the wave pass through so there is a less overturning force to deal with. As a result, you don’t have to put too much effort into controlling the boat. You can say it’s easier to sail a catamaran boat.

Do catamarans flip easily?

The catamaran has two hulls. This particular unique design made the catamaran more stable and easy to control for sailors.

There isn’t any solid deck between the hulls, instead, the cavity is filled up by a trampoline. Now the question may emerge, does this have any negative effect on sailing, will the catamaran flip easily?

To flip a boat there should be an imbalance between the center of buoyancy and the center of mass. But catamarans are stable thanks to two hull designs. Now about the trampoline, it lets the wave pass through so the boat isn’t dealing with any overturning force from the wave.

Now you can rest assured and say that the catamaran boat won’t flip easily.

Are catamarans safer than sailboats?

Sailboats are monohull built and catamarans Have two hulls. This particular design plays a huge role in their sailing experience. The catamarans have a larger contact area with the ocean, instead of having a solid deck the catamaran has trampoline installation.

The trampoline lets the wave pass through and reduces the boat’s overturning force. Now when we are talking about the sailboat it has a monohull which is famous for its leaning and flipping over.

The monohull sailboat doesn’t possess the stability nor does it have anything on board to deal with the waves overturning force. So it concluded that the catamaran is safer than the sailboat.

Are catamarans more stable in the rough sea?

Catamarans are stable and have a low chance of flipping over thanks to their unique two-hull design and the trampoline attachment.

The two hulls provide better stability compared to the monohull boat and the trampoline lets the water pass through and reduces the overturning force. In rough seas, the waves are strong and unpredictable.

The boat sailing in the rough sea doesn’t only have to be strong and sturdy but also be uniquely stable and efficient. The catamarans fall into this category pretty easily . Catamarans are stable even in the rough sea.

I hope you got an overall look at why there is a trampoline on the catamaran. It’s not just for fun hangout attachment it’s much more.

The uniquely designed catamaran, the two hulls, and the trampolines make the boat stable and a perfect vessel to sail in the rough seas. Enjoy the sea with the catamaran, wish you a marvelous sailing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will a Sailboat Right Itself?

Why Do Sailboats Lean So Much?

Do Sailboats Have Anchors?

Do Sailboats Have Bathrooms & Showers?

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Ageism in health care is more common than you might think, and it can harm people

Ashley Milne-Tyte

Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and author, speaks with a patient at UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Health in San Francisco. /Julia Burns hide caption

Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and author, speaks with a patient at UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Health in San Francisco.

A recent study found that older people spend an average of 21 days a year on medical appointments. Kathleen Hayes can believe it.

Hayes lives in Chicago and has spent a lot of time lately taking her parents, who are both in their 80s, to doctor's appointments. Her dad has Parkinson's, and her mom has had a difficult recovery from a bad bout of Covid-19. As she's sat in, Hayes has noticed some health care workers talk to her parents at top volume, to the point, she says, "that my father said to one, 'I'm not deaf, you don't have to yell.'"

In addition, while some doctors and nurses address her parents directly, others keep looking at Hayes herself.

"Their gaze is on me so long that it starts to feel like we're talking around my parents," says Hayes, who lives a few hours north of her parents. "I've had to emphasize, 'I don't want to speak for my mother. Please ask my mother that question.'"

Researchers and geriatricians say that instances like these constitute ageism – discrimination based on a person's age – and it is surprisingly common in health care settings. It can lead to both overtreatment and undertreatment of older adults, says Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and professor of geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.

"We all see older people differently. Ageism is a cross-cultural reality," Aronson says.

Ageism creeps in, even when the intent is benign, says Aronson, who wrote the book, Elderhood . "We all start young, and you think of yourself as young, but older people from the very beginning are other."

That tendency to see older adults as "other" doesn't just result in loud greetings, or being called "honey" while having your blood pressure taken, both of which can dent a person's morale.

Aronson says assumptions that older people are one big, frail, homogenous group can cause more serious issues. Such as when a patient doesn't receive the care they need because the doctor is seeing a number, rather than an individual.

"You look at a person's age and say, 'Ah, you're too old for this,' instead of looking at their health, and function, and priorities, which is what a geriatrician does," says Aronson.

She says the problem is most doctors receive little education on older bodies and minds.

"At my medical school we only get two weeks to teach about older people in a four-year curriculum," she says.

Aronson adds that overtreatment comes in when well-meaning physicians pile on medications and procedures. Older patients can suffer unnecessarily.

"There are things...that happen again and again and again because we don't teach [physicians] how to care about older people as fully human, and when they get old enough to appreciate it, they're already retired," says Aronson.

Kris Geerken is co-director of Changing the Narrative , an organization that wants to end ageism. She says research shows that negative beliefs about aging - our own or other people's - are detrimental to our health.

"It actually can accelerate cognitive decline, increase anxiety, it increases depression. It can shorten our lifespans by up to seven-and-a-half years," she says, adding that a 2020 study showed that discrimination against older people, negative age stereotypes, and negative perceptions around one's own age, cost the health care system $63 billion a year.

Still, beliefs can change.

"When we have positive beliefs about age and aging, those things are all flipped," Geerken says, and we tend to age better.

Geerken conducts anti-ageism trainings, often over Zoom, including trainings for health care workers. She also advises older adults on how to push back if they feel their medical concerns are being dismissed with comments like, "It's to be expected at your age."

Age-Friendly Health Systems are another initiative designed to curb ageism in the health care industry.

Leslie Pelton is vice president at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, which launched the concept of Age-Friendly Health Systems in 2018, along with the John A. Hartford Foundation .

She describes the effort as one in which every aspect of care, including mobility, mental health and medication, is centered on the needs and desires of the older adult.

Pelton says 3,700 sites across the US - including clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes - are now designated age-friendly.

She describes the system as "a counterbalance to ageism, because it requires that a clinician begins with asking and acting on what matters to the older adult, so right away the older adult is being seen and being heard."

That sounds great to Liz Schreier. Schreier is 87 and lives in Buffalo. She walks and does yoga regularly. She also has a heart condition and emphysema and spends plenty of time at the doctor. She lives alone and says she has to be her own advocate.

"What I find is a disinterest. I'm not very interesting to them," she says. "And I'm one of many - you know, one of those old people again."

She goes from specialist to specialist, hoping for help with little things that keep cropping up.

"I had a horrible experience with a gastroenterologist who said I was old, and he didn't think he wanted to do a scope on me, which was a little insulting," she says.

She later found one of his colleagues who would.

Schreier says navigating the health care system in your 80s is tough. What she and her peers are looking for from health care workers, she says, is kindness, and advice on how to stay active and functional no matter how old they are.

older adults

Upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 faces a real challenge this year — how will Samsung respond?

I f it's possible to feel nervous on behalf of smartphones, you'd have to feel some sympathy anxiety for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 . When this flip phone-style foldable arrives later this year, it's going to face a much more competitive landscape than any previous Z Flip model ever had to contend with. The pressure will be on for the new model to leap to the head of the class among the best foldable phones .

It wasn't always like this. Samsung phones used to be the gold standard when it came to foldables, even if that was primarily due to the fact that it was the only phone maker seeming capable of building a decent folding phone. The Galaxy Z Flip in particular stood out for its eye-catching design and compact form. It also helped that the Flip was the first foldable to cost less than $1,000 — a key milestone in a world where larger foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold still command $,1799 prices.

But other device makers started muscling in on Samsung's foldable phone dominance, with the Flip facing particularly formidable competition. Samsung's offering is no longer the best iteration of a foldable flip phone — Motorola has that locked down for now — so you can bet that all eyes will be on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to see if it can retake the title.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 meets the competition

The glow started coming off the Galaxy Flip last year when the Motorola Razr Plus arrived on the scene. This was the first flip phone to really show up Samsung's foldable by outlasting the Galaxy Z Flip 4 on a charge and including a larger cover display that proved far more useful than the Flip's 1.9-inch exterior strip. It may have been a coincidence that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 adopted a larger cover display of its own when it arrived a few months after the Razr Plus, but it was quite clear Samsung's phone was no longer the undisputed leader in this category.

The second part of Motorola's one-two punch arrived toward the end of the year in the form of the Motorola Razr (2023) . This was Motorola's budget-conscious Razr, available for $300 less than the Galaxy Z Flip 5. But don't let the price fool you — the Razr was no cut-rate foldable.

In our Motorola Razr (2023) vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5 face-off, Samsung's phone won — but just barely. The Razr boasted the better design and lasted nearly an hour longer on our battery test. While the Galaxy Z Flip 5 took better photos, they weren't substantially better — certainly not enough to justify paying $300 more for Samsung's foldable. Ultimately, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's better chipset and superior screen pushed it ahead of the less expensive Razr, but for Samsung, the comparisons were clearly too close for comfort.

And it's not going to get any easier for Samsung and the Galaxy Flip. Another Motorola Razr Plus will doubtlessly arrive at some point this year to challenge the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and its successor on the high end. And even cheaper foldables could be in the works, like the Nubia Flip 5G we saw at MWC 2024 last month. The Nubia flip phone starts at $599 — even less than the Motorola Razr (2023) — and once it ships, it could wind up being a viable low-cost alternative for people who find the Flip's price too much.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 flaws exposed

None of this is to convince you that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a bad phone. We appreciated the addition of the bigger Flex window as well as the redesign that got rid of the gap that existed when you tried to snap shut previous models. If you buy the Galaxy Z Flip 5, you're going to end up with a fine phone.

But the arrival of serious competitors to the Galaxy Z Flip has highlighted the areas that Samsung needs to work on for future foldables. Alternatives like the Razr mean Samsung can't afford to coast when it comes to the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and beyond.

Take the cameras on the current model for example. They certainly produce good photos, but the hardware hasn't changed from previous models, with a pair of 12MP sensors serving as your main and ultrawide cameras. Instead of more megapixels — or even a dedicated telephoto camera — Samsung has relied on improvements to AI and photo processing to help the Flip produce better photos than previous generations. You can be excused for wondering how long that approach can continue to work.

Samsung has also made strides in getting the Galaxy Z Flip to last longer on a charge — the Z Flip 5 improved on the Z Flip 4's battery test result by about an hour, which is no small feat. But the Galaxy Z Flip 5 just manages to match the average battery test results for the smartphones we've reviewed — other foldable phones top that figure.

Can the Galaxy Z Flip 6 fight back?

You have to figure that both cameras and battery life are high on the list of things Samsung will focus on with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which we're expecting to see in late summer if the phone maker's usual foldable phone release schedule is anything to go by. And early Galaxy Z Flip 6 rumors are very promising, particularly on the camera front.

Early rumors point to Samsung possibly turning to a 50MP camera for the next Galaxy Flip. Presumably, that would be the phone's main camera just as the Galaxy S24 features a 50MP sensor for its main camera.

The upgrade would mean sharper, more detailed shots for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. It could also, in theory, be a workaround for the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens on the flip phone. Other camera phones like the iPhone 15 use a high-resolution sensor to crop in on a subject, effectively creating a 2x optical zoom. Could Samsung adopt a similar approach with the Galaxy Z Flip 6? The rumored camera improvement would certainly allow it.

Samsung's hands may be tied in some respects when it comes to boosting battery life — there's only so much space inside the compact phone for including a larger battery. But the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will likely feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and that Qualcomm silicon delivers outstanding power management features. It's no coincidence that all three S24 models we've tested that run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 also landed on the best phone battery life list for posting 13-hour-plus results on our battery test.

Samsung is rumored to be working on other improvements as well that could re-establish the Galaxy Z Flip as the flip phone-style foldable to get. The cover screen on the Z Flip 6 could be even larger than the 3.4-inch panel on the Z Flip 5 — think 3.9 inches, according to one rumor. And Samsung may be looking at ways to make the Galaxy Z Flip 6 more durable than its predecessor, addressing a persistent concern about foldable phones.

Galaxy Z Flip 6 outlook

Even with the possibility of an earlier-than-usual launch for Samsung's next foldables , there's plenty of time for more Galaxy Z Flip 6 rumors to emerge, giving us a better look at how this year's version will be an improvement over previous models. And Samsung needs to deliver on those improvements — these days, there are a growing number of foldable flip phones to turn to if the Galaxy Z Flip doesn't impress.

As Biden’s memory issues draw attention, neurologists weigh in

Since a report released on Thursday by special counsel Robert Hur described President Joe Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” there have been significant misperceptions about the cognitive changes associated with aging, neurologists say.

The report on Biden’s handling of classified documents noted that the president hadn’t remembered the exact time frame that he served as vice president and was struggling to recall the period when his late son, Beau Biden, had passed away. Biden defiantly rejected the changes in a press conference late Thursday , saying “my memory’s fine.”

There’s also been scrutiny of other recent events when the 81-year-old president mixed up names of foreign leaders .

However, neurologists say blanking on the names of acquaintances or having difficulty remembering dates from the past, especially when under stress, can simply be part of normal aging.

“If you asked me when my mother passed away, I couldn’t necessarily tell you the exact year because it was many years ago,” Dr. Paul Newhouse, clinical core leader for the Vanderbilt Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, said.

Almost every older patient has trouble remembering people’s names, Newhouse said.

“I think it’s by far the most universal complaint of every person as they age,” Newhouse said.

In Newhouse's experience, this type of forgetfulness doesn’t actually predict who ends up having memory disorders. Only a person’s doctor or neurologist can make that diagnosis, not outside observers, brain experts say.

Dr. Dennis Selkoe, co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, agreed that forgetting names doesn’t actually provide much insight into potential memory problems. In fact, stress and a lack of sleep, can interfere with memory, no matter how old someone is.

“Naming proper nouns is not an adequate basis to make a conclusion about whether an individual has a more consistent and more concerning substantive progressive memory disorder,” Selkoe said.

What are normal memory changes?

It’s normal for older brains to have more difficulty retaining new information and then retrieving the information, but mental processes like decision-making and judgment can actually improve with age, said Dr. Thomas Wisniewski, director of NYU Langone Health’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and its Center for Cognitive Neurology.

“Although the raw power of memory has some degree of decline, perhaps wisdom can increase because the individual has a greater backlog of experiences and different situations as to what is the best thing to do,” Wisniewski said.

The problem isn’t having trouble remembering names or calling someone by the wrong name, but when someone’s memory is fuzzy about recent or past experiences, said Newhouse. Issues with episodic memory — memory for events in time or if a person doesn’t remember going shopping, for example — can be a sign of a progressive disorder, but not always.

Wisniewski said he becomes concerned when people don’t even recognize that they are forgetting things.

“They forgot that they went shopping and they’re unaware that they’ve forgotten,” he said.

Overall, neurologists tend to worry less about a patient’s ability to remember remote memories from many years ago and more troubled by an inability to recall more recent events. That’s because dementia first affects the part of the brain that’s responsible for short-term memories, as opposed to long-term memories, said Newhouse.

“What I’m more concerned about is, can you remember what happened yesterday? Or an hour ago?” Newhouse said.

While the conversation surrounding aging is often framed around a person’s diminishing memory or executive functioning, there are cognitive benefits that come with growing older, Selkoe said.

“There is a type of emotional intelligence and ability to handle many different kinds of experiences in life that come with greater longevity,” he said. “People can make decisions more carefully and more rationally.”

Akshay Syal, M.D., is a medical fellow with the NBC News Health and Medical Unit.

Ghael Fobes is an Associate White House Producer with the NBC News White House Unit in Washington, D.C.

Requesting a tax return copy will cost you. Here's how to get the same info for free.

You'd like to buckle down and do your income taxes . Really, you would. But you're missing one key form: last year's federal income tax return.

But wait? It will cost you $30 to get an actual copy? Really? Hey, that's a bargain because it used to be $50. But before you grumble about fees, realize it's possible ‒ and makes more sense ‒ to get what you need to do your taxes for free . It all depends on what form you file and what road you take.

The expensive way: The Internal Revenue Service has Form 4506 to request a copy of a tax return. Filing that form will cost you $30. Generally, you'd be able to get a copy of a return filed in the last seven years. You can have that return sent directly to you, or have it sent directly to a third party, such as a mortgage company.

The IRS notes on its 2024 form that there is a $30 fee for each form requested . And the IRS instructions highlight that it may take up to 75 days for the agency to process this request. No, usually it's not the best way to go just to do your taxes.

The free tax hack: Request a transcript by using Form 4506-T to get your hands on key personal information. For fast help, go online to www.irs.gov and click on "Get Your Tax Record."

The transcript won't look exactly like a tax return, but it will do the job .

A tax return transcript will show most line items, including adjusted gross income or AGI from your original Form 1040, along with any forms and schedules. It helps to have the 2022 information when filing a 2023 return.

And again, it's free.

How do you get a tax transcript?

To get a transcript online, you would need to create an online account with the IRS, if you don't already have one.

"The fastest and easiest way taxpayers can get last year’s information for filing this year is to open an online account," said Luis Garcia, a spokesperson for the IRS.

By using an online account at the IRS, Garcia said, tax filers can access their individual account information including balance, payments and tax records.

Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, said there's a great value to being able to access your personal tax information online, including obtaining any necessary transcripts.

As part of the "Get Transcript" process when you go online, Steber recommends that you download the “record of account” transcript as it gives you the original return information and any changes made by the IRS or you if you filed an amended return or Form 1040X.

Steber noted if the tax filer goes through the online process, the transcript is immediately available. If needed, a tax professional can walk you through it but typically isn't able to retrieve your transcript.

Or if you used the same tax professional as last year, see if they have a copy of your prior year return.

Do-it-yourselfers often can access the return for the previous year if they use the same tax software provider. You might be able to sign into your account with the same user name and password used to originally create that account. Then, you can go to a section for tax returns for the prior year. You can search online for how a specific tax software provider allows access to a prior year's return.

Two more options exist to get a transcript from the IRS, as well, if you are not able or do not wish to register for an online account at IRS.gov.

By mail: You can fill out Form 4506-T and mail it to the IRS. The IRS says the transcript can arrive in five to 10 calendar days. The IRS notes that to request a transcript by mail, you need your mailing address from your latest return.

The transcript would be mailed to the address the IRS has on file for you. Tax transcripts are only mailed to the taxpayer's address on record, not third parties.

By phone: The IRS notes that you can call 800-908-9946 for the IRS transcript order line. If you order a tax return or tax account transcript by phone, you'd receive the transcript by mail. Again, allow five to 10 calendar days from the time the IRS receives your request for your transcript to arrive.

A variety of tax transcripts exist, including a wage and income transcript, which shows information that the IRS receives directly from employers and others, such as W-2 forms, as well as 1098, 1099, and 5498 forms. So you can find other information, as well.

Tax season: The average federal tax refund is significantly higher this year. But there's a downside

How do people lose their old tax returns?

Believe it or not, if you've lost your tax return for 2022, you're far from alone.

People move. Boxes filled with paper get lost. Some tax professionals retire and, sometimes, you're not sure what to do next.

April Walker, lead manager for Tax Practice & Ethics with the American Institute of CPAs, said tax filers who do not have a print copy of a tax return might run into issues if they are unable to get into their computer files. Maybe, their computer gets infected with a virus and the data is corrupt. Or maybe, the computer becomes nonoperational and they do not have a backup of the files.

Can you wing it and file without referencing last year's return?

Many times, no.

Often, you want to look at a copy of the prior year tax return to verify what you reported last year for your income, deductions and credits. What are the differences on your tax return between this year and last? Do some deductions apply this year, too?

"If the taxpayer has a side gig or other types of self-employment or rental property," Steber said, "the prior year return ensures correct continuation of depreciation and serves as a reminder for possible allowed deductions."

Walker said you want to review the prior year's return and compare it with what you're listing on the current return to spot any missing items ‒ such as maybe a misplaced 1099 for an investment account or bank account.

Another important point: To file your current return electronically, you're going to need to know key figures from your prior year return, a process that is in place to skirt identity theft.

Another good tip: Walker says it's important to keep a paper copy of your return and documents associated with it in case the IRS or the state treasury requests further information or sends an adjustment.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: [email protected] . Follow her on X (Twitter) @ tompor .

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COMMENTS

Do Catamarans Flip Over Easily? (5 Things To Know)
Catamarans don't flip over easily as they have two watertight hulls, are naturally buoyant, and have fast-draining cabins should they become waterlogged. They also have excellent roll inertia (resistance to rolling), less draft, and an easy-to-use reefing system to reduce speed quickly in a storm. In this article, I'll discuss five things ...
Why Catamarans Capsize, A Scientific Explanation (For Beginners)
In the context of boats, to capsize means to flip the boat upside down unintentionally. On a small dingy, it is part of the sailing experience, and the boat can quickly be righted, but on a cruising cat, it can be the difference between life and death. ... 2019 Australia, 39ft catamaran capsizes. The daggerboards can be seen and appear to be ...
Do Catamarans Flip Easily? (UNCOVERED)
Overall, catamarans are designed for stability, and with the right combination of weight, hull length, and shape, they can be very difficult to flip. However, it is important to note that no vessel is completely immune to flipping, and it is still possible to flip a well-made and cared for catamaran if the conditions are right.
Why Do Catamarans Capsize? The Facts You Need To Know
Additionally, the asymmetrical shape of catamarans makes them more likely to flip over in high waves, as the force of the waves can push the boat in one direction and cause it to overturn. Overall, catamarans are inherently more unstable than other types of vessels due to their wide-hulled design, and they can easily become unbalanced if ...
Are Catamarans More Stable?
Yes, when a massive wave undercuts a catamaran under the right conditions (usually perpendicular to the waves and wind and in rough weather), a catamaran can flip over. Unlike monohull sailboats, which rely on a low center of gravity and deep displacement for stability, catamarans gain most of their stability from factors above the water.
Trimaran Seaworthiness Explained! Will it Flip?
Catamarans are known for their excellent stability, and if they heel (lean over with wind-filled sails), they can right themselves up to a 12° angle before flipping over.. To understand when a catamaran or trimaran will capsize, I suggest you read this article: Why Catamarans Capsize. On the other hand, Trimarans are well-known for their righting torque (the ability of a vessel to right ...
Catamaran Capsize: What to Do When Your Boat Flips
Catamarans are a popular choice among sailing enthusiasts due to their sleek design, stability, and impressive speed. However, even the most experienced sailors can fall victim to catamaran capsizing if they fail to understand the causes, risks involved, and how to prevent mishaps. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of understanding catamaran capsizing to ensure that you can ...
Catamarans Guide: The ABCs of Multihull Boats
However, high performance sailing catamarans, and high-performance catamaran powerboats can occasionally flip end-over-end, due to the extremely high speeds they can achieve. This happens when air gets under the boat and lifts the hull up off the water. Windy conditions and a rough sea state can increase the risk of this occurring.
Staying Safe On A Catamaran: 24 Essential Tips
However, a catamaran is typically more stable than a monohull sailboat of equal length. Therefore, catamarans can only flip over given the right conditions and do not flip as readily as monohull boats. Staying safe on a catamaran is easier than you think. Staying Safe On A Catamaran Bibliography. Discover Boating Ontario - Boating Safety For ...
Can a Sailboat Flip Over? How to Prevent It
Yes, sailboats can flip or roll over, which is also referred to as capsizing. To prevent this from happening, make sure you do the following: Don't ride your sailboat in inclement weather, including strong winds, rains, lightning, and thunder. Don't attach your boat's anchor line to the stern, but rather, the bow as you anchor your boat.
Avoiding Capsizing And Swamping
A C-130 aircrew dropped a life raft to three people, but a nearby good Samaritan aboard a power catamaran was first on scene and took the three men aboard. There were no reported injuries. Watch a video of the incredible rescue above. ... A sudden squall can flip even a larger boat. Check the weather forecast before you go out and keep a ...
Multihull Capsize Risk Check
The catamaran Ramtha was hit head-on by the infamous Queen's Birthday storm in 1994. The mainsail was blown out, and steering was lost. Lacking any control the crew was taken off the boat, and the boat was recovered basically unharmed 2 weeks later. A Catalac catamaran caught in the same storm trailed a drogue and came through unharmed.
Here's Why Sailboats Don't Tip Over (Explained For Beginners)
The primary reason sailboats tip over is that there is too much pressure on the sails for the ballast to counteract. This pressure is the wind. The stronger the wind, the more pressure on the sails, and that means more force trying to push the sailboat over. In almost every case, a boat tips over because the wind is too strong.
Are Catamarans Unsinkable? (2 Amazing Things You NEED To Know)
A catamaran can sink if both of its hulls suffer catastrophic damage. It isn't always the case, though. Catamarans seldom sink. When a catamaran takes on water, it usually has enough buoyancy to keep the boat afloat. ( source) Additionally, many brands of catamarans have recently been designed and classified as unsinkable.
Every way to capsize a catamaran!
1 - the bad tack, 2 - the sideways , 3 - the sideways on the wire , 4 - the gybe on the wire , 5 - newton's cradle , 6 - pitchpole sitting in , 7 - pitchpol...
Can A Catamaran Capsize?
First off, any boat can technically capsize. Even if it is designed not to, any boat which travels on the surface of the water has the potential to capsize given the right conditions. Second, we see one thing about catamarans is true and that is the larger the catamaran, the more stable. To sum up, any boat can capsize but the larger the ...
Catamaran sailing across the Atlantic: Why multihulls are taking over
Multihulls are making their mark on tradewinds sailing. Elaine Bunting reports from the 2019 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. A catamaran on the ARC rally reefed for an approaching squall, as seen ...
Catamaran flipped two die
7287 posts · Joined 2003. #13 · Jul 11, 2019. They have a huge low angle righting moment several times that of a monohull, becoming equal to that of monohull at ~50* heel, then decreasing to no righting moment at ~90*. The overall rotational energy (area under the stability curves) required to capsize a catamaran is ~50% greater than that ...
Tacking and jibing a catamaran
Highperformance catamarans with daggerboards can pivot more quickly through the turn. The helmsman faces aft as he crosses the boat, easing the mainsheet before ducking underthe boom. The crew watches the mainsail carefully, waiting until the mainsail has filled on the new side. ... the helmsman must flip the tiller extension past the boom end ...
Do Catamaran's Sink?
In this article, we will discuss if catamaran's sink, if catamarans flip easily and how safe they are vs. monohull boats. ... It is very rare for a catamaran boat to sink, but yes, a catamaran boat can sink. The rarity of a catamaran sinking is due to their multihull design, the materials used in contruction, ...
What to Wear on a Catamaran? (Helpful List)
Boat shoes and flip-flops, on the other hand, are an absolute must when sailing, especially if you plan on going ashore. Beach sandals on the sand. ... Catamarans can soar through the air because of the air in their sails. In today's catamarans, you'll find all the amenities you'd find on a yacht, including large staterooms, bathrooms ...
Why Do Sailing Catamarans Have Trampolines? (Complete Guide)
Now you can rest assured and say that the catamaran boat won't flip easily. Are catamarans safer than sailboats? Sailboats are monohull built and catamarans Have two hulls. This particular design plays a huge role in their sailing experience. The catamarans have a larger contact area with the ocean, instead of having a solid deck the ...
Noisy River Outdoors
The Flip-Kat® is the ultimate kayak for hunters who want a versatile and portable boat that can handle the demands of the great outdoors. Its flat bottom catamaran hull design allows it to navigate shallow waters with ease, making it perfect for stalking game in the marsh or the river.
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Feb. 10, 2024, 9:33 AM PST. By Akshay Syal, M.D. and Ghael Fobes. Since a report released on Thursday by special counsel Robert Hur described President Joe Biden as an "elderly man with a poor ...
Tax return from last year missing? How to get a free transcript
No, usually it's not the best way to go just to do your taxes. The free tax hack: Request a transcript by using Form 4506-T to get your hands on key personal information. For fast help, go online ...

Do Catamarans Flip Over Easily? (5 Things To Know)

Things To Know About the Likelihood of a Catamaran Flipping

1. Catamarans Have Two Watertight Hulls

2. Catamarans Are Naturally Buoyant

3. Catamarans Have Less Draft

4. Catamarans Have Excellent Roll Inertia

5. Catamarans Have Easy Reefing Systems

Final Thoughts

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