It's every yachtsman's nightmare, but what really happens in a capsize or knockdown?
In Yachting Monthly’s second controlled disaster in our Crash Test Boat series, we carried out two 360 degree rollovers with our 40ft yacht. One of the world’s top ocean sailors, Mike Golding, who has carried out self-righting inversion tests with his Open 60s, was on hand to give us help and advice.
MDL Marinas gave us permission to use a clear area in Ocean Village Marina, Southampton, and Marsh Plant Hire provided the crane. Steve Adams, from Yachting TV, set up waterproof remote video cameras, with lights, to capture the action inside the boat. He also had two exterior cameras. We used three mannequins for crew.
Two rollovers were carried out – one with loose items, lockers, sole boards, galley and chart table secured. Another rollover with everything unsecured. The results are a wake-up call for sailors going on long passages, or caught out in heavy weather in unsecured boats.
The full article by Chris Beeson appears in Yachting Monthly’s July issue (on sale June 2), when a longer film of the capsize test will also be released.
See our video trailer film.
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