Boats capsize or swamp mostly because of poor stability or rough conditions. Poor stability is caused by excess weight on board, whether it is people or cargo, and where the weight is positioned. It is essential to position weight as low as possible and ensure the bow or stern is not lower than the other. If the boat appears to be slow to respond to a roll or pitch then the boat may be overloaded. In rough conditions the boat relies on the bow to provide lift into the prevailing sea condition, whether it is wind chop or ocean swell.
When a boat breaks down or is drifting, the wind will turn the bow away from the wave direction and the stern will face into the waves. This is a dangerous situation, as the stern or transom usually has the lowest freeboard and is subject to taking water. If you break down or are adrift in rough conditions, anchor immediately if practical, or deploy a drogue (a bucket on a rope can act as a drogue) to keep the bow into the sea. Never anchor your boat by the stern. Even the passing wake of a boat can come over the transom and cause a swamping.
Contributed with thanks to VMR Whitsundays
