If you capsize, what should you do immediately?

Staying with the boat is the best course of action immediately after a capsize. A capsized vessel may still provide buoyancy, helping to keep you afloat, and it is generally easier for rescuers to locate you if you remain close to the boat, which is typically larger and more visible than an individual swimmer.

Additionally, if the water is cold or if you are in a remote area, swimming to shore could be dangerous or exhausting. Swimming to the nearest dock or shore can also lead to disorientation and increased risk of hypothermia, especially in unpredictable water conditions. Signaling for help is important, but it is more effective to do so from a stable point, like your overturned boat, rather than risking further distance in swimming.

Thus, staying with the boat enhances your chances of survival and increases the likelihood that help will find you.