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Liferafts are reassuring, but should only to be used as an absolute last resort. James Stevens explores the main scenarios that could lead to abandoning ship, and what to do if the worst happens
Climbing into a liferaft is no easy option and should only ever be an absolute last resort. Credit: Graham Snook/YM
Having to abandon ship into a liferaft is the biggest decision a skipper has to make.
Current thinking about this was greatly influenced by the 1979 Fastnet Race Inquiry Report written by the RYA and RORC.
The race fleet encountered very severe weather in the Irish Sea; 24 yachts were abandoned of which 19 were later recovered.