What should my child do if their boat capsizes or swamps?

Q: What should my child do if their boat capsizes or swamps?

USRowing's Safety Guidelines teach athletes to stay with the boat. Modern shells have flotation under the seats and in the bow and stern, so the hull keeps floating even when full of water. Don't swim away from the shell, even if you're a strong swimmer. Leave it only when being rescued, or swim it to shore if shore is close. To get help, wave arms or a shirt overhead, raise an oar, or use a whistle or horn. If someone goes overboard or is hurt, the command is "Weigh enough! Hold water!" and the crew stops the boat at once. In a swamped coxed boat, rowers stay in a shell with sealed compartments. In an older shell without them, the coxswain directs rowers to untie and slip out one by one, and everyone pairs up as buddies. If rescue isn't coming soon, the crew can roll the hull up and lie on it. Body heat is lost about 25 times faster in water, so getting as much of the body out of the water as possible matters. USRowing also says minors should never be on the water without a safety launch, and crews should stay within hailing distance of it. The launch should carry a life jacket for every rower and coxswain in the coach's care.

Question

Accepted Answer

USRowing's Safety Guidelines teach athletes to stay with the boat. Modern shells have flotation under the seats and in the bow and stern, so the hull keeps floating even when full of water.

Don't swim away from the shell, even if you're a strong swimmer. Leave it only when being rescued, or swim it to shore if shore is close.
To get help, wave arms or a shirt overhead, raise an oar, or use a whistle or horn.
If someone goes overboard or is hurt, the command is "Weigh enough! Hold water!" and the crew stops the boat at once.
In a swamped coxed boat, rowers stay in a shell with sealed compartments. In an older shell without them, the coxswain directs rowers to untie and slip out one by one, and everyone pairs up as buddies.
If rescue isn't coming soon, the crew can roll the hull up and lie on it. Body heat is lost about 25 times faster in water, so getting as much of the body out of the water as possible matters.

USRowing also says minors should never be on the water without a safety launch, and crews should stay within hailing distance of it. The launch should carry a life jacket for every rower and coxswain in the coach's care.