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Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)


What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?
The Capsize Screening Formula is an attempt to validate if a given yacht is suitable to participate in an ocean race. Such validation became obvious after the Fastnet race in England in 1979 was hit by a storm that shredded the race fleet. Of 303 yachts, 85 finished, 75 capsized, and five sank. 15 yachtsmen died.

Results in each of six classes in the Fastnet race[1]
ClassRating Limits*StartedFinishedRetiredCrew lost
042.1-7014131-
I33-42663619-
II29-32.9532330-
III26.6-28.9646626
IV23-25.4686446
V21-22.9681483
Total3038519415
*) The Rating Limit is not the length of the yacht but is closely correlated to the length. The smallest yacht in the race were 28 ft.

On this background the Cruising Club of America came up with the Capsize Screening Formula below.

How to calculate the Capsize Screening value?
Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)
Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)

Notation
Abrev.UnitDescription
BeamftGreatest beam measured
DisplacementlbsDisplacement of the boat in pounds
64n/aConversion factor: The weight of 1 cubic feet of sea water is 64 lbs

The capsize screening value should be less than or equal to 2 for ocean passages. Values greater than 2 are for coastal cruising use only.
Note: the Capsize Screening Formula is disputed by many, and the Cruising Club of America themself characterizes the formula as "rough".

Examples
BoatCSF valueEvaluation*
Malö 451.70yes
Contessa 321.76yes
Swan 461.85yes
UFO 342.01no
First 272.20no
*) if evaluated by this formula alone: can the boat be accepted to participate in ocean races?

Other capsize indicators
There are some better indicators of a vessel’s likelihood of capsize.
Angle of Vanishing Stability
STIX: The EU developed its own stability index called STIX[2], a series of formulas which considered a wide range of factors and provides a reasonable sense of how a boat might perform in extreme conditions. Unfortunately meaningful results require a lot more information than most folks have access to for any specific design.

References
[Ref 1]: 1979 FASTNET RACE INQUIRY REPORT by Sir Hugh Forbes, Sir Maurice Laing, Lieutenant-Colonel James Myatt. Printedby T. H. Brickell & Son Ltd,TheBlackmorePress, Shaftesbury, Dorset.
[Ref 2]: ISO 12217-2 Small craft — Stability and buoyancy assessment and categorization