Water rapidly enters the first stage, “toroid”, through the portholes as inflation chambers force panels apart lending almost immediate stability to the raft. Importantly, this process is faster in rough seas. Simultaneously, stainless steel cables assist in the deployment of the main ballast chambers as water enters the “one-way flapper valve” through which it cannot escape.

When the dual-stabilizer chambers are fully deployed, the raft effectively becomes part of and moves with the sea: it can be towed and rowed even when fully ballasted. This has been done in actual survival situations.

The stabilization system compensates for changes in wave angle and weight shift. Because it is water in water, the Givens Buoy Stability System is virtually weightless, working on the principles of resistence and capillary integrity. Only the fabric stability chamber itself moves through and around the water. For this reason,

 In hurricane Allen, 30' seas, 195 knot winds the raft never capsized, while survivors' 30 ton ketch was reportedly lifted from the sea and capsized. If a rogue wave should overturn the raft, the momentum of the water in the Givens Buoy Stability System will enable the raft to somersault and reright itself as it repeatedly did in hurricane Allen.