Is it possible to escape by boat when a shipwreck occurs? The difference between sinking, swimming, and safely making it to an island may be just a vote away!

Gameplay in Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades is all about voting, which takes the form of both co-operation and betrayal over the course of play as circumstances change and you find your sailors on the brink of death. During a vote, each player chooses a card from their hand, then everyone reveals their choices at the same time. You have one card of each boat color — which also correspond to the player colors — as well as three captain cards. If you're the only person to play a captain card during a vote, you get to decide the result, but if more than one captain card is played, they're ignored. In either case, each captain card can be played only once.

First, players vote on which ship springs a leak. Second, players vote on which ship moves forward one space toward its island. If the ship reaches the island, all of its occupants are safe and will score their player points based on which island was reached. Third, players scramble to find better chances for survival.

Lifeboats: Plank of Carneades differs from Lifeboats in that it allows for up to seven players to fight for seats on ships. In addition, in some circumstances the ships will move faster and more ships will spring a leak, making gameplay move faster. Finally, the captain card is more powerful as players can use it to keep any ship from springing a leak in a round.