explain this video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js-Z1m7zqvk&search=hobie

Can someone please explain 2 things to me?
First, how did this cat flip exactly? It didnt appear they were riding a hull, and they were tacking though because the mainsail was in and tight.

Second, where exactly was the camera guy? When the cat crashed, the camera guy seemed to be extremely high up..

I dont know, I'm just a bit confused lol.

Hey Johnny,

If you notice closely, the main traveler is all the way out to the starboard (leeward) beam which means they probably sailing at least on a beam reach, not withstanding the fact that it is unlikely that they were doing 20Kts close hauled. Trapezing on the stern may have helped prevent this pitch-poll episode but remember, that was a H16 they were sailing. Even so, H16's don't have a monopoly on pitch-polling. Check out the video below, if you haven't already seen it.

http://www.wetasschronicles.com/HobieCartwheel.wmv

Second, I think the camera was on the "Head-Cam" of the helm. Additionally, he probably hung on to the windward hull (which is the one that's usually out of the water (7 feet) when you cap) to keep his camera from getting wet. I've lost a camera capsizing. It's quite an expensive luxury.


Happy Sailing,

David

Looks like a broad reach pitchpole to me, too. Seems to me that a ferocious pitchpole like that is a rite of passage when sailing a cat.

That's Hakan Frodh from Sweden sailing on a broad reach and testing out his head cam. The original version had a heavy metal soundtrack - Rammstein (Du Hast).

He's actually a very good sailor - in the slow motion version, you can see that his crew was a little slow in popping the jib on the wave that got them.