Took out a H16 for the first time and flipped it upside down

Took the H16 out today in 13knot winds.
First time to ever sail a hobie, I made about 4 or 5 passes and started getting a little to comfortable, tried flying the hull with no harness, figured I would just let out the main if it felt like going over. Well sure enough before I knew it the H16 was going over. I stayed on a little to long and the boat went completely upside down.
Good thing I tied a life jacket on the top of the mast, I still had to work the mast out of the mud and was just about to right her back up when some people came over in a boat and gave me a little extra lift to get her up.
Wow what a good exercise.

Was also shocked that I was able to stand the mast all by myself. Even got some complements on raising and lowering the mast solo.
The people next to me at the boat ramp had a H14 and took 3 people to raise the mast.


I'm so cool j/k

White Rock Lake Dallas,TX

Gongrats on your H16 initiation dump. Since I assume you sailed it away that makes it a success. Raising and lowering the mast solo is no easy feat. I ran 4 H16s off the beach in Key West and it took me some days to get it down to not hurting myself or the boats solo.

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J.Glenn Yachts

Nice, way to just do it and in a safe way (folks around to help you back over). Be careful on the mast, its doable but a beast that can get out of control quick and hit a car. You'll be hooked to the harness in no time.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

Did you tie the life jacket to the mast after you got it out of the mud? If it was on there when you were sailing, it shouldn't have turtled. Is mast sealed?

Raising the mast solo is really not difficult. You need a tripod or support the keep the mast from resting on the traveler track. I tie a line about 6 or 8 ft. long to the jib halyard and the other end to the bridle. After raising the mast, I lean into it, reach down and uncleat the jib halyard. I pull it tight so it can support the mast and recleat it. Then it is an easy matter to attach the forestay.

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Howard

The life jacket was duct taped to the mast before the boat was even put in the water.
The reason it turtled was me staying on the boat to long after it went over.
Mast is sealed,
Yes even if the mast has some type of buoyancy it does not mean there cannot be turtling.
Next time your out put something on your mast that is buoyant like 40lbs or so and flip your boat, once you have the mast in the water stay on the hull that is still in the air.

The physics are there and make sense.

the weight of me staying on the hull that was out of the water all went against the life jacket on the mast.

Was having a great sail today and was within feet of the dock to call it a day when I decided to tempt fate and headed back out for a few more passes. Well, "Murphy" got the best of me while flying the hull on my H14T and I ended up with a pitch pole/ rolled over combo. End result was the cat being in a full turtle even though it has a Baby Bob installed. Your post and your mention of staying on too long explains why mine turtled since I hit the boom on the way off. So yes, you can still turtle it with a mast bob installed!

I was able to right it back up by using a line I have attached to the dolphin striker and running it out and around the upwind hull while sitting on downwind hull and leaning out. From there just used previously useless righting line to get her back in sailing mode and headed for the dock.

Gotta love it.

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'95 H16 sail #101148
'89 H18 SX/ sail #1053 w/ Yellow hulls