Things I've learned in the last 24 hours on this site &

on & off my H16
1) That masts can have water in them and how to get it out
1a) My mast had water in it and I got it out this afternoon.
2) Rudders can be put on backwards
2a) My boat has its rudders on backwards. I will take care of that tomorrow.
3) The Hobie I am sailing (it belongs to a friend who hadn't had it on the water in 13 years) was made in Feb. 1987
4) I put a Baby bob on my 16 and it was easy
4a) It really does make the mast harder to step.
4b) They really work. I went over today and I didn't turtle for the first time.
5) It maybe possible to solo right a 16'
5a) When I went over today I was only in 5' of water and at my landing. I took the main sail down, put the mast up on a handy barrow and pulled it over.
6) It pays to be prepared.
6a) I had a righting line with me. (I've just learned how to eye splice double braided rope and the splice held). I also tried out a righting line accessory I have been carrying around (more on that in another post with photos).
7) It is scary as hell for a newbie (2 months) to be caught in a squall. It was in the low 50's today and sunny, and then all of a sudden it was black, raining like crazy, and the wind about 20. I was the only boat on the lake. I just beat as close as I could without stalling and waited it out for about 15 minutes.
Don't fiddle around with the quick release on your harness hook.
8a) Today was my second time on the wire. After I bought my harness last week, I pulled a little on the emergency line, trying to figure out how the thing works Well, apparently I pulled on it more than I thought. I was out on the wire and then bang, my hook was on the tramp and I was in the water watching my boat starting to sail away. It didn't, but just barely. This group is the best! Thanks for reading.
Alfred

Have fun learning (maybe the hard way) how poorly the boat sails without hull plugs. Come back and tell us about your first pitchpole. Will you do it while on the wire and Tarzan into the jib? If you do, don't tell your wife, if she's like mine, or you'll get an ear full of "I told you so."

What you were doing by sailing close to the wind in the squall is called "feathering" and is an excellent way to handle big gusts or sustained big winds. Depower the rig and stay right on the edge of luffing.
Now that you have been over a few times you can begin to really enjoy the boat. "No fear" or at least reasonable fear. You can push it more now and know that everything will be OK. Have fun.

You've done well. We took our Hobie 16 out for the first time last week end ... after the event I counted 7 things that we had set up incorrectly ... fortunately the wind was light and none were critical.