Safely righting

Agreed, the way I was taught, when you're certain she's going to come up, release the righting line and grab the hull that's in the water. Put your arm over the top of it and hang on. If it's real windy that hull will want to come up and if your weight isn't on this now upwind hull, I've seen boats just blow right on over the other way.

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hobiejohn at earthlink dot net
Fleet 297

Yeah, totally agree with everybody on the "once-it-starts-to-come-up" stuff. We were at Marina del Rey with a beginning Hobie class and, during a righting exercise, one of the students I was working with COMPLETELY forgot the part we taught about staying between the hulls and reaching for the dolphin striker when the boat rights itself . He did the inevitable, dove right underneath the hull that was coming down .

It wasn't great for him when it bonked him on the shoulder , but he was lucky that it was only a glancing blow and he survived the experience in one piece. He'll probably never right a boat incorrectly again .

well i find instead of having to swim ur boat into the wind....gt the crew to sit on the bow for a bit, and the boat will spin automatically... After thats dun, both of u get up onto the hulls....stand on the lip or the bottom of the hull.....then check that all sheets/travellers are uncleated, throw the righting rope over, harness in, and lean out at abt 45 degrees to the water...get ur crew on top of u (thats why taking a date on a sail can be sooo much fun;) ) then watch as the mast comes up, thru the tramp.... then as it comes up...crew grabs the far (or lower) dolphin striker, and helm grabs the other..(MAKE SURE U FACE BACKWARDS...i sail in the sea...and dont fancy a mouthful of seawater:S). climb up, and keep sailin;)