Babby Float did not work

I sailed today on my Hobie Wave on a windy day with gusts over 20 knots.
I capsized and to my surprised the babby float did not work, meaning the boat went on a full turttle position.
It was obviously very hard to get it up again, needed help for it.
Once the boat was up the babby float was in one side a bit squeezed in.
Any explanation why this happened?
Can I trust a new babby float to really work?

So many possibilities.

Starting point is that floats aren't a guarantee that you won't turtle. Depending upon the position of the boat compared to the wind, the wind can drive the float and mast under as it pushes on the high side of the capsized boat. In addition, your position both during the capsize and afterwards can cause it to turtle. And this is with a float that is in perfect working condition.

There's a possibility that there's a leak in your float or hull.

The amount of flotation in a float isn't that much. It only displaces 32 pounds of water, so any force pushing down over that amount will cause it to go under.

Short of a video with proper camera placement there's no way to tell exactly why this happened.

Jim Clark-Dawe

You have to get off the upper hull right away and go to the bows to allow the boat to pivot into the wind.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Many thank’s for both explanations.
Probably the wind in the trampolin pushed down the mast.
It was immediatly as I fell in the water.
But also I did not go to the bows immediatly.
Possibly it would have made all the difference.

Wave manual https://media.hobie.com/digital_assets/wavemanual.pdf?_ga=2.144412151.370731423.1649787063-6261802.1638454448 recommends to turn capsized boat so the wind blow into the mast and tramp at 45 degrees angle. I tried, it helps

PS I envy. There are places warm enough to sail and capsize in April

Thank’s CA Newbie, I will try that.

(regarding water temperature it was a nice 18 degrees Celsius… obviously swimsuit online… Madeira Island )

What I think I'd try is capsizing the boat in a shallow area (about 6 feet deep or so), preferably a beach. Initially I would not add the sail. What I'd want to find out is how much of a desire it has to turtle. (It won't turtle in the shallow water, but if the float goes down, you know it wants to turtle.) If either the float, a hull, or the mast leaks, you will see this happening where recovery is relatively simple. Remember if the mast leaks, it will negate any benefit the float is providing you.

Once you find out if the boat wants to turtle, you can then start playing around with it. Figure out what you can do to help it avoid trying to turtle. Get used to getting the recovery line out quickly. Learn how to walk the hulls to get to the bows.

Jim Clark-Dawe