I finally flipped an AI over after almost 4 1/2 years, but it was during a launch at a spot that stays a bit shallow for 400-800 feet from shore. I rode over the first wave, a 4 footer, but didn't realized that I had snapped the rudder pin by barely touching bottom with the rudder in the trough when I went up the wave. The next wave was a 5 footer and getting ready to crest when the AI started turning as I figured out why it wasn't responding to helm control.
The wave just picked up one ama and rolled me over. After surfacing, I checked for more waves coming, then stood on one ama, pushing it under. I couldn't quite hold the hull and lean enough, so I grabbed one of the Mirage drive fins, squeezing tightly, so it wouldn't slide down the mast and leaned as far back as I far as I could. It felt like a minute, but my buddy launching behind me said I was back in the boat in less than a minute.
When the boat was back upright, I lifted myself back in and grabbed my paddle and went over the next few waves before getting to deep water. Then changed out the rudder pin. Everything was where I left it in the boat. Leashes are great!
Things I did wrong: I should have released the sheet line when going over. Would have made flipping it back over quicker. I should have folded in an ama to right it quicker, but adrenalin is a wonderful thing!
Lastly, I should have waited another half hour for the tide to rise a little more, or pick a different launch spot, but it's nice to see the waves coming for a bit to prepare, verses getting clobbered 10 feet off the beach.
It was nowhere near as bad as I had imagined it could be, but I was lucky too.
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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006