I've spent the last few hours reading through old forum posts. Thanks for all the great info.

I am a new sailor - I've spent about 18 hours on a Laser and about 6 hours as a crew member on a J/24 (weekend beer-can racing, not anything "real"). I am looking at buying a Hobie 16, but I have a few unanswered questions. I like to sail with my friends, but I don't want a boat that I can't sail alone.

1. How easy is it to right by one's self? I am 180 lbs. I've read about various rigs and bags (I'll be honest, I don't really know what a Hawaiian Rig is). Given the proper equipment and technique, can a single person reliably right one in any wind condition that is prudent to sail in? What if it turtles? One of my first sailing memories was trying to right a turtled Hobie One 14. I don't think I could have done it by myself.

2. Is it possible to rig (incl stepping the mast) by myself. I'm fairly athletic, but I'm not a large guy.

3. My best access is a beach launch rather than a boat ramp. I know Hobie Cats were designed with this in mind, but I'd like some advice on what types of wind/surf conditions it is possible to launch in.

4. Is the H16 a decent boat to learn to sail in? I'm really a novice, but I love sailing so far and I live right next to San Diego Bay. It's tough to resist the temptation to jump into a boat that I really want rather than buying a "trainer." Any opinions on this being a bad idea would be appreciated.