James,

I single hand my H-16 on lakes and have been for 25 years (I'm 74 now). I wouldn't single hand it in the ocean. I find I need help to get out through the surf and it is easy for the boat to get away from you if the wind is up at all. I need to get the boat out to where it is floating, get on board, drop the rudders enough to get control and sheet in. My crew has to keep the boat going out and not let it be pushed back into shallow water and then get on as it starts to move. He then needs to get forward to keep the bows down as the waves hit. It is all dependent on how big the breakers are and the direction and strength of the wind.

I haven't been to San Diego for a while but I remember a tremendous number of Hobies being sailed on the bay half way up to La Jolla. That would be where you should be able to get a lot of help and advice.

You asked about rigging. I always rig my boat by myself including raising the mast. There are descriptions of how to do it in the forum archives.

Howard