I bought a soloright system off Gary last year. I tried it on my Hobie 18 on the beach and it worked well...but the water trial was less sucessful (no fault of the soloright):

A friend and I took the solo right out on a nice windy day. On the way back to the beach I suggested testing the system by flipping the boat on purpose. He was not too keen on this idea - claiming it was 'bad luck'. As I'm not superstitious I flipped her over anyway for the hell of it.

I told my friend to stay in the water and I would use the solo right. Well after fiddling for a couple of minutes the boat turned turtle (guess who had not sealed his mast). Our best combined efforts and those of a passing motor boat could not pursuade her to right. We began to drift further and further from the beach....out into the Houston ship channel. The realization the we were in for a 'bad day' hit when we were passed on three sides by barge traffic in both the ship channel and intercoastal waterway. At this point the coastguard paid a visit and very kindly offered to tow us back to Galveston. Unfortunately as the towed us out of the channel (turtled) the comp tip hit dredge spoil and snapped off.

End result - boat and crew shaken but not stirred. Solo right recovered but unused to date....

Chris
Texas City Dike Sailors>