When I sailed the Hobie 18 I always tried to find the pod of dolphin which had the highest number of the ones that had already been punched by a dolphin striker. Then my chances of hooking-up with one was the greatest.

Once the protruding end of that dolphin stiker would snag in the animal's scar-hole, the boat can really fly. The dolphin's tremendous power allows him to actually lift the boat some and this gets you right into planing mode where he can then scoot you along at tremendous speeds.

I miss the striker on that boat so much! The Mystere that I sail on now, has a flat bottomed striker so I have to actually hook onto their fold between their beak and skull with the trailing edge of the striker's bar. Much more difficult to engage this hook-up and also more difficult to maintain it for any good distance.

Those days of riding the "seahorses" are sorely missed!

GARY