I can't help but wonder if his mast was sealed.

On the tri's that I've been privileged to ride the amas and beams are built well enough to easily weather a capsize. The Farrier boats can recover from a capsize with a little help. I saw a few photos on one of the F-Boat websites demonstrating the process. The beams may look spindly but trimarans usually are exceptionally well built to survive an upset condition and the subsequent recovery.

The easily recoverable catamaran capsize is the one thing I miss about sailing my small trimaran. The dreaded pitchpole is the small tri skipper's one demon because it is almost impossible to recover without some help.

Hanging your weight off the stern of an 18' tri does not provide enough leverage to bring her back up. If one ama pops a hatch cover and begins to fill with water she will roll to a capsized position. If the mast and the amas begin to fill water, the boat will turtle which sets the stage for a lot of damage to the sails/battens but most tri's can take the structural stress of assisted righting.

Only once in four seasons have I pitchpoled, though. I'm trying to imagine how to use a drogue to provide enough leverage for righting. (What I need is a "skyhook"!)

I will make another attempt at the Round The Island this year but when you see my boat don't laugh at all my safety preparations. It may look like I'm ready for the Transat but out there by my lonesome I may need it all. I'm confident that, like my first attempt, all the safety backup will have been simply added weight for the trip.

See you there,

--Dean in Orlando