Jerry:

I have a Hobie 18 magnum, weigh 170 lbs., and I can get my boat over myself because of a righting pole. However, I can understand your frustration with your friends because, outside of my daughter on her Hobie 16, no one else will buy these silly looking things.

I have jumped off my boat to help people and I may have been lucky. I have never done it in anything over 12 though:

1) Furl the jib.
2) lightly trim the main.
3) I bungee the rudders to turn into the wind.
4) jump off close enough so there's no swimming.
5) get the other boat over.
6) quickly sail like hell to get my boat before it drifts.

I do like the idea of tying a tow line to it, though. I always carry a 30 foot line with a quick shackle on one end. I think I'll do this in the future.

Good luck,

Wyatt