Greg,

I think it is a good idea to get this information to increase awareness of what can happen. I would like to keep it in perspective, however. In 20 years of sailing my Hobie 16 neither I nor anyone with me has had any injuries, close calls, or serious problems. I have pitchpoled a couple of times while on the wire, had my crew come unhooked and fall off in 25 or 30 mph wind, turned over while solo and out on the wire, had my mast come down due to a broken bow tang while I was out on the wire, and fallen off a friend's boat when his dogbone rope broke. I did a lot of sailing in that time. I also never witnessed any injuries to any other cat sailors in all that time. The sport is pretty safe but as the other posts indicate bad things do happen.

Howard