If there is enough wind and you are large enough, you can solo right a H16 with only the $40 - $50 EZ right bungy line. If you have a crew even better. I bought my 16 during my last year of college so I know about the tight budget.

I have no idea how much materials for a righting pole cost. I do know that I wanted to have a nice and safe Hobie bad enough that I piled a 30 hr/wk job on top of 18 credit hours of mechanical engineering school, and Air Force ROTC to pay for my boat. You are only as poor as you allow yourself to be. Basically, all the time I would have been sailing I worked in the off season. I also found that sleep was highly overrated when you are that young.