It seems to me most unfortunate that there is ANY debate regarding the merits of something which can (even just once) provide additional safety to an individual. With that said, I hadn`t even considered the chance of being trapped UNDER a boat until Rick mentioned it.

So far, no one has debated convincingly that a mast float WILL NOT provide additional safety to the sailor - because clearly it can in some instances, and obviously more-so for some individuals than others depending on one`s sailing habits or expertise. Other than the sailor who cannot spare the expense (a legitimate reason), the main reason NOT to have a float seems to be that it is "not cool". Such a battle of perceptions then becomes reminiscient of almost every other safey device which has come along in the past; whether it be forecast warnings to mariners in the early part of the century, or the device resisted by NASCAR which may have saved Dale Earnhardts` life.

In reality, most people can state with absolute confidence that they have never truly needed a life-jacket. They can further state that if they had never once worn one - in their entire life - they would be no worse off. They could then say (in some cases) how unnecessary that particular safey aid is/was - and represent themselves as living proof of their argument. This is not to suggest that a mast float is as important as a life jacket - because I do not think that it is - in most scenarios. The point is, we never really need safety devices until that rare moment when we actually do. The Bob falls into this category.

I am one of those cautious boaters who believes that Mr Murphy (the guy who wrote the law) was probably conceived, lived and died on a boat - that place we all love but also has a nasty habit - usually through a combination of unfortunate events - of causing even the best among us to end up in serious trouble.

As a newbie to the H16 scene, but certainly not to boating, I almost chose against the purchase of a mast float precisely because of the negative perceptions which I first encountered here on CatSailor. Ultimately, after thinking it through, I figured it was a good additional safety item that worked for my particular circumstances.

Putting a negative spin on anything that might EVER help someone in peril is a risky business at best. I believe this holds true regardless of how rare the perceived risk is said to be. If you do not like, or want to use a Bob, that is certainly alright - we all assess our own accommodation for risk. But, discouraging its use is entirely another matter.

Signed,

A sailor who CANNOT claim he has never needed a safey aid...twice.

Dave