Jake, I said I have never pitchpoled. Rick and I capsized maybe 3 or 4 times, but it was always due to pilot or crew error. Certainly wasn't "necessary." (Well, one of those times it wasn't our fault -- it was caused by the low-flying helicopter that was taking photos of our fleet for a condo promo video.)

I also have never gone flying forward around the forestay, and I don't feel as though I have missed out on some great sailing experience. That, also, is something that is not necessary and shows a lack of survival instinct on the part of the crew.

As we all know, some boats are harder to keep upright than others, but that just means you have to have a higher skill level and better mental concentration on those boats.

I can understand if somebody feels it necessary to learn the outer limits of their boat's potential by pitchpoling once and capsizing once or twice. But once you know where those limits are, why do it any more?

I get the impression that some of you guys think capsizing and pitchpoling are fun. If that's the case, go for it. Fun is important.

Rick and I were more interested in winning races. As many people have pointed out on these forums, winning races means eliminating as many mistakes as possible around the course. A capsize or pitchpole is a VERY major mistake.

Having said all that, I admit that I expect to pitchpole one of these days on my Hobie Wave, because it is a short boat and it has no traveler and has no boom, so no way to have a boom vang. I know how to jibe without pitchpoling, but one of these times in heavy air, I am going to gamble that if I do it the fast way, I can move up from 4th to 3rd place. So I will pitchpole, and end up DFL.

But at least I will be able to say to the people who won the trophies, "You guys just weren't trying hard enough."