Hay has anyone put a mast top float on his or her H16? I have decided to put them on my H16's that I use for sailing programs but am just wondering what other peoples thoughts are about it.

Also here is an email I received on the topic and drives home some strong points of why to have a mast top float.

The email::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I just noticed that you said the reason you don't use masthead floats on your Hobie 16's is because you have righting systems on them so that you can right them even from a turtle position. But the reason for having a masthead float is threefold:
1. It makes the boat easier to right from capsize.
2. If you are sailing in shallow water, it keeps the mast from getting stuck in the bottom, which sometimes requires a sailor to dive down and dislodge it, which can be a dangerous operation.
3. But most important of all, it prevents the boat from turtling and trapping someone beneath the trampoline. That is the biggest safety factor. Of the people who have died or have had near-death experiences with beach cats, it seems that being trapped under the trampoline is the most common reason.

I do not use my float, because it makes the mast heavier when raising, and it is not class legal. If you are learning to sail in windy conditions, I would recommend a float. If you have lots of debre (submerged trees) or a shallow lake, a float will save you lots of grief. I torn both of my sails twice learning to sail my boat, and my new white sail has mud stains on the head. A float is much safer.

David

Any time you are not racing a cat, a mast bob is a good thing to have.

I feel a lot more confident with that blimp shaped float spinning around on the top of my mast and I use it whenever I am not racing. The problems are: It is probably harder to right the cat with the extra weight. It is expensive and probably reduces your performance. If your mast is sealed properly perhaps you could get away with one of those foam wrap floats. I imagine they are lighter and offer less wind resistance, and they are cheaper.
The spinning bob I have requires riveting a rod to the comptip. I would like to hear from someone who has installed a foam float to know what they are like.
Greg
H14,H16