Centerboard Stays Down
The first time I capsized the boat (on purpose) I was in 3' of water and didn't even think to put the board down, as it will be in a real-life unexpected blow-down. I waded around to the bottom of the boat, and tried to pull the centerboard out. There's no way in hell you can get it out in the retracted position, especially if you were out in the middle of the lake, and the board is wet. No way to get a grip on it. With the board more than 1/4 of the way down, it easily is pulled out, (if it is uncleated!!). There are no forces on the centerboard to cause it to slide back into the retracted position. It is almost parallel to the surface of the water if your mast float is attached to the very top of the mast. If you just tie off one end of the float to the topping lift padeye, the top of the mast will dip below the surface of the water. I don't know if that would create enough of an angle for the board to retract... I doubt it. Anyway, I bought an extra padeye and located it on the mast opposite the one that is already there for the topping lift. I put the boat fender on top the mast and lash it tight via the two padeyes, it looks basically like a hobie float, except that it looks more like a cigar than a football! Even if the board does retract while you are capsized, just swim out to the end of the mast (first release the main sheet all the way, if the boom is sheeted in, it'll act like a big drag chute underwater) and throw the mast up in the air with your hands- If you have your PFD on, this isn't hard. Take all this advise as worth about two cents though!! Go out and try it in your boat for practice. That way when it does happen, you'll look like a pro getting it righted in less than 30 seconds.Interesting about the strap on the top of the centerboard.... My 2001 does not have this.