the boat the weight and pull if sufficient create a moment that rotates the upper pontoon 34 over top center as mast 2 pivots relative to the plane of the pontoons 34 to a configuration such as that of fig5 where gravity acting on the out of water pontoon 34 and the force on the righting line returns the boat to the upright position unfortunately and this is the defect of the prior art referred to previously mast 2 can easily become unseated as seen in fig2 and 3 because the restraint on mast base 4 out of mast seat 5 has been removed dismasting usually cannot be corrected in the water even with the help of others with the righting apparatus 40 of the invention a catamaran 30 may be upset as shown in fig4 and a single sailor by actuating righting gear 40 can lengthen the out of water shroud 17 and put a compressive force on mast 2 that retains mast base 4 in mast seat 5 to attain the configuration of fig5 then pulling on a righting line while standing on the in water pontoon 34 will right the boat and the mast will not be unseated the details of the righting gear 40 are seen by reference to fig6 which shows the rig under sailing conditions fig7 which shows the rigging with the mast 2 tilted about 20 degrees which is the preferred maximum and to fig8 which is a schematic of the system a permanent shroud 17 is released as in the prior art and the loose end is retained by a lanyard 18 39 similar to the prior art but.