Maybe the type of boat used at the AlterCup should not be revealed until after all the qualifiers have been sailed?

With regard to the H16 class, some people make a conscious decision to sail "oldschool" for whatever reason.
If you want to sail with a spin there are much better alternatives anyway, the H16 should just stay the way it is.

A new controversy, and just in time! Elections almost over, possible 11th boat being added back to the olympics, getting tired of beating on US Sailing, we need new blood.

My order of conspiritors (in order): Jake, Kevin, JW, Vectorworks Matt (yes you), Matt (Bounds, Miller, maybe both), Rick for updating the forum, Mary also for updating the forum, that Rhody Rhody Piper Sail guy.

The only one I dont blame here is Wouter, that would be like blaming a turd for stinking.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

Srsly BK... you had me rolling over here.

I second that. Actually he was almost starting to sound like he Didn't have an agenda, and maybe had a sense of humor.
So BK tell us how you really feel 'bout da Woot.

p.s. I think this whole conflagration boils down to size issues.

I was going to stay out of this ,but seeing as I did get to vote within my own division on the Hobie 16 with Spi issue I thought I should pipe in and be heard(or seen)
My initial response when I heard of the Alter Cup being sailed on the 16 with Spi was great go for it.My thinking was any exposure for the class was good.Later after hearing some of the possible long term effects to the class I recended my vote and said no.Upon further thought and if it did make a difference I would probably say yes again( I will explain later)
Couple of observations about some of the earlier posts.Brent C. I know you and consider you a friend ,but I have to agree withh Matt B. on this,the Alter Cup should never be about the boat.Also in terms of the area K qualifier being competitive,I am considered in area K and have been down to three regattas in the area and I never heard it mentioned once.
On the other side I read Gina Mcdonalds comments and smiled.Hey we miss you and Matt here in division 7.You guys would be awsome on a 16 with Spi.
Interesting Chris you brought up Bigfoot.I am pretty sure you are talking about my good friend Teddy Jagger.(Arguably one of the best cat sailors in the Midwest).I had a good chat with Ted on this whole spi issue.Now for this to make any sence you have to know Ted ,he is one of the most layed back ,common sence thinkers I have ever met.(he uses the expression "don't get itchy underwear").Ted is a long time 16 sailor and recently has outfitted his boat with a spi.He still races the 16 with out the Spi but he really likes sailing with the spi.Couple things we got to talking about is that maybe the 16 does need some new life injected into it(that really was hard for me to say).I mean look over in Europe where they are drawing 40+ youth teams to thier championship.Yes I know sailing is on a different scale over there,but maybe getting some more youth and excitement into the class is a good thing.Hey I'm 50 years old this year(another tough one to say) but I did not feel that old at the Nationals.Maybe that is not a bad thing but I remember when I went to my first Canadian Nationals and John Liefield won he (was 40) and I thought he was old.The point is here in North America you just do not see that many up and coming youth teams.So maybe short term for us 50+ guys keeping the status quo on the 16 is good,but long term not sure how long us elders can sustain the class.

Im just kidding with Woot. I hope he makes another Spring Fever some day.

Jake, I got 'cha on that. I didn't mean to imply you're working against Hobie or the 16 or anything. You're right too, the Wave thing would be awesome. A bit boring in light air, but what the hell.
Wouter- If you burn the pics of my 16 in some Celtic ceremoney, I would like to see the vids on Youtube. Animal Sacrifice too? Sicko.
Madge, I indeed was speaking of Ted. BTW: Everyone, Mike Madge from Deadstinkyfish Canada is the new North American Hobie 16 Class Representative. Check out their site at www.hc16.org

Big Momma said "I approve this message!"

????? there is a actual place called "Deadstinkyfish" ?????


.... and the population is how many .... if I may ask?

Harry

Absolutely no worries mate, I'm enjoying these replies. Good fun actually.

And I believe that anyone dispensing "it" should also "take it" standing up and smiling !


Personally, I think the idea of doing the ALter Cup 2009 in the Hobie 16 + spi was a good option. And I also believe that that would have been the way it had gone down if the reported controversy between Hobie USA and Hobie EU didn't come about and soured the project. I think the Alter Cup committee made a wise decision to not fuel this controversy by coming out in favour of either side.

I'm also convinced that AHPC/Viper F16 would just as easily have rescheduled their bit to 2010.

The rest is just a play at some fun. And as a result I fully expect to be made fun of !

So keep it coming !

Wouter

There might be a place called that,but I am from Thunder Bay ON,population 125,000."Deadstinkyfish" Chris you are one funny guy.You come on up to Thunder Bay and I will show you how to catch some real fish.BTW you won't need your rod and reel I will show you the manly way of fishing.

Sorry, I just like to tease Madge.
Thunder Bay is a big town with a Pizza Hut and a Bowling alley and everything (I have been to both, but didn't understand the tiny pins)and YES Madge, you have better beer than us.
Anyway, Madge is the go to guy for the Hobie 16 people with anything you want to talk about. www.hc16.org
And tossing dynamite in a river and picking up fish parts all over the shore IS NOT FISHING!

The Vipers are available because they are to be in Clearwater for the Gallactic Challenge in November. The manufacturer/dealer gets to choose when and where the Alter Cup is scheduled.

Kevin,

Props for getting the ball rolling on this.

I wouldn't have wanted to get involved in the middle of Hobie class politics either.

Kevin,

Does this mean you're saying there will be 20 vipers available for the GlobalGalactic Challenge ?(I don't think the F16 are already known beyond planet earth... however some are really flying ;-) )

Don't know about the Galactic challenge, only they we have been promised 11 boats for our regatta

Just a little more information, . . .It is almost certain that the event dates will be the latter half of August. Jill is working hard to secure a venue, but it may be a couple of weeks before it is nailed down. She has 2 boats coming soon that are for sale at an attractive price. More are coming later. The exchange rate between the US dollar and the Aussie dollar is very favorable now. As things firm up I will continue to post.