Fully agreed, Phill.

New cats today target adult sailors mostly - and in the long run this is a big mistake.

A school without kindergarten depends on other kindergartens to "feed" students to its first grade. It works well while they recommend that specific school to parents, but the school shrinks if they don't. Or worse, it may go bankrupt.

Likewise, we can't depend on teachers from the Optimist or Laser class to recommend cats as the next boat for their students.

The solution is, as you wrote, an entry level cat targeting the same market niche that is currently monopolized by the Optimist class.
-Then we need at least one cat designed for sailors who started at the entry level cat and got too heavy or too old - the F12!
-Then we need a third and bigger one - the F14! The fourth is not a problem: more than enough alternatives exist nowadays.

This range should also include other 11 to 15ft cat classes, but not too many. The Hobie Wave is already there as a cruising option.

But still: without an excellent entry level cat, catsailing remains dependent on monohull-trained sailors willing to try cats, old windsurfers or kiters searching for something less physically demanding while almost as thrilling, etc.

A one design kids' cat is prioritary. I believe it should be about the size of an Optimist, rigged with a more efficient sail, faster (can't be different) but safer, easier to assemble and cheaper.

I'll invest some time/money in this idea as soon as my ("almost ready") boat is finished.

Back to the name: Entry Level Cat = ELC or ELCat or El Cat (too Spanish?)