It is too bad all this energy is not directed to the real goal of getting more Youth sailing multihulls and building Youth Programs. When Gordon Isco, then Chair of the US SAILING Multihull Council set up the Fast and Fun program with assistance from Hobie Cat Co. the goal was to promote Catamaran Sailing, and to get people on the water. Go to the following site to see the pictures and read the success of this program http://www.ussailing.org/multihull/fast&fun.htm
Art Stevens took this program to the next level, as noted and even was driving the rig to the locations in 2003. Unfortunately this programed did not have enough support and was discontinued in 2004. Several Community Sailing Centers, including Sail Sand Point in Seattle have kept the Fast and Fun free sailing program going, and have benefited from this effort. Fast and Fun is promoted at all the US SAILING meetings in both the Multhull and Community Sailing Councils. That is also why this link continues to be on the Multihull Council website. As an example, on May 5, we will have our third annual Fast and Fun in Kirkland on Lake Washington. We have signed an agreement with the City of Kirkland to expand our Sail Sand Point program to also offer classes at Juanita Beach in Kirkland this year, partly due to this program. See www.sailsandpoint.org.

Art is also the Chair of the US SAILING Youth Multihull Committee that conducts the annual national championship, see http://www.ussailing.org/championships/youth/multihull/

As noted on the webpage, the manufactures of multihulls are requested to submit their proposals to be selected to provide the boats for this event. This is the same as the proceedure for the Hobie Alter Cup. If you look at the past selection of boats for both events, you will see it does include several different manufacturers.

Looking at the list of individual donors for NAYMA at www.nayma.org, you will see the same list of dedicated volunteers from the Multihull Council, Art Stevens, his son Wade, Gordon Isco, Darline Hobock, and Rich Brew. These people have all spent countless hours promoting Youth Progams and now additional resources to help get this new program going. As noted the program does give considerable credit and exposure to Performance Catamaran and the SL16. Also consider their investment in this program. We should wish them well on this program. As noted, several locations have already signed on to take advantage of this new ventue.

Like any program, it is up to us the individual Catamaran Sailors to select which program we will support. The important decision we need to make is to step up, volunteer, and take part for the sake of our future.

Caleb Tarleton