Why exactly was allowing open class in to a Hobie club’s regatta “the problem”?
I argue that the problem was that the HCA allowed their yacht clubs (fleets) to conduct races for a Hobie class with less then 5 boats.
If HCA was serious about the notion of One Design then they would operate like many of the one design sailing Yacht Clubs... When a specific Hobie class did not meet the numbers... Out would go their start, class and trophies …instantly… no racing for that regatta (Back in the day...the Hobie SI's declared... 5 boats = a class or no race! I assume they sent people home… it was before my time.)
One design classes hang on to their niche in a yacht club by RUTHLESSLY throwing out classes that do not meet the participation requirements of the Yacht club.. They argue... “Hey... access to racing is king... If you want to race... then pick one of the fleets that is viable on our pond. don't like this policy ... fine!... go find a club that matches your interest. What!… none exist on the pond!… oh well better get used to the idea of racing a XXX”. When space comes available… a new class is allowed into the club (that is the hard part though… finding that new class).
The Hobie Class Association did not have their clubs (hobie fleets) do this ... They did not put the screws to their sailors in dying classes to maintain the class or switch over. The emphasis became… just sail a boat with an H on it. ... A one design yacht club would have said... Hey... 4 Hobie 18's...average turnout for two years!... SORRY!.... No class or racing at all for you guys... It's either a 16 or a 20 for you if you want to race at all much less in one design catamarans!
So, the mistake the HCA made was not in allowing open class... rather it was in not killing off the fleets that failed the 5 boat minimum at a regatta and pushing those Hobie sailors into the open class. Instead, … HCA lowered the bar... It is now ONE Stinkin boat = a class.... (maybe you can call it a class ... but I hardly call it a race with just one boat)
So, when the HCA saw the general decline in cat racing and said… OK… we will play a zero sum game… “Hey You guys.. .. come over and race in our Hobie game… we will convert you to our brand… Life will be good again.” The HCA did not win this game. The HCA misunderstood open class racers and how they would behave. The Hobie clubs said… “OK... we allow for an open class... Those sailors will see all of this Hobie One design activity... and switch out of open class and into one of the Hobie OD classes. This was a complete misread of what these open class sailors were interested in by sailing their particular boat. These sailors may have liked one design if it happened but the fact of the matter was … they were perfectly happy to participate in an HCA open class regatta... OR one of their own open class regattas OR not at all. They liked the boat they had, the level of commitment it required, etc etc… they clearly ranked performance or some other factor over one design racing. Moreover, they saw these tiny Hobie classes of less then 5 boats and saw where one guy always won and one guy was always DFL and said… Eh… no thanks… I am not switching classes that one design race isn’t much better then what I have now.
Bottom line, I don’t see any logic behind the notion that hosting an Open Class hurt Hobie one design sailing. It also most certainly true that open class did not HELP Hobie one design sailing though.
Now… having said this… It’s not clear that you can stand against the tide of history and what sailors want to sail. These monohull fleets are not flourishing with the survival of the fit strategy either. So… killing off weak classes isn’t the whole story. I think that open class as a fall back if one design falters WOULD have worked well if you had put the low attendance Hobies into the open. (Toss in the those 4 Hobie 18’s along with left over P16’s P18’s etc etc you might have maintained interest in racing catamarans.) ….
So… Since the HCA tossed the open class in the mid Atlantic. What has happened. Division 11 Hobie turnout has not grown. They have attracted one open class sailor Back into his old boat, a TheMightyHobie18 to sail with his niece at the mini mega this year. The H20 class died. A 20 boat A class fleet and a 15 boat A class fleet emerged out of thin air and the open class still putters along. Finally, A Cats are well on their way to taking over a one design yacht club.
So, while its clear that an open class does not help Hobie OD racing… I can’t see how its has hurt the Hobie OD scene either.
So… what am I missing… How did open class HURT… (I know it hasn’t helped the HCA scene).
