Timbo-
Just came back from the A Cat Worlds- Now THERE was lots of publicity! Why? IMO - It's got a lot of "development" and the Rock Stars sail them! If we really want to get on the racing radar we need some (more-in the US we at least have Matt right now! ) of those rock stars sailing and competing on our (F16) boats. We need some National and International races with the likes of Gashby, Booth, Glasers, Guck, Smyth, etc. sailing and winning on our boats- That takes "resources" (ie money) to happen- these persons are sailing professionals. Several of the above mentioned are sailmakers and DO have at least some monetary gain to be made from our class since we have "open" sail rules. We need to invite these persons to come to races, give some demos. and talks and bring/sail on their sails they have sold to the participants. We need to have our boats entered in the big events that COME with publicity- I'm talking Texel, the Alter Cup qualifiers, some of the other big distance races, etc. preferably doing well or winning.
What do you think the impact of the Global Challenge would have been if Gashby had been racing Booth and, say, Smyth and Dercksen?
As for marketing to "newbies"- we are not a "newbie" boat IMO, maybe "newbie" to cats but not "newbie" to sailing- just like the A cat is not for newbies. As for NACRA, Hobie etc. joining the F16 builders- that will come with interest and potential market. Believe me, if either thought there was a good market for them out there to build an F16 they would be!
The main topic of conversation at the IACA meeting was how to keep the A class growing. With the cost of a new A cat now in the 20K-40K USD range (Thanks weak dollar!!) that class has the same issue with how to get new sailors (think younger) into the class.
Compared to the A Cat we are a marketing dream IMO- Our boats are light but not too light/fragile, can be sailed with one OR two people and raced that way, can be sailed with a spinnaker, can also be rigged/righted easily by one person, and the class is more "defined" than the A cat (imagine spending 30K one year only to find out your boat is "not competitive" the next year!).
We need to keep sailing, showing the boat, writing up our great results, supporting the companies that are willing to support us (ie sail on our boats- the Glasers make nearly all the Blade sails but neither competes on F16's-- We need to invite them for instance!).
Just throwing out some other ideas here-
We could benefit possibly by positioning ourselves as a "training class" for the Formula 18 "wannabe's" and the frustrated A cat sailors and older Formula 18 sailors.
Having "cheap" intro. boats would be helpful - and there are options along these lines but we need to culture those- I'm talking about old Mosquitos, Isotopes, heck even old Prindle 16's, Nacra 5.0's, Mystere 5.0's, Hobie 16's, etc. Maybe it would help to have a "Category 2 F16" ala the A cat? Have all the parameters the same EXCEPT the min. weight which could be 300-320 lbs.? These boats could race head up with the "Category 1" boats for overall F16 results BUT also be scored separately for their own trophies? This would suddenly open up the "Class" to a huge number of potential sailors- ALL of whom would likely be interested in at least upgrading sails and possibly masts- the sail/mast makers could develop "kits" to "upgrade" their current (or easily/cheaply purchased) old Nacra/Hobie/etc.- sort of like the Formula 14 is offering to Hobie 14 owners for instance.

Of course, as one of the "old farts", I'm just thrilled with where the class is now compared to even 5 years ago! So part of me says "Just keep up what you've been doing!".
Nuff said this morning <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Kirt <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />