Rhino, you did a great job of summarizing the key misconception about the intent of the Hobie policy. It's only a zero-sum game if no new blood is being brought in.
One of the leading contributing factors to the Hobie-only policy being implemented in the first place was the perception of the class that we were losing classes to non-Hobie boats because our smaller fleets were being reduced below critical mass (for example, if you have 7 dedicated Hobie 18 sailors, take 3 away and put them on other boats, the Hobie 18 class is now down to 4 boats, you lost a strong 7-boat class).
The "problem" was identified as competition for Hobie sailors from other classes. That is what ultimately drove the class decision.
I didn't ascribe bad intentions to you all. I realize you are just trying to survive like the rest of us.
People join classes, and people leave classes. People even join dead classes and leave active classes. A class runs into trouble when there's not enough new sailors to replace the ones that leave. HCA responded by trying to make it harder to leave the class, by cutting off the other options.
My point is that by cutting off those other options, you are also decreasing the inflow of new sailors.
To put it metaphorically, you are trying to stave off dehydration by not pissing. That won't stop you from dehydrating, and holding your piss isn't good idea anyway.
