I have had bad hobie experience also. same "points regatta" BS basicly they didn't like getting there butts kicked by a first timer on a 1984 beat up 18. I got a 5th,3rd,2nd and 1st out of 4 races that day.six boats in the class. only to be diqualified at the end of the day, for not having trap wires and having a hobie bob on the mast. clearly a disatvantage to me. it would have been fine if they told me from the start i would be disqualified. i understand that. the funny thing is now years later the person whom complained now tries to sell us stuff and tell us his two cents and how great his hobie's are. Lee your story reminded me of why I don't race. The ORCA class is just as bad. With the BS they pulled that basicly made it finacially imposiable for me to race Newport to Ensenada. Altho my boat would have been exactly like a boat that was "Grandfathered" VIVA27. So my new boat a 1972 wooden c-class we will be out there. having fun and trying to make it go as fast as it can.