BINGO... Surfcity nailed it.

AND... the new boat is not joining an existing class nor is Hobie corp creating a "racing class"!

The Hobie company will publish "class rules" that allow them to be able to make changes that the public wants over the years and that the factory can support econmically.

Independent measurement of the boat would allow a rating committe to issue a PN or SCHRS or Texel rating and this would be the defacto class standard rule set for open racing... should a boat show up to a race.

It would also be a mistake for the existing Hobie class association , to create a new racing class assn for this new boat as well. Down the road, if the new owners find they have demonstrated sufficient interest in racing and get themselves organized into an association, the HCA would then be able to assist them and allow them to join the NAHCA for example.

Most likely... the owners would prefer to join an owner's group for the boat. The HCA forums are a good example of how to support these cat sailors on Bravo's or Getaway's.

IMO, every new boat that Hobie introduces to the market points to the flaws in the existing Hobie One Design Policy.

It forces the Hobie regatta to give one design starts/trophies to Getaway's, or FXones, ... but this is a chicken and egg situation that is not converting these guys into racers. However a policy that put any Getaways and Bravo's along with 17 sports and 18SX's... not to mention the FXone and any other boat that does not have an active racing class into a portsmouth fleet would give these owners an entry into racing, contribute to the regatta finances, add new people to the club, etc etc.... Who knows... that FXone class just might catch on.

The new Hobie F18 will really stress out the supporters of the Hobie One design rule. Do they create a seperate class for the F18' based on the It's a Hobie principal. Do they ignore the design and class rule differences and declare them equal and race them as Tiger's. Do they say... Hey... when you get sufficient numbers and organization for a OD class... come talk with us. Do they change their rules and say... Hobie only plus F18's...

It will be interesting to see how they square this circle.

I would be curious to hear if any region could make a convincing argument that their sailing region is BETTER OFF with a hobie one design policy. I am not aware of any. In Hobie Division 11....The Hobie 20's died off and the Tigers never got started... perhaps with open class racing these fleets would have survived or grown. Oh well Too late now!