Hi Matt,
Certainly, Hobie corp has created performance classes over the years but HA's comments about the core philosophy still resonate today. IMO I sense the underlying core culture of the hobie classes has been simple fast and fun (but certainly the prosail 21 sailors were a different breed) The core ethos was essentially HA's "simple fast and fun". Big numbers let people explore more technical boats but the core ethos was still simple is best.
I think the underlying culture of the Prindle and Nacra sailors was more performance/tweaky oriented right from the beginning. I think it was well said in another thread by Alex Thigpen who noted his own trek up the performance ladder. It makes sense that if you wanted to compete against the momentum of the hobie 16... you had to market.. XXX is a technically better boat. People sorted out what boat they wanted according to the two cultures almost right away it seems.
One current example would be the Hobie 16 sailors by and large have not jumped on putting spin kits on their 16's. (Not even considering the one design racing can of worms) Meanwhile many of the older prindle and nacra sailors have souped up their rides with a chute. Heck a guy named smiley had a smythe chute on his p16 almost 15 or 20 years ago on the Chesapeake.
It's a different mindset from the Prindle /Nacra sailor and entirely consistent with HA's personal interests... He was turned on by dirt bikes, then surfing, then sailing, then X and Y and Z. Building a "better" 16 foot boat after the Hobie 16 would never have been one of his goals.... he was moving on to the next thing that turned him on.
I just find it fascinating how dominant his personality has been in the class and never having met the man did not realize it.
You know the man, have I missed something?
Take another dominant personality in the techi world of cat sailing to compare HA with; Randy Smyth! Again I don't know him but I don't think of him as Hobie sailor and I do think his reputation is one of being one of the best technologically creative and innovative cat sailors/designers in the US and world. He was associated with Prindle early on and this matches the techi culture of the class.
Anyway.... it's a great interview and history is always fun to reexamine.
