Mike
Do you bother to read and comprehend the thread or do you just see that I mention the name Hobie and then take my comments out of context.....
I wrote
The builders and marine industry need to promote the pastime of sailing... not US Sailing.
Yacht clubs, Hobie fleets, Catamaran clubs are the front lines of converting a pleasure sailor into a racer.
Back in the day... did your hobie fleet have learn to sail programs.... I don't remember hearing of any. The Hobie 101 program is a fairly new program pioneered in the North West.
Timbo wants Gary Jobson to have USSA build and run sailing centers like the RYA to teach sailing. He is making the case that lots of cheap access to boats and training is important to growing the sport of sailboat racing.
I argued the demand for basic sailing instruction is being met by Yacht clubs, sailing businesses and community sailing programs. etc etc. USSA, the SPORTS organizing authority should not expand on this stuff at all. I don't want my dues to subsidize learn to sail programs.
So... to persuade him... I noted that BACK IN THE DAY.... as in the hey day of beach cat sailing... I never heard of a hobie fleet running "learn to sail programs".... perhaps sail a hobie program... but not the kind of program that teaches sailing basics to complete novices. The Hobie fleet was a racing and social organization... not a sail training organization.
If I missed that history...sorry...I would be interested in why they stopped
You might read further .... I THEN wrote...
The Hobie 101 program is a fairly new program pioneered in the North West
In my view... that is me acknowledging that YES Hobie fleets are NOW into teaching sailing on a yearly basis.
In hindsight... it was not particularly useful in persuading Timbo or fair to compare a national racing organization like USSA to clubs which have very different missions. While there is some solid basis to compare... the differences are also large.
Hey... maybe you want to join with Timbo and argue that the NAHCA should take some of their dues and fund adult learn to sail programs around the country, a much better parallel.
