Answer... Because class racing with his boat does not exist therefore, there is no value added for buying a Hobie sail. He gets real value from Smyth (or Calvert or Elliot) with the latest in sailcloth and design, plus a sail that will hold its shape much longer then 1970's technology used by Hobie for their class legal one design sail. It probably cost him the same amount of money for the Smyth sails (or at worst a small premium).
Put your self in his position: His Hobie 18 is probably at LEAST 5 years or older.... His sails are shot.. He wants to race locally...Probably 3 or 5 times a year. His sails are so old that he can't possibly compete against any other open boat under Portsmouth which is using decent sails. He either doesn't want to spend 12 to 15 K on a new boat.... or most importantly even if he did... he couldn't tell you WHICH new boat will get a one design fleet in his region that comes close to 10 boats in the majority of regattas in his region. Finally, it turns out that NO class gets a decent one design turnout in his area.... so he can't even sell his 18 and go with the flow! Factor in the point that his souped up 18 at 68.0 can now run with the Nacra 5.5 and he can finish on the same leg’s as P19’s and Nacra 5.8’s at 66.5 (estimates)
My question to Dave and the rest of the one design advocates is:
How many boats do you think you need for a one design class?
How many boats do you need to see at regatta after regatta to keep you interested in racing one design?
Last week at Barnegat Bay.... They scored the following classes:
Hobie 20... one boat. (now that was good race)
F18's class of 4 boats. 2 did not race most of the day.
Hobie 18's class of 4 boats.
Open class 3 boats.
This does not meet my criteria for a fun weekend of one design OR open class racing. (If you want to race one design cats... you race either a H16 or 17 because they get lots of those boats racing in the Mid Atlantic.)
Does this regatta meet your fun factor criteria???
If we insist on pretending that one design racing in these other classes exist we will kill off the racing interests of these sailors. (Why would I want to go to Barnegat Bay next year? The majority of racers from my club who did attend report that they won't be back)
Here's the question every racer with something other then a H16 or 17 faces... Why bother traveling to go racing against 4 other boats .... Why not just stay at your home club and sail with the usual suspects? lots cheaper and from what I can tell... about the same amount of non competition.
Seems to me you can swim upstream and pretend that your particular favorite boat will grow in popularity in your local area...(Hell likely to freeze over first) Or Try to persuade everyone else that they should pick X boat because it: maybe, could be, oughta be, the next one design boat (Worked in Michigan with F18's ... but no place else) Or... go with the flow and get a Hobie 16... OR ../ deal with the reality in most of the USA and race these orphan classes under Portsmouth.
IMO, Race organizers must address these low turnouts upfront or just watch these racers twitter away because it’s not much fun. How about this statement in the NOR... If your class does not have ten boats on the water you will be started and scored in a Portsmouth fleet AND your one design fleet. No wiggle room or politicking allowed. Seems to work for the Catfight in Michigan… (note that CRAM also scores their regional regattas overall using Portsmouth AND in class.)
Take Care
Mark
