I have been silent on this subject waiting for an explanation from NAHCA. I will give the facts and answers to the questions many have expressed.
This e-mail was sent to seven sailors who Paul Ulibarri perceived as having recently ordered A-Cats. In reality, his list was in error. Some on the list have ordered the boats, others have not. There are seven boats on order. Four belong to current Hobie owners, one to an Inter 20 owner, and two are boats for monohull sailors. It is of extreme importance to know who was CC'd on the e-mail which you have all read. The list includes: Doug Skidmore (president of Hobie US), Rich McVeigh (NAHCA Chairman), Laura Sullivan (NAHCA 1st Chair and Div 4 Chairman), Roger Brown (NAHCA 2nd Vice Chair), and Hobie Cats Northwest(a Hobie dealer in Div.4).
There was no question as to a separate start or any other consideration to be given to this group. To put it simply, Paul Ulibarri somehow caught wind that there were some A-cats on order and responded with the letter you have all read. Let me repeat, NOBODY who has one of these boats on order has contacted P.U., NAHCA, or Division 4 asking for ANYTHING. X-class racing has been allowed in Division 4 for several years. The A-Cat group was planning on just starting along with the other boats in X-class.
After receiving this e-mail from P.U.,I immediately called Laura Sullivan, Division 4 Chairman and NAHCA 1st VIce Chair. Here is the answer she sent me early last week:
"I sent off some e-mails last night trying to figure out what all was going on with regards to Paul Ulibarri's latest note. From what I'm understanding this evening, Paul asked the IHCA rules committee to check up on the allowing A class boats in Hobie Regattas. It seems as though there is already something on the books that does not allow A cats to sail at Hobie Regattas".

"Paul is the IHCA President, and I'm sure he will be informing and enforcing this ruling on NAHCA. What does this mean for the X class? I don't know..."

I spoke with Laura, and as of today Rich McVeigh has not responded to her questions, as well as not getting a reply from Erik Olsen - IHCA Rules Committee Chair.
I guess, as Peter Nelson explains it, now racing an X-class boat removes the "magic" that was once surrounding me (even though my son and I have held 5 National Hobie titles,and still own 4 Hobies). I would also like to add that my wife and I have held an office in either Hobie fleet 72, Division 4, or both, every year for the last 20 years.
At this point, I do not know what is happening, or what might happen at the AGM during the 16 CC's starting later this month. Is this going to be some kind of mandate handed down from above, something that is to be discussed, or is it just someone blowing off some steam? I do not have those answers. Is this some attack on just one boat, the A- Cat, or is it all X-class? Again, I have no idea, but if they can exclude one boat today, it may be your boat tomorrow. You may want to discuss the situation with your voting Division reps to make them better prepared to vote your fleet's desires, if the topic comes up at the AGM in a couple of weeks.

Ken Marshack
Hobie 14
Hobie 14 Turbo
Hobie 18 15990
Jav 18HT USA10
A-Cat, to be delivered...