Matt
How responsive is the Hobie organization to feedback like you have just received on this forum? Hobie customers have raised a reasonable question, to which you responded with a reasonable answer. My question is this…Now that the subject has been broached about the cost of replacement parts (particularly the Tramp) what if any consideration will Hobie give this with its future designs. A tramp design, which is complex and costly to produce, can be more easily justified with a no-holds-bared boat (M 20?). For a boat that is to be used/raced by the masses, I would think a great deal of thought would be put into the design for the most effective blend of performance and cost efficiency in manufacture. It sounds like the Hobie 20 may have a bit more complexity in the Tramp design than necessary. May be too late to change for the Hobie 20…but it might definitely be worth looking at it a bit harder before putting the next model into production.

8.9 hrs is quite a bit of time…but where it is made also comes into play…I make no pretence at knowing where Hobie has their Tramps made…If it is made in the USA by highly paid craftsman, smothered with government regulations and environmental concerns that’s one thing…. If it is being made in China with hazardous working conditions, no regard for their environment, by people who are getting paid a daily wage that wouldn’t pay for lunch at a typical McDonalds that’s something all together different. That is not an accusation aimed at Hobie, just a fact that many big businesses are taking advantage of the extremely low wages of some foreign countries. …If that is the case, then it is the big manufacture that has products manufactured overseas that has the advantage, not the “little guy” who is doing production is the U.S. and selling direct.

In closing I would like to thank Matt for taking the time to set the record straight, the more information the buyer has, the more secure he/she feels about investing in a product.

Bob