Hi Steve

Your point speaks to the debate of is cat sailing a Sport versus a Pastime and how do you market to those interested in the sport of sailing and persuade them to try a beach cat. Manufacturer long ago recognized that less then 10% of the boats sold are going to racers who compete in the sport of catamaran racing. Consequently boat shows are where these builders market the entry level and recreational boats. I don't know if this is fertile ground for recruiting cat racers.

I am not sure your good intentions will be productive. In fact we have had members do exactly what you are suggesting at events like the Volvo and Whibread festivals in Baltimore or at the Youth Sailing championships in Annapolis and the US Sailing show in Annapolis. Our take home has been... lots of work and time from members and nothing but casual interest by sailors in the class or sport of cat racing.

I think we need to refine our marketing message.
What are we going to market as the "sport of cat racing". Is it our existing structure of Paper clubs; Hobie fleets and CRAC or LICSA whose members trailer to a park for a weekend"??? Times have changed and I don't see a lot of steam behind this program. I certainly don't see us attracting new racers this way...

IMO, we should focus on joining or building clubs with mast up storage and racing programs like traditonal yacht clubs and market them!!! It seems to me that we must develop programs that attract other racing sailors to cats because we have a vibrant active racing program which also fits into peoples time constraints and life styles. We also need a program that captures a rec sailor and introduces them to the sport of racing and supports them as they learn the sport.

A couple of years ago you were in the process of getting such a facility going out there on Long Island.. Were you ever able to persuade our colleagues to join and support your efforts to grow the sport by keeping their boats there?

In my area I see two succesful models for growth,
I am extremely impressed by the quiet growth of the A class. These sailors are serious and commit to growing a club in a region by spending money. For instance the Bristol A fleet has managed an astoninhing 100+ starts this season! WRCSA has developed a Tuesday night open class racing fleet of up to 20 boats an evening in a bare bones facility.

The success in getting lots of racing going attracts racers from other classes and offers new sailors someplace where they can learn the sport. These clubs are also not marketing themselves to the rec sailor who wants a place to sail. (Thats a job for marina's and state parks)

Disclaimer... My personal focus is on the sport of cat racing... I certainly see the need for rec sailors who would like to form a more social club however I don't know of any eamples where such clubs are growing in this day and age.