Why would I want the manufacturers to provide the boats?

#1- To make it possible for the "average joe" to afford to race in the Worrell 1000 competatively. Not everyone can afford to take their $10k toy and push it past it's limits through the worst the Atlantic can dish out.

#2- to get a boat with a known build-quality. Say there are a dozen boats competing, and four manufacturers ponied up three boats each. Certain boats will be more prone to certain problems- in both sailing ability per the conditions, and construction quality/ruggedness -than others. If one manufacture's boats all had their daggerboard trunks rip out and their rudders sheer off, while the rest of the fleet suffered less damages, chances are there is a design flaw in that boat.

#3- I'm not saying only allow new boats from manufacturers. If someone has the money and desire to race their personal toy against the other boats, then by all means let them! I just wouldn't want one-off $50k customs competing in the race and turning it into a "who's got deeper pockets" event.

Then again... with no cash purse -only bragging rights to claim when it's all over- if someone wanted to flog a $50k one-off to see if it was any better than the production boats of the day... I sure wouldn't stop them!