The puzzle is NOT why is it referred to as the XXX Cup... rather, why is called the Alter XXX.
I started paying attention to the national organizations of sailing about 1987.. The organizing body was USYRU and my local organization was CBYRA. The first thing you notice was the commitment to sailing traditions. Yacht Clubs and by extension USYRU were the keepers of the Championships .. Their trophies were displayed in huge trophy cases in the clubs. The YC were charged with maintaining the history and tradition of Corinthian Sailing. (The blue blazer tradition that we cat sailors were/are predisposed to ridicule). Yachting traditions had all of the major awards titled as "Cups" symbolized by the their unique trophies. ... eg the "Sears Cup". Everyone new instantly what the Sears Cup was about... just as today we know what the America's cup is about.
So, the culture and tradition of Corinthian sailing would make the multihull trophy... a Cup. The real question is... Why Hobie Alter.... the Cup part is in keeping with the history of Corinthian Sailing in the US. John and Gordon hinted at the origins of the trophy as being non sectarian... (can't tell what class is on that trophy)
Why?
So, in 1987.... I joined Prindle Fleet 25 with a DART 18...and so I joined the anti establishment.... a paper catamaran club! ....When we changed the name... it was to CRAC... Catamaran Racing Association of the Chesapeake... We wanted NOTHING to do with Yacht Clubs.... Now... CRAC is suspended and the cat sailors are members of West River Sailing Association... an old Yacht Club on the Chesapeake. Annapolis Yacht Club hosted the 2012 Hobie 16 Junior North American Championships last year.... AYC is the definition of establishment in these parts AND we can go back with any championship event we would want to run here!
We have to remember that catamarans (Tornado's and Sharks) were sailing and racing at Yacht clubs well before the Hobie BEACH Revolution. The A class was also a popular class and Yacht clubs like Lake Hopatcong with 50 years of prior history had taken on the A class with a club member building A cats in his basement... and they now celebrate their role in supporting the A class (even tho the A class members feel a bit like second class citizens because the other OD fleets are OLDER.)
The history changing moment was the decision made by Hobie Alter who strategically decided to stay well clear of the Yacht Club scene. You can read the history that was generated when Hobie celebrated their 40th anniversary a few years ago. The deliberate decision to go their own way created the huge divisions and mindsets we see today. The reaction on both sides of the split (Yacht club mono hull racers who did not know of Tornado's Sharks and A Class said.. ... they can't tack.... and Hobie BEACH cat sailors.... who said... stuffy blue blazers) was extreme.
When I started this was just the way it was and from the stories told... tempers had started to cool ... a bit. We also have to remember that IYRU multihull classes and their sailors on ... A class C Class and B class were really part of the Yacht Club scene and they also had NO connection to the beach catters. These guys were not a natural fit with the Hobie World either. The B Class resolved to the Tornado and it's selection as the Olympic boat was part of the Yacht Club scene. The air of superiority between Hobie 16 sailors and Tornado sailors was a hoot to watch. This was a Mars and Venus universe! The non beach cat classes were in rapid decline in numbers and the Beach cat "Hobie" world was exploding.
In 1987... I could identify only four Yacht clubs that supported Catamarans.. Lake Hopatcong YC with A cats and Wroten Point YC in Connecticut and Sharks at Canidegua YC in NY, Tornado's at Miami YC down the road from what became known as Hobie Beach on Rickenbacker Causeway... while there were beach cat paper clubs sailing hobies, prindles, nacras, darts, isotopes all over the place. The YC world of multihulls was in decline and most YCs were very isolated from the Beach Cat world of Hobies (all catamarans in the world are called Hobies by Yacht club members.... now that is some marketing!).
This was the environment that Gordon, Darline and folks I have never met were looking at as part of the establishment (USYRU). IMO, they knew that the split between YCs/USYRU and the Beach Cat world was not a winning move.
IMO, when the establishment leaders looked out at the world and thought of whom to honor with the CUP... they probably had to consider Nate Herschorn (already honored by numerous trophies) and Hobie Alter (the innovator who created the notion of a BEACH Cat). (I doubt Gordon will take credit ... I believe John's account) They probably hoped that the Alter Cup would start the process of putting the community together... (YC's, YC catamaran Sailors, Beach Cat Sailors and Hobie Beach Cat sailors). IMO... naming the trophy the Hobie Alter Cup was a brilliant and wise move. The marketing idiots that have followed have tried to rebrand all of these traditions including the Sears Cup from time to time... so Situation Normal.
John also noted how US Sailing... USYRU's re-branded organization has attempted to view the Alter Cup... (recruit multihull sailors to join US Sailing.... the premiere US multihull championship... just one of the championships that US sailing must offer....etc. It depended on who was in charge of US Sailing and which program director was running the show and which marketing idiot was in charge for that era. This is matched by equally strong opinions on what the Alter cup should NOT have become. Rick White was (and probably still believes) that it should not have become a championship of champions.... While Dave Ingram is PO'd that it is just another BYOB championship. Times change.
So, as all of the folks who have served on the championship committee will tell you... This is NOT an easy peasy thing to pull off. The establishment is STILL the establishment. US Sailing staff and leaders orient their POV to Yacht Clubs and their organization. Beach Cat sailors orient to their paper clubs and class or brand. It is a culture mis match that is HUGE. You need a LOT OF GREASE (aka good will) to make this work... sometimes volunteers get slimed and the salt in the wounds stings. (Hey I am no longer on the committee either)
I served one year on the committee and I am pleased with the current direction. BYOB because of the economics and branding constraints. Rotating each year between Double handed Sloop, Double handed Spinnaker, and Single handed Disciplines. The future of the Multihull Championship will depend on the major One Design Classes and their elected leadership supporting the competition for the Alter Cup by working with US Sailing, a host YC who wants to be part of the system, the class OD sailors who want to compete for the championship.
Props to Sausilito YC for wanting to host and also work with the AC organization. Props to Hobie Factory and Hobie Class leadership who brought the Hobie 16's to the party ... Props to Liz Walker who is the US Sailing part of the three legged stool. Props to Laura Sullivan who closed the deal with the Hobie 16 class when she took over. THANKS to the sailors who are going to support the championship this year. ... six more boats to register and it will be the largest fleet and match the turnout of all previous Alter Cups. The international participation by PR sailors is fitting as well. It is fitting that the Alter Cup be held on the epitome of a beach cat... the Hobie 16 while the YC world is building and racing the epitome of a catamaran... the AC72.
Leaving only one question... Who is up for next year? Single handers would keep the rotation going a pace. An A Class US Multihull championship would celebrate one of the classic Yacht club catamaran classes as well.
As always... YMMV!
