Interesting.

I found it hard to write something that didn't sound harsh. Sorry it if this is heavy-handed.

I find it laughable that open class racing is the reason for the demise of Hobie Fleets in America! It sure couldn't be products that have not been kept up to date. It sure couldn't be that Hobie USA is apparently incapable of developing or updating anything that is not roto-molded.

I'm guessing that the only thing that has kept catamaran racing/sailing Fleets alive in the US are the open fleets.

And sure, if it's Hobie one-design then obviously only Hobies sail in that class. But given the sorry state of the sport, the "buy our boat or you can't play with the Fleets" model seems kind of out of date and stupid. And yes, I appreciate Hobie is in business to sell boats. But as participants what is important to us is that we enjoy our purchases, feel good about what we bought, and not have the regret of being a pawn in a company's "master plan".

How about helping to increase the number of sailors in the sport, then displaying some leadership in product development and quality that shows well in comparison to other products and gaining sales that way? You know, good old market competition. Nah, if we simply ban the other boats at regattas and strong-arm Fleets (can't even do fun sails????) then people will have to buy ours!

And, of course, if you happen to sail an older Hobie that does not fit anymore in the Hobie Way Of Life, you must now buy a NEW(er) Hobie to race or go to the other non-Hobie scum Fleets.

In our area, the only real interest in racing Hobie products seem to be the 20, and so far that's from a non-NAHCA perspective. People have been looking more at the model provided by the New England 6.0 guys. I don't know of anybody itching to buy a 16. Tigers might be an option, but the 20 footers and A-Cats are starting to rule, and in the 20 foot range it's 6.0s and Inter-20s and then H-20s. The A-Cats are starting to win over some dinghy converts. I can't imagine having the growth we've had if we told 'em all to buy new Hobies. Nobody's that interested in them. Why is that? Open class racing? Don't think so...

So, what if there was a Hobie Regatta and nobody cared? NAMSA could step in here. Provide a championship structure for the classes, so somebody could still be a Hobie-16 class champion without ever having raced in a HCA event. They could stand on the podium next to the Hobie-18 champ and Inter-20 champ.... Clubs that are facing problems because of mixed boats could just not be a Hobie-sanctioned Fleet anymore, recognize the class within their Fleet and NAMSA, send results to NAMSA for a national ranking.

Notice my tag, all Hobies and a keelboat. Yet, now more than ever, I feel even less inclined to ever to go Hobie sanctioned Hobie One Design racing.

But, this much is also true - if you race a Hobie, you will always be welcome at my Open-Class, Non-Denominational, X-Boat-lovin', tainted by non-Hobie boats catamaran sailing Fleet. We like having more sailors. We don't belittle folks for what they sail. If the boats are worth it, people will buy them.

I wish Hobie luck, the catamaran market has been theirs to lose. They seem more bent on the latter sometimes. To some this might just sound like a desparate bid to blame somebody else.