I 100% agree with you Hobie boat assessment. I think here in the midwest we have the last pocket of Hobie 20 sailors around. People really like their H20s. Interestingly enough, the H16 races have grown a little the past two years.

I have never been a fan of the Hobie 16, so when I hear someone else say "new 16 footer", my pom-poms are in the air. I am a huge fan of the Getaway and Nacra 5.2's. I could see a version of the Getaway with a taller mast being popular to race. There are some people that are just married to H16's though.

I think racing is going to the Formula classes and to long distance races. If Hobie is going to create new boats for racing, they will have to design them under those regulations. That is something Hobie seems to have a problem with right now. They have the "fun" factor down pat with the Wave, Bravo and Getaway.

Price is always an issue. Most of us like the cats because of the price vs performance aspect. We know Hobie is making a crap load on all of their products. The boats are prob. their lowest margin items. Investment on return...

I suppose they could drop the Fox, H16, H17, TheMightyHobie18, H20. Before hand they better have something ready to go. They could send letters out to all fleets announcing a 2-yr phase out of H16's for a new F16 that can be Uni-rigged or sloop rigged. Maybe a buy-back program. Then maybe for-go the F-20's for now and make a new "big-boy" boat.