I think it’s a great time for the Hobie class.
I don’t know of any other sailing class that has gone through so much to help their competition. It’s surprising to me that it took the Hobie Class 10 years to find their way after taking a wrong turn.
If you read through the letters you will see that the Hobie class doesn’t wish any ill will towards X class sailors or their classes. At the same time the Hobie class has decided that they are going to focus on their own needs.
The Hobie class knows full well that they will be a smaller organization. But what’s the point of being big just for the sake of being big if you are not working towards your mission?
It wasn’t that long ago that I attended my first Hobie regatta with my “new to me” Hobie 16. One of the Mid-West hot shots was there that I had met previously at an A cat event. “You got one of those things” he said. Yes Mary it is true. I will say this guy is a good guy but he just doesn’t get it. It’s not about having the fastest boat on the water. Always wanting the newest fastest thing was what killed windsurfing and it has stunted the growth of cat sailing for years. What are the biggest sailing classes in the country? They’re boats like the Lightning and the Laser. Why are they so successful? Not because they are the next high tech thing on the market. They thrive because they have the best class organization and they run FUN events. Hobie has one of the best sailing class associations in the country and some of the most FUN events. They made a wrong turn when they decided to give the milk away for free. They have decided to take a new path. It will hurt at first there is no doubt but recovery is never a one step process.
To the X classers out there I say good luck. I wish you well, and when you have 70 boats at the North Americans and over 100 at your World Championships, I’ll be right there with you.
Bob Merrick