Well, it looks like there will be reason to see t-shirts like I saw and wore in the early '80s: "I'd rather sail the box a NACRA came in than a Hobie Cat." Anybody else remember those? Some folks substituted their brands for NACRA in the phrase. I was thinking of trading my P-19 for a Hobie Fox too but coercion makes me run the other way. Guess the other guys are building better products and Hobie doesn't want to play any more.
I have no doubt that all you Hobie folks will be most welcome at the open regattas across the country. Three of a kind makes a fleet? There you go. Join the fun, sail what you like and keep the corporate bullies out.
This kind of policy can do no good for the industry. Big groups attract people, not the brand. Somebody mentioned that Hobie is what most people call all beach cats. Everybody calls sailboards windsurfers but how many windsurfer brand sailboards do you see these days. My parents generation called all refrigerators fridgidares and all vacuum cleaners hoovers.
Nobody new to something knows brands, just what somebody else called 'em.
'nuff said.
Salud