Speaking for my church.

We are one of the biggest fleet on the east coast, a lot of Hobies. Fleet renewal and upgrades is in the air (big time).
When you talk with boat builders representatives about getting some promotional stuff (race marks etc...), or sponsoring events to promote their product: nothing. They just do not give a #$##$, the big void.

Boat shows: Annapolis 2004. Performance, not here. Hobie: just Wave and Getaway, no good stuff.

Sailing schools:
We have hard time to create a Youth program/sailing school here at Sandy Hook Bay Cat Club. Several reasons for this, but one of it is finances.

When I wrote to Hobie to get a preferential quote on Waves, arguing that they should be very interrested to touch this way new customers who could become "Hobie", they gave me prices which did not even beat the ones proposed by the local dealer. Again: big void.

I think there is no willing at all to do any promotion. They must consider they sell enough boats.

Kind of depressing, I do not feel this major trend of sailing being the "big thing" that we can find in Europe.


Jacques Pierret
SHBCC Race Officer