I think perhaps the first error we're making here is assuming that the manufacturers have all this money to spend on marketing. Boat building is a tough business whether it's catamarans or monohulls and most of them are struggling to stay alive. Nobody is getting gloriously rich off building or selling beach cats and there probably isn't much capital to spare.

That being said, I totally agree with Simon that there is a lot we can do on the local level. It's hard to realize it if you've been in this sport for long but we are part of a secret society. You NEVER hear about sailing unless you're already looking for it; subscribing to the magazines, looking on the web, or know someone who is admantly addicted such as ourselves. Perhaps my perspective is a bit unique as I started sailing a little over four years ago and having had very little prior sailing experience, I never knew such a community existed around this sport until I got involved by chance. I can also say that had I known about it, I would have been involved much sooner.

My point is, getting publicity into local news could be HUGE! With everything going on in the world today, our news people should be out looking for something positive to report on. Invite a camera guy out on the committee boat, take them for a ride (if they have a waterproof camera), try not to wreck in front of them, etc. An open invite to sail for an afternoon would be great to announce with any publicity.

I try to take non-sailors out as often as I can (until now that I have some reliable crew!) but I can say of the 6 people that I have introduced to catamaran racing, two of them are pretty serious about it now - one races his own boat frequently and the other looks for crew opportunities often. that's not a bad percentage! How many of you have gone to the beach and had people who are obviously interested in a ride? It happens to me on just about every trip to the beach. All they need is a little more information and an opportunity to set the hook.

We have a great sport but too few people know anything about it. That's our problem.