Now that is a good question !

Quite frankly I'm a nobody and everybody can ignore my ramblings as they wish. I certainly won't loose any sleep over that.


>>Why does he care

Because I got sick and tired of hearing the same misinformation being peddled once again by an entity that should have known better.

Because I want to make sure (for my personal piece of mind) that potential customers of the targetted boats and classes (F18 and Tigers) understand that the situation is a lot more nuanced.

Let me say it this way. In the past I got flamed for warning that the Tiger class was NOT a OD class as a certain segment of the sailing public understands it. It was neither One-design as the Tornado with freedom of choice in parts NOR was it One-design as stability in the setup of the boats (strict equality) and I warned that despite assurances by some it never would be. Of course I got flamed beyond believe for that but even the recent Hobie class magazine has proven me right by now. No matter how you put it no Tiger sailor attending catsailor.com forum can say that he was never warned of this.

And that is the reason why I'm doing it now on other area's. To make sure that anybody that reads this forum knows that things may be different than what official bodies say. Actually the whole NMBR thing is part of it as well. Again it is too show that improvements ARE possible despite unwillingness on the side of the official bodies.

I never have earned a single Euro on any of this and it has cost me heaps of time and effort. I do this because I CARE about the individual sailors, about the future of the catamaran scene in general where we all have a place. I do it because if I can prevent a single sailor from being dissatisfied from buying a catamaran that was advertised at being something else it would all be worth it. And that goes for all issues : for 155 kg singlehanders that are advertised as 125 kg boats to boats that are Formula boats alot more then SMOD boats, to 80 kg adults being sold a new 14 footer that doesn't suit them (happened at my club ; TWICE; by both big builders)

That is what this forum is for right ? Help one another and learn from eachother ? Learn from eachothers experience and knowlegde?

I tend to have some decently founded knowlegde in certain area's. Boat measurements, handicap ratings, and the situation on the ground here in Europe. It is my pleasure but also to some extend my duty to share this with all; here on the forum.

Can you disregard all I write ; ABSOLUTELY. However you will have taken note that it has been written so you can never say that your weren't told when something I said turns out to be true. And I think I have a decent track record by now.

Believe me I have more than one refered sailors and buyers to Hobies when those suited their wishes/circumstances best.

Anything to grow the cat sailing scene right ?

This brings us to another interesting questions.

Have you ever refered sailors and buyers to non-hobie designs/classes ?



Wouter