I have got to express my respect to Hobie EU

After thinking it through I think we must comment Hobie Europe from walking this path.

Knowing A-cat sailors and the products that are being made by the competition (Marstrom, Ventilo, AHPC, Eigner, Melvin Morelli) I think we must chapeau Hobie for picking a fight in the big league (with respect to technology and quality of production).

I'm not sure wether Hobie has made a deal with an older A-cat builder and only markets the boat, as Nacra has done, but if they are going to design it themselfs, build it themselfs and optimize it themselfs then I applaud their boldness.

First of all the rig, this will be completely new to them. Wingmasts and carbon masts.

Secondly fittings. If you ain't producing carbon daggerboards of less then 1.5 kg, carbon rudders less than 1 kg and carbon stocks less than 0.5 then you ain't playing the game. Same for carbon beams.

Then they have to design and produce a hull that weights in at about 14 kg's. Take note 17 foot FX-one hulls weight in at about 35 kg's and are the lightest hulls of about 18 foot length they ever made. Now they have to make 2 of them and still come out 7 kg lighter than 1 FX hull. This is serious laminate work if it needs to hold up.

And then they have got to get the hull shape right. In the A-class you'll get eaten alive when the hull shape is not fully up to the job. Remember the Bim Javelin A ? Remember the Boyer mark 5 ? Also remember Hobie-FOX in the F20 class. If you don't succeed the first time you have to have the will and resources to redesign the item and try again. Bim XJ ? Boyer aussie Flyer ? Hobie F20 ?

Marstrom makes good boats but even that brilliant company is having a hard time getting to the Top in the A-cat market. The design just has to be perfect. If it isn't the sailors will ignore the design altogether and buy what ever the champ is sailing.

This serious stuff and there is no market for a "Robust A-cat" that is a little less optimal ; Remember the Bim A One-design class with alu beams higher min weight of 80 kg's and glass boards that was launched in 2002 ? You are forgiven if you don't remember that one. And that Bim costed only 10.000 Euro's a boat; a darn good deal for a A-cat.

The more I think about it the more I must admit that my respect for Hobie's courage to boldly go into uncharted territory growths.

I'll sure be keeping my eye on this development !

Wouter