But maybe they are "popular" only in the sense that they are the most numerous, and the fact that they are so numerous does not mean they would have been the choice of the children themselves. They have become the choice of yacht clubs because of the fleet deals given to them by manufacturers and because of the desirability of having some uniformity for inter-club racing.

And the same thing may be true of the Hobie 16 -- they are the most numerous and most affordable, but are not necessarily the cat that youth sailors would choose if given a choice.