Hi Mark,



I think wea re much closer to agreement on the x-class/open boat issue than you think. I think some of the semantics that were used and understood by those involved in the task force were misinterpreted by many outside that group. To us what we were talking about was obvious, but it wasn't obvious to everyone.



For instance I don't think Rich defined Hobie-centric because he thought the defintion was obvious. It means Hobie oriented or focused on Hobie as opposed focusing on multihull sailing in general. I am not sure where he said tha, but he was probably refering to the general direction the NAHCA should take. This means that the HOBIE Class Association should be focused on the Hobie classes. This does not mean that NAHCA intends to alienate all other sailors.



The other text that has caused much dismay (as you pointed out) is the term x-class. X-class was used in the policy as an unknown, almost an anti-label. We did not want to give the x-class a name in the beginning because we did not want to narrow the thought process. So we called X as in a variable. This goes back probably 10 or more years when the topic was first discussed, and the term just stayed. When we were discussing the topic we used the term because we understood what it was, and never gave any thought as to how it would be interupted by others. You can simply insert open class, open fleet, or portsmouth fleet and the policy would mean the samething.



Which brings me to the point where we basically agree. The local fleets will run there events how they see fit. Most will hopefully have one start for open boats and b & c fleeters will be sailing 2 leg races or at least not waiting around for hours while everyone else races. These are the sailors we should be trying to encourage the most. They are the new blood that we are trying to get into our sport. I have had several complaints from b and c fleet sailors in your area about this exact point. Very little will change, compared to last year, except there will be the 4 or 5 area championships that will be Hobie only events. Most of these were already Hobie only.



You say in your last post "NAHCA ‘s Goal is to use their monopoly to force or persuade sailors to race a Hobie." This is true, except the NAHCA is not using their monoply, they do not have one. The fleets make up their own minds. NAHCA may use its influece, but that is their job. If the class cannot persuade people to sail their boats, the fleets cannot persuade people as to what boats to sail, the manufacturers should stay out of it, becuase they just want to make money, then who is going to promote anything. The NAHCA is trying to promote the Hobie Classes and include sailors of other boats without alienating them. We wouldn't be having these discussioons if the NAHCA were trying to alienate all the other sailors. It is very difficult to balance, and is the reason we need another organization. It would take the pressure off the NAHCA and it could then be like any other one design organization.



So hopefully you don't and won't feel like a second-class citizen it is not our intention. It would be a waste of time to make provisions for including people in something and just piss them off. It is hard to convey everything in these posts. You forget a word, you write things one way while some else reads it another. All I can say is that we are not trying to alienate anyone and I appologize if the way the policy was written did so.



Rob Jerry