Here is the e-mail which I received through our Division 9 news group. I do not know the original author.

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Although there was a lot of discussion about the x-class when asked to vote on 2 specific options the response was not as good. The vote was deadlocked between all three original options. But if we look at all the e-mails I think that option 2 should be the proposal.



"The x-class should be only one start for all non-Hobie boats. This start can be fit into the start sequence at a place which best promotes good sailing for all the classes. This includes the beginning Hobie 16 sailors (b and c fleet) so they do not get stuck with one-lap races while x-class boats are doing three and four lap races. The x-class must provide a scorer to figure out handicaps and do the handicap scoring; this may include some one to take times at the finish. But all area championships should be Hobie only events. The NAHCA should search out and work with fleets willing to host these area championships."



Like I mentioned previously, these are guidelines which we want fleets and divisions to follow. They are not rules or laws, therefore setting slightly higher goals does not hurt us. Also, people generally will not go above the guidelines set out for them, so setting the bar a little high can help some fleets do more than they may have otherwise.

As with how x-class boats fit into regattas, what to charge them to sail with us had varying responses. Due to the time constraints we do not have any guidelines for fees or membership. Although, many people feel that everyone should be paying equally, there are those that believe that we should not force non-Hobie owners to join the class. This topic needs to be looked into more by a separate group or the same group at another time.

Hopefully, all the fleets and divisions will follow the guidelines, but it would be naive to expect that. To make a more Hobie one-design oriented regatta schedule in the future, NAHCA has to work at the grass roots level to create that view among the average sailors. NAHCA should promote Hobie racing with out alienating other classes. Promoting Hobie-racing should be NAHCA?s focus and how x-class relates to that promotion will need to be revisited periodically.>>



The author of the e-mail uses the term "I think" when explaining how this particular item came to be THE OFFICIAL PROPOSAL. So apparently ONE PERSON took it upon themselves to decide what the concensus of the general meeting was and proferred these guidelines.

So far the author has not stepped up and identified themselves and defended their actions.



RE: Starts vs. Classes

People are often confused about the difference between starts and classes. A class is a group of boats competing for the same trophy. A start may, and often does, include many "classes".

At our Hobie regattas we usually have a class for each of the different Hobies, but try to limit the starts to less than four. We usually combine all the H 18's into one class.