You wrote
"my talents outgrew my equipment... "so I moved up... Hmm... Some of the most talented sailors in the world are racing lasers... they certainly do not feel limited by a very simple boat... Perhaps... you really just wanted more boat and got a good deal on your old one several years ago.
you wrote:
One design racing in my class is starting to suffer as those who might upgrade to my class (TheMightyHobie18) were pulled into the other classes.
Hmm... Upgrade to a Hobie 18.... You must be refering to the Hobie 16 sailors (few if any P16 sailors left) . I can't think of but a handful of sailors in Div 11 who moved from a hobie 16 to another two person boat... Hobie or otherwise... So... its not the faithless sixteen sailors causing your fleets demise.
I don't think you can blame the slow demise of the Hobie 18 one design on competition from non hobie high performance boats either. I know of only one former TheMightyHobie18 sailor in the Div 11 region now sailing in open.
The only other 2 person class boat in the region is the Hobie 20, which averages about 4 boats at a regatta. The 16 sailors who moved up several years ago went to a Hobie 20 and bypassed the Hobie 18.... You would have to blame Hobie Corp for that one. ... the latest high performance boat.. the Hobie Tiger is crushing the resale value of Hobie 20's .... Perhaps it will decimate your TheMightyHobie18 class as well. But... you can't blame that one on non hobie competition either.... Uh Oh.. as Pogo stated... "we has met the enemy and he is us!"
Perhaps, you haven't noticed the trend with respect to class racing.... Its not working like it used to.... The appeal of competing in a small one design class in your local region is outweighed by lots of other factors for most sailors. In fact... the biggest threat to your class is not another boat class... its distance racing. (no matter how you look at it... winning a distance race on a Hobie 16 in corrected time is not the same as getting to the beach first)
The second cause of your fleets demise is the builder who is introducing new designs to meet the demands of sailors who are not satisifed with a hobie 18 ride. (Eg Tigers, Foxes and Miracles.)
you wrote
If it comes to the point that I have to purchase the latest and greatest class boat to come down the pike in order to race, the value in my boat will fall dramatically.
Well, your gripe is really with your sailing buddies... They are dumping your one design class and choosing a new challenge (or in your terms... the latest and greatest) perhaps they believe that a good one desing class will emerge... but recent history is against them. They could have stayed with your one design class... no one forced them out. Also... perhaps you are way off about the true value of your existing boat.
You wrote.
Instead of taking the loss, I'll probly just go pleasure crusing.
Well you are always welcome in open class and may actually find some competiton for your skill level there. At least the pecking order will be new to you for a short while.
Perhaps you should upgrade your Hobie 18... a new high tech square top main... an appropriate chute... Several long time Hobie 18 sailors report that these modest $$$ upgrades really adds new life to the boat. (Gee... maybe several TheMightyHobie18 's could agree on a set of standards and you would have a revitalized class.)
In short, you are disillusioned with the changes in the cat racing community because the fun factor is dropping in the face of tiny one design fleets.. You decided that Non Hobies were causing much of the upset without looking at the facts... at least in Div 11 The facts don't support your conclusion. Your response... of well... If you don't join me in my one desing class... I will just take my boat and go home certainly won't persuade anyone else to change their attitudes about racing in a Hobie 18 one design fleet either.
As you probably realize, the glory days of 4 boats, Hobie 16, 18,'s and Prindle 16's and 18's are long gone... I don't see any evidence that the one design song is motiviating the troups to purchase a single type of boat... Another TheMightyHobie18 sailor pointed out the overwhelming success of PHRF in big boats.... Perhaps you should consider shaping the open class to your likening. Otherwise as you noted cruising will be your only option.
