Both Catamaran Sailor and the Hobie Class News are copyrighted. Says so right on the masthead (the fine print on page 1) - although you should really update yours, Rick. It still says "Copyright 1994"

I don't just ask people for stories - they're usually assigned (willingly, for the most part) - and then I badger them mercilessly (in a semi-public forum) for them - with specific deadlines. Each issue of the Hobie Class News is planned out several months in advance. Assignment updates go out weekly in the six weeks leading up to the print deadline.

As a result, we usually end up with more material than we can print.

I say "we" because it truly is a collaberative effort - from the authors to the photographers to the editors/proofreaders to the poor sucker that pulls it all together (me). And because "we" put so much work into it, I feel we deserve first dibs on any story we work on. Rick or anybody else is welcome to re-print a story - with permission - after our magazine is in print.

BTW, the Nov / Dec Hobie Class News is posted on the web here. My copies arrived in the mail today. There's a great write up on the 14/17's and the 18's/20's, among other things.