To add to Seeker's comments;
1. sailing in general will always be a small water sport compared to motorboating (of all types). It has too high a learning curve for most people here in the US.
2. Dinghys will always outsell cats. Simpler to rig, can take more people out. Seats instead of "lounging" on a tramp. PLaces to store gear, food and drink. It all adds up to a more relaxed, easier to enjoy time on the water, even though they are slow.
3. Mast up storage is key. Lord knows, I'm getting tired of trailering to a launch, rigging, sailing for half a day, then unrigging and trailering back home. We joke about the rig to sail time ratio, but it wears on you when its out of balance. Beach cats also require more room to store. There is a local dinghy sailing club that accepted A cats, but wouldn't consider other cats. The A cats are narrow enough to fit into their alloted dinghy spaces, where the 8' wide cats are just a little too wide. This issue may be fairly prevalent.
4. In the end, fast can be more intimidating than exhilarating for many people. Cats take up more room, can be harder to rig and generally don't have convenient homes where they can be kept, ready to sail.
5. Working with dinghy groups is an obvious measure to help maintain beach cat's viability, especially around the access issues. Even putting us all together, we still don't come any where near motorboat numbers.

DavidN
H20 781