Carl



The key word in your argument is dissimlar boats.



You are correct, no one has fun racing hobie waves against Inter 20's on portsmouth. I have never suggested that anyone run regattas in this manner. Clubs that do this will not see many of the legacy boats return to their event. Nor will they reverse the decline in attendance. I do not WANT to race my Dart against the Inter 20 and Tornado... They can lap me for christ's sake and I can still win.... I would be much happier racing against the Hobie 17's and Nacra 5.5 Uni's.



I have always proposed level bands of portsmouth racing to promote the sport.



Here's a possible circumstance

Cram has an active 5.8 fleet. What should the 5.8 fleet do in your area if a sailor with a P19 shows up. ... Tell the P19... no... you should race in the 3 boat portsmouth fleet with a Wave, etc etc because we race one design here... Its the fairest competion and its is the most fun. Oh... By the way, we can hook you up with a 5.8??? Johnny wants a new inter 20 or Tiger...



The 5.8 fleet is taking a gamble.

They win if the guy with P19 sells the boat and buys a 5.8.... and comes out to race. They loose if the guy with the P19 says... well... I tried this racing thing... Wasn't much fun racing that plactic Wave... and the 5.8's wouldn't let me play... Well... I will go compete in volleyball and keep my P19 for rec sailing. See Ya CRAM.



CRAC has lost all of the little boats (P16's and N5.2's etc) because they do not have much fun racing P19's and Tornado's. They would have a blast racing Hobie 16's and Hobie 18's respecitively on portsmouth or even up. You are correct... they do not want to race portsmouth aginst Tornado's... We cannot offer them a fun competitive race and so they are out of the sport. We have not been able to address this problem for years.... Now.. two regattas in our area (Hobie events) officially exclude the slow boats because they slow down the racing...... Its not a big deal because we have already lost most of those guys anyway... In reality, they want to keep the lone Isotope in the open fleet on the beach. These sailors do not go out and buy an approved racing boat (formula or one design class ) though.



In summary... people don't continue to go racing because "its one design... or it's formula"... They go racing because the boats are fast and fun, the sailing should be close and exciting and the people on the beach have a good time. As the sailing world editorial noted... If you go racing... odds are something will happen... and that will be fun! He commits one design heresy and states that handicap racing is the best hope for this scene.



OCRA has a succesful racing program... the Hobie fleet structure had to collapse in that area before OCRA could emerge from the ashes. Pity to have to recapitulate this time and time again around the country.





This debate does not belong in the Tybee distance race thread. But ... the Tybee organizers need to state what they are looking for. Jake is correct.. Is this an event for sailors.... Or a second signature event like the Worrel complete with sponsors and media exposure except we get to use the I20's we have.