Hi Rhodysail



When you ask... don't we alrady have too many classes.

you assume a couple of things.

1) we could go back to the good old days of 4 boats. If only builders would just stop. Sailors would gravitate to a couple of designs and we would have large classes again.



Well, that would take 20 years and sailors will continue to make personal choices about the compromises they want in a boat. Obviously.... many sailors do not rank sailing what everyone else is sailing that high on the list.



2) That all cat racing is the same and one or a few sizes will fit all.



Racing is not about the boat that you race... In essence its about a group of racers who share a common focus and commitment. You do not see the Tornado class competing at your local hobie regatta. The two groups don't mix well when the competition starts . The pro 22 class is very clear about who should compete in this class. Casual racers are not the target,



Serious racers/ expectations are thwarted when they attend a regatta and find few other competitors with their focus to sail against.



Weekend sailors who are looking for a fun weekend while they race are stopped when competing becomes the major focus. The Hobie 16 class in our area manages this with A B and C fleets.



As interest in weekend racing continues to drop solutions like the Pro 22 class and the formula 18 classes may sort the racers with similar interests.



Take Care

Mark