Frank, you are correct, (and I used to windsurf way back in 1983) you must have an entry level to feed the top level or the sport will quickly die. I would be interested to see the Hobie sales numbers for the Wave and H16 vs. the Tiger and other top end boats. I'll bet they sell many more of the Waves and H16's.

I have often thoght the Wave would make a much better entry level sailboat than the Opti. You can put more than one kid on it and you can even put a parent with a couple children on it. My kids did not like the Opti because they did not like being alone in a very small boat. (Scared an Alligator would eat them!) But they liked the Wave we rented.

Also for any class to be successful, it needs a means to comunicate, so I thank Mary and Rick for the magazine and this web site! Without them I would still be racing lead mines...slowly going nowhere at great expense. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />