[color:"blue"] [/color]
[color:"red"] [/color] Since I have been accused of some kind of sailing CRIME....or at least that is how I feel, I thought I owed it to all my fans and non fans to speak up for my self.

My first comment is that anyone who was offended by this PARTIAL QUOTE needs to find a Hobby (and this is not HOBIE SMACK....so don't even try to go there). My letter was sent as a congradulatory note to the Capricorn Sailors at the worlds. I never expected it to be posted anywhere nor was it meant to be anything except a notice of job well done to the Capricorn Sailors. I personally think it is great to have multiple manufacurers in a class because it keeps them all on their toes and in the end, the sailors win! For a long time many manufacturers have paid good money to have good sailors sail their boats....THIS HAS AND STILL SELLS BOATS FOR THEM....not all manufacturers can afford to do that...It is somewhat easy for a good sailor to make a boat look good. This is not a bad thing...but at the Worlds, I do not BELIEVE there were any paid sailors on Capricorns....this was another reason that congradulations were in order because these guys are darned good. Every manufacturer or dealer likes to see their boat doing well and should be happy when it happens as there is only one direction to move once you have reached the top....and unless you work hard on it..it is only a matter of time before you are no longer at the top and fighting your way back to get there. I think we all just need to shut up and sail because this week it may be Capricorn on top, next week may be Infusions turn and I am sure Hobie, who has had many turns in the past will be there again.

For the person who started this SMACK thing...SHAME ON YOU...and shame on you for not haveing the nads to put the whole letter up there and letting people get riled up over nothing. And for anyone who bit....I feel for you if you can let something like that get to you. I feel horrible that Bundy, who is a beloved friend of mine, got any flack from anyone at all while he was at the Pre Olympics....SHAME ON YOU IF YOU BOTHERED HIM WITH THIS!


I think all the factories need to wake up...they all need to support the sport as will will happen at the North American F18 Championships

Hobie has tried and will most likely continue trying to be an entity by them selves. The nightmare of pulling out of the Tiger Nationals in San Fransico, has giving all cats a bad name. They need to promote the F18 thing and racing in general with all sailors. Keeping sailors from racing at a regatta because they do not have a particular boat hurts all sailors as well as the orgaizers. We all have a pretty big sand box and if we play together, it will be a win win situation for the sailors...isn't that what it is SUPPOSE to be about.

I am truely excited about Capricorn in the US and thrilled with the the quality of the boat we see coming over to the US. Is the Capricorn better than its compitition?....I think so and I hope to partisipate in keeping it that way...but again this is only a positive thing for the sailors as it is an incentive for the others to keep up as it will be for Capricorn if they fall behind in quality ...I can only hope that we can once again see the POSITIVE interest in sailing that I saw many years ago when I became involved in sailing...ON A HOBIE 16 by the way!

I AM A STRONG BELIEVER THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRY AND CAUSE TROUBLE YOU SHOULD SIGN YOUR NAME...I am Jill Nickerson....AND this is MY OPINION on the matter. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />