I say don't worry. Those rotomoulded thingies won't be anything other then rentals and kids boats. I have yet to see one actually sail in an event. I did see two of them at a place where there is also a sailing school for small kids. Never mind I was there with about 60 glass cats doing a race series.
Those tupperware boats will never graps the imagination of our thrill seeking youngster of today. The material just isn't right. It goes "wobble" and "pfumpf" when you press on it or hit it. Really gusy today youngster want flashy products and thus tupperware boats just aren't it.
How many mono tupperware boats do you see around ? Heck overhere we need to compete with splashes and 29-ers. Those boats LOOK the part. I'm still expecting to see 80 % of those tupperware boats ending up in some backyard gethering moss after the kids sailed it for one or two times. Again, I have yet to see one actually enter an event or participate in a class event of their own.
I'm really amazed these boat are truly selling so well as I never see them anywhere. So where are they going ?
Wouter
Since getting back into sailing as of Spring 2005, I've seen three or four Getaways (may have been same boat twice, I didn't pay that much attention, and actually one started and raced with H16's at Mid-America's), four different Waves and two Bravos. (South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma)
Conversely, in that same time I've seen four Tigers (at Mid-America's, the Gulf Coast crew), one FX One and a home-build (200#) A Class. We saw 50 glass boats at the 18/20 Nationals. Average TOTAL boat count at a Hobie regatta is 21.
The dealers are saying the rotoboats "Are selling like hotcakes!" Granted, they're not racing here either. So what will grab the attention of a thrill seeking, Mid West, young person? I don't see an answer coming from Hobie, which is predominant here as far as multihull racing goes. Guess they'll sail a HP dinghy, wind surf or kite board.
