My question is.

Since your numbers are down... Have you considered that the push for one design race machines which are sailing in one design races left a lot of your former racers behind? ... (and so now you have a smaller group of racers)

Hey... if they are not part of the "real party on the water" not much reason to attend a regatta is there!

Also... when the fleet leaders make the argument forcefully and repeatedly... that ITS JUST NOT FAIR... do you think that this is another reason to say "why bother to go racing ... Hell, IF I do well.... they will just mutter that I was on a Frankenboat (a Ding term if not mistaken) ... or well [censored]... that Hobie 14 has a killer rating."

You also make the point that one design... "its a much fairer contest"
I will only agree with you on the concept of "Fairer" IF your team and my team weigh in about the same! Otherwise, the concept of fair is really quite limited to a small population of sailors in most of these classes you want to talk about.

But... I guess you see this for yourself with the declining numbers...

So what's the plan.. more of the same... True belief that One design fair racing is what will revive your local regattas and interest in cat racing. When do you say the hell with the local stuff ... I will drive 1000 miles for a 5 to 10 boat one design regatta?

I see NO EVIDENCE that the current formulation of "Fair One Design Racing" is the key to reversing the decline of the sport. Division 11, one of the strongest Hobie Divisions left suffered another decline in their one design turnouts for 06 (H16, 17 and 18... the classic one design cats).

There is nothing wrong about one design racing (using ANY rule set you want)... There IS something wrong when its not sustainable in your area and you continually truncate the fleet in the quest for one design (play theme from Man of La Mancha).

Tell me where I am off base here?

Hell the non US sailors don't understand the boat bashing zero some game we play (see recent thread)... They seem to run races where everyone is racing each other on handicap and they also score fleets within the overall.

Mark