Hi Pat

When you have 10 competitive sailors on the race course in a one design fleet... That will be great fun and I agree.. its what keeps you going racing. Pat sails hobie 16's in an area where there are lots of really good sailors who go racing ALOT. So Hobie 16's are very likely to get a great turnout.. they have critical mass. Few events in you divisions or div 11 get less then 10 hobie 16'. I wouldn't dream of arguing that you should change anything about your Hobie 16 racing program. Would putting those same sailors on 10 different boats racing handicap be less fun... Absolutely. Is one design more fun then handicap... Sure.

Where does that leave Jake and Ding... the fact is they can't get close to 10 boats... So what happens when they try to force the issue.

This thread starts by the bashing of all handicap racing because. its not fair and it sucks. This point of view has a real impact.

First
If its such a bogus endeavor... WHY sail the US Sailing Alter qualifier regattas (portsmouth) at all. Just make political decisions on who goes and be done with it. Why have texel... the largest handicap cat race in the world. 600 boats... We don't do this and so there is clear merit in handicap racing as evidenced by these two organizations.
I appreciate you acknowledging a role for handicap racing. We are not arguing that the two kinds of racing are the same.

Second,
Jake says... we have been doing it this way for decades.
Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I assert that when you have so few boats that go racing that the sorting of the sailors into one design fleets is counter productive and does not lead to growth. It more then likely leads to that flushing action.

The attempt to form the small one design F18 fleet before critical mass of both the F18 sailors and the left over sailors on other boats separated the sailors into small groups. Even though your clubs attempts to make everyone feel welcome... If you have 10 boats... 8 of them the same...(ALMOST a one design class by my criteria..) What kind of race is it for the 2 boats that are left on their own in a 2 boat fleet? How long do they play the game of racing sail boats?

How INSANE DOES IT GET. As a result of the Hobie Edict... Hobie defined a class as ONE BOAT.(See their white paper) so the 204 Madcatter in 06 listed 2 TheMightyHobie18's in a class and 1 hobie 20.
In 05 you had one FX1m, one TheMightyHobie18 and one H18S in a class.
In O4 you had 3 classes of ONE BOAT!

My point should be obvious dividing a small number of sailors into fleets of one or two boats is just insane! (This is also proof that 204 throws a hell of a party!)

When you take a small number of racers and split them into two... you have changed that unstated social contract... Things fall apart.

I assert that when you constantly and predictably BASH the handicap system as unfair.... Then a good result by a sailor is undermined. This is obviously a disincentive to go racing and counterproductive to keeping the sailor active. Why should that guy come back with his boat... FEW people are such assholes that they want to join in an activity but carry the burden that their participation is called unfair. Likewise.. few people want to play the game when they are isolated and last.

With respect to your specific questions.
Pat as you are well aware.. No handicap nationals.... On the other hand Alter qualifiers and the Spring Fever regatta, Cat Fight and Canadequa are probably the biggest handicap regattas in the country last year. Most find those events worthwhile and lots of fun.

Why is the Madcatter so successful... My guess... Its a hell of a kick off party for your sailing region.. You guys have achieved event status (Div 11 deliberately avoids a conflict so that people can attend without a conflict I have been told its colder then hell usually! but you have lots of rum for this problem!

I argue that your madcatter would be well served by having a handicap race for those classes with one or two boats. Hell ... you probably would grow larger!... Might even see a 21 lumber out there. not to mention the 21SC.. the 18SX, the 17sport, the Hobie Fox, the 14, the 14 turbo,

Now... if you want to tell me that its a good thing to have classes of one boat.....I will need a few more drinks of Christmas cheer to even attempt to understand that one!

Mark