The term one design as used in the catamaran world was defined by Hobie as a marketing tool. The sold the public on the notion that costs to the consumer would be lower then a "non one design class" because your boat would not be obsolete or dated by changes in equipment and sails. They coupled this notion with ... a negative one. "those other class's can be bought by the guy with the most money.... is that the game... you want to play?". Finally... they really make the consumer feel guilty when they argue that the SMOD will be the fairest form of competition... (if you don't play this game... somehow you play unfairly. aka cheater).



I believe the comments about the continual updates to the Tiger platform (in order to remain competitve with the other Formula class boats) are addressed to those tiger sailors who still argue that the Hobie concept of SMOD is still the cheapest, fairest and purest way to race sailboats. The author just doesnt see any advantage to calling a Tiger one design and probaby thinks that the restrictions of buying only Hobie parts and sails is not the cheapest and best way to go racing anymore.



Bottom line... the words "one design" carry a LOT of baggage in the USA dating from the distant past and carried onwards to this day.