Bingo Timbo

Timbo

Are you saying that you personally will show up for a week long F16 NA's.... and a week long Formula regatta?

Fact of life... most sailors budget their time with their nationals as their top priority IF THEY CAN AFFORD THE TIME AND MONEY.

One of the issues with selling the US Alter cup championship is the Reply... You know... even if I won the qualifier... I would not participate because I want to go to my NA's or some class regional event.

Perhpas you should try to shape the F16 schedule to hit the existing big regional regattas and get the fleet together for a big three day weekend event plus your week long NA event.

Doesn't the Tradewinds do what you are asking for?
Rick

Bingo Ricko

We already have mixed fleet same course regattas. The only relevance this thread has is if you are talking about a National/North American Championship.

Daniel, you say a mixed fleet same course regatta will bring more boats to a National Championship. I don't agree, there is no chance I will spend close to $2,500, drive 24 hours and burn 5 days of vacation to attend mixed fleet same course regatta especially when I can attend one in my own back yard nearly once a month. In fact I just attended one of those, it cost me 65 bucks and it was 35 minutes away.

If the F16 class wants to put on a Mega event then do it nobody will stand in your way. As Tornado Alive said, if it has traction it will survive it it doesn't it will go away.

I'm going to get a guitar. Learn to play said guitar, then hog tie Pete and David and sing Kum-Bi-Ya till they're praying for death.

YES SIR! THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR!

Uh, Ding is the one throwing the tantrum. I was trying to have a civil, adult type, discussion representing differing views.

irrelevant.

The decision is made.

I'd strongly consider having my ears removed.

resistance is never futile!

Mark,

I think the point of this post was to look at getting the fleets to start working together to promote catamaran sailing. Hobie has long ago elected to head down a path of isolationism, and the A class rarely if ever is willing to get on the water with boats of any other make or style. The F18 and F16 classes are 2 of the more active classes left. We as sailors complain that there is no new blood, yet we continue down the same path. Larger “mega style” catamaran events or whatever you want to call them would at least allow for the possibility to generate more press, sponsorship and exposure to the public. If they do not know it exists, it is going to be hard to get people to participate.

I am a lot more motivated to schedule my time and money to head to an event with 100 boats than one with 20. (Nationals or not) More boats mean more money for the regatta to organize better events. It provides a much better opportunity for the organizing club to come out ahead and not lose money. A certain critical mass is required to afford production costs to have outside sponsorship, and media that can then reach out to the internet and the public. In the long run it means less total volunteers as there is 1 big event, as opposed to multiple little events held is separate locations.

Logistically there are things to work out as far as maintaining some of what we expect from the racing on the water. Where it can be arranged, maybe separate courses for the NA level races? If not, what are we really losing? I have never been at any race where there was not some obstacle “interfering “ with my getting around the course and “competing” against the other boats in my class. Sometimes it is boats of another class, sometimes it is a network of moored boats or crab pots. No matter what all competitors in the race have the same obstacles to avoid, so an argument on that destroying the quality of the event is a bit childish at best.

My view is we work together promoting the sport and cats and the class (all) will grow as a result, a lot faster than continuing to be separate and as openly antagonistic as a few of the current class leaders seem to be.

I've seen Ding get excited - that wasn't it. In fact, I think he's been pretty "matter of fact" about it.

Just having an event with more boats isn't going to get more people into the sport. What is the purpose of having a combined event? To promote F16?

If you want to get new blood into the sport then here is an idea which we may try:
Have an event where you must sail with someone from outside the cat sailing group as your crew. Get a 29er, Albacore, 420, or Laser person to crew for you and get them excited about it.

Mark, I am one of those guys who cannot afford -any- week long regatta, which is why I said 2-3 days each...pay attention.

Matt, the premise of your post, and at the root of the recurring suggestion from Pete to do combined events, is that the two fleets somehow aren't promoting catamaran sailing. Both are, and doing it well. They do it a little differently. You shouldn't be surprised that, after suggestion #942,673 to do a combined event, you might get an exasperated response.

John,

I am sure the people involved all feel they are promoting sailing. I do not mean to say otherwise. I however, do not agree with the current approach.

I am not expecting this to change, by posting my opinion or not. It is my opinion and if I was just sailing my A class or my H16 still ,I would feel the same way about it.

I do not understand (what I perceive) as paranoia from some in both the F16 and F18 class.

Carry on

+1 on the basic premise but as Rick White said, there are already some events like Tradewinds, Spring Fever, and Racine that probably do the same.

Another poster batted the A-Class for being isolationists, hmmm. As class president, we do what we think grows the class in organizing and scheduling our events. We think what we are doing is working and I've invited any A-Class sailor who thinks the class leadership is making bad decisions to become a class officer (interesting how quiet most get after that response). I think most in our class believe in getting boats to multiclass events. We had 13 boats at the Wildcat and 10 boats at Lake Carlyle last weekend. There were 14 boats at Spring Fever this year. I know we disappoint Rick and Mary by not being consistent at Tradewinds but we love our week of racing at the Islander in Islamorada every January and most of us have to use the Tradewinds weekend to travel home but some can stay and race. We owe a lot to Rick and Mary for hosting us when we first started coming to the Keys 10 years ago.

But for the major class event which is the NAC, we prefer to go it alone and I can understand why the F-18's would prefer the same.

Bob Hodges
USA 230

Are you still sailing at Bokeelia? I believe there is a place for you on the river in Ft. Myers if you're interested.

Oh dear lord. Pete, you just don't stop! ;-)

No I don't. Have you been to Bokeelia? It's quite small and out of the way. Their event may well have out grown that spot,as gorgeous as it is. IF that is the case there are other local options.

I'm going to do my best to reestablish catamaran sailing locally. I can't imagine why you would have an issue with that.