I just realized that the Tiger Worlds is scheduled to start the day after Spring Fever ends on the other side of the country. Spring Fever is one of the two largest catamaran regattas in the U.S., is also a South East F18 championship event this year (of which the Tiger is a large part of), and has always been held on Easter Weekend. As an F18 class member, am I wrong to feel a little frustrated by this scheduling? I don't remember the details, or who started what, but I recall the Tiger NA's conflicted with the F18 NA's last year too. Is more of this to be expected in the future? Was this scheduling intentional, an oversight, or a 'don't care' maneuver? I know there are a lot of factors when it comes to scheduling an event - especially an international one - but GEEESH!

In order for F18 (and this sport) to continue to grow we need support from Hobie, Nacra, and all the F18 manufacturers and need to find ways to work better together. This year alone, 5 brand new F18's (Hobies and Nacras) have been purchased by owners within a two hour drive of my house and I know of 2 or 3 more folks currently sitting on the fence. Hardly any of us that just bought new F18s ever thought that we would ever buy a brand new catamaran. We are expecting to get anywhere from 8 to 12 F18s on the starting line at LOCAL regattas next year (we're already at 7 to 10)! This kind of high visibility will certainly bring new people and younger monohull sailors to the sport. However, it's not going to be as easy to build this class if we don't get support from the manufacturers offering the F18s.

Jake, I don't know exactly when the Tiger Worlds were first scheduled - I know it has been in the planning stages for well over two years. A lot of things go into the selection of the date - and it's usually one of the first things that's decided upon.

The fact that the charter boats for the worlds will be used at the Alter Cup probably had something to do with it, though.

Was it intentionally scheduled to conflict with Spring Fever? Please! Not everybody pays attention to when Easter weekend is - especially since it moves around every year. You imply some sort of malicious intent that just isn't there.

Is it unfortunate? - yes. Will some people choose one event over the other? - you betcha. How many Tigers will Spring Fever lose to the Worlds? Probably only a very few - maybe a half-dozen at the most. Santa Barbara is a long way from Georgia (almost 2,500 miles).

And just to set the record straight, the Hobie Class Association is running this event, not the Hobie Cat Company.

BTW, the Tiger NA's did not conflict with the F-18 NA's last year. The F-18's were July 6-9 and the Tiger NA's were the 19th-23rd. Admittedly they were close, but there were a few people that competed in both events.

The bottom line is that events will always have some conflict. People will have to choose which ones they want to or can afford to go to.

Personally, I would love to do the Tiger Worlds, but I won't be able to because I can't do that AND qualify for the 2006 Hobie 16 NA's AND go to the 2005 H-16 NA's (in Ventura and already pre-qualified) AND go to all the other regattas AND participate in my daughter's Bat Mitzvah (which killed my chance to go to the 16 Worlds in South Africa - since it's the day I would be flying back )

Sometimes, something's got to give.

Matt

Actually, the scheduling for the Multihull Championship was dictated by the Worlds, not vice versa. We even wanted to snug up closer to the Worlds date, but the host club is in Long Beach and the Grand Prix is going on the week we wanted. No hotels! Trafica grande! Que mala suerte!

Jake - I feel your pain. I'm going to Worlds because I've always wanted to do one, but this will be the first SF I've missed. Really wanted a shot at first place 4.3 to round out my trophy collection of second, third and fourth.

I noticed the conflict a coupld months ago, but there is no way I am missing Spring Fever.

As far as the conflict with the two events last year, it was the other way around.

Just to avoid potential conflicts I guess I'll go ahead and announce that the 2005 Formula 18 North Americans will be August 8-12, 2005 in Hampton, Virginia.
Tracie

you think the worlds will surpass Spring Fever? No way... 21 F18's last year, and at least 5 more locals this year,
Please(in your words) No one cares about Tigers or NACRA's(obvious from the poor support at PRW), its all about F18, yes, Formula racing. Not exactly what "Hobie" has in mind for themselves, but it is the reality.

David Mosley
F18

Dave...I just re-read Matts post. I didn't see anything about the Tiger worlds surpassing SF in attendance. (I expect it will). Matt simply explained how these conflicts happen particularly with a world event and the advanced planning required.

As for your HCA F'up...The suggestion that a Tiger world championship regatta should change dates that work for them to avoid a conflict with a local F18 regatta 2500 miles away is ridiculous.

I did a little more research - the Tiger Worlds date was set more than three years ago and has been published for at least a year and a half.

As of today, the date for the 2005 Spring Fever regatta is still not published. Not on this web site, not on the NAF18 site, not on the Division 9 site - not even on the Spring Fever site! And the HCA is the one who F'up? Come on!

Dave,

In sheer numbers of attendance, you're right - the Tiger Worlds won't exceed Spring Fever. That's not the point, though.

The level of competition in Santa Barbara will be incredibly high. Who among us can say they've been on a starting line with 50 Tigers? (or F18's for that matter). For me, it would be a way to take a big jump up the learning curve on a boat I've got less than 6 months experience with.

I agree that F18 is where it's at right now. I bought my Tiger primarily with the intent of sailing in F18 events (CRAM), but I like having the option of sailing one-design as well. There are areas of the country where Tigers are raced one-design (upstate NY and CA). That will grow as more and more Tigers make their way into the US. (Hobie US is to start making them in the next year or so.)

It's presumptious to project the situation in the SE United States to the rest of the country, or the rest of the world for that matter.

-=O=-

Matt, too much wine last night, I came off a little harsh, I apologize. SF is always Easter weekend, no need to post the date, we all know when it is.
I am angry at HCA for thier no "X" class ruling, it has now spilled over into NACRA Class(not allowing Hobie at PRW), and will further divide our fleets if we cant work this out. I dont foresee any Hobie Regatta at the local level turning anyone away. I can see they need a Nationals and worlds event that is all their own.
Okay, I apologize, now lets try to work together.
If SF has 25 F18's, that doesnt leave anyone but the Europeans and the boys from California and west coast. There are some really good teams on the East coast, so it is a shame there is a division.
How many west coast F18's are there? I rarely hear anything from them.


Dan, SF is obviously not a local event, it brings in more boats than any other cat regatta in the US, so yes it is a significant obstacle that should be planned around.
David Mosley
F18

Dave...I guess I shouldn't have used the term "local" to describe SF. I have driven 1000 miles to attend. It's a great event and no disrespect intended.

Apology accepted, Dave

Remember what I said about generalizations. I don't think the worlds organizers Steve Leo (California), David Brookes (Australia) or Lori Mohney (Michigan) have ever been to Spring Fever, nor do they necessarily associate it with Easter weekend.

There are a bunch of Tigers going to worlds from upstate NY and at least 2 from Detroit. My guess is that the truck that they've got going from NY to CA will be full (15 boats).

I think most of the Tigers in CA race one-design. I know a lot of the old-time 16 and 20 sailors have them now - Christensen, Alter, Delave, Newsome, Petron, Leo, Porter, Hitch - just to name a few.

Tommy - what the hell is "-=O=-"? BTW, you want to know what the other biggest regattas are? Ask Fluffy if you see her tonight at the Halloween party. She's got all the results. My guesses are Hobie MidWinters West, Madcatter, and MidAmericas

=-0-=

S'posed to be a trimaran!!!!

How about |-0-| ?

No-no!

|-0-| surely is a TIE fighter and not a Trimaran!

Funny - that's what I thought at first, too.

Gotta have them for the start line and crowded mark roundings!!!

First, I want to straighten out the timeline regarding the alleged scheduling conflict. The idea for a "Hobie Class World Championship" event was first discussed in August, 2000 during the Hobie 20 Continentals in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Yacht Club (Larry Harteck) was very interested in hosting a Worlds. We started with small weekend regattas in the mid-90's which morphed into the North/South Challenge then California State Championships (NACRA, Prindle and Hobie combined). Then moving to the Alter Cup in 1998, the Hobie 20 Continentals in August, 2000 with the Tiger Worlds being officially awarded in February, 2003. The dates were chosen for two main reasons...first was European participation (boat transit times from Europe would interfere with their season if the Worlds were scheduled during summer/fall) and second was the availability of the beachside (venue) parking lot. This lot is used during the school year by Santa Barbara City College for student parking. The Worlds will be held during their spring break.

As far as the Spring Fever Regatta...Nigel puts on a great event (even though I personally don't like the "Mars Mud") and it will survive without Tiger participation for one year. Granted there will be a few Tiger owners who elect not to go to California for this premier event. But there is nothing more valuable (competition wise) than a Worlds experience. Tiger racers who are not thinking about going should re-consider. The logistics and cost of doing this kind of event in North America is one with the least amount of hassle (did a BYOB Tiger Worlds in Singapore in 2003). When was the last time you where at a one design event with 100 boats? It can only make you a better sailor.

The decisions to hold an event of this magnitude do not happen overnight. It has been years in the making and promises to be one of the best. See you all on the beach in SoCal in March.

John Bauldry
Hobie Tiger 1317
Commodore, Hobie Fleet 276
Detroit, MI

Dave,

At last count there are about 2 dozen Tigers racing in California as one design with no need to join NAF18. I expect that number to increase between now and the Worlds. Not sure about how many other F18's there are in SoCal. I have heard of at least one NACRA. F18 fleet racing in SoCal will be a hard nut to crack unless other non-Tiger F18's start showing up.

Dan,

I consider the Spring Fever Regatta as a regional event not local.

John Bauldry
Hobie Tiger 1317
Commodore, Hobie Fleet 276
Detroit, MI

Ok...I'll admit to being a little over-flammatory with my initial post but I persist that we need to work more closely together when it comes to scheduling events. There have been two fairly significant conflicts between F18 and Hobie Tiger events in the last year where a lack of communication for all involved is probably to blame. I think it shows great planning that the Tiger Worlds date has been selected for three years but how long has that date been available to other event organizers?

As for the comment that we will only loose 6 boats or so...that's a lot! We have been expecting to have a terrific turnout (and still are) of 20 to 30 F18s at Spring Fever but loosing 6 out of 30 is still a 20% reduction in attendance due to scheduling! We will undoubtedly still have a great F18 turnout but our sport needs to keep the competition on the water instead of between events for attendance.

Matt

I read in your post above that you bought the Tiger to sail in F18 and ONE-DESIGN. Which Tiger did you get - the one with the seams and tramp track in the hulls or the with lighter hulls and no tramp track and a faired bottom? And was the tramp in the track on the hull or the tramp with groments in the back or the tramp over the hull? Which mast spreaders did you get - the round ones or the wing ones? Which snuffer did you get - round end pole or hard mid-pole or soft mid-pole? Did you get the new lighter carbon boards or the old heaver ones? Did you get the self-tacker and the new jib or did you get no self- tacker and the different shaped jib? Did you get the spin with the rings or groments or with luff line? Which boom did you get - the lighter round one or the heaver square one? Which front beam did you get- the lighter one with no track or the heavier one with the track? Do you really think that someone sailing on a new Tiger with all the new upgrades does not have an advantage over a 2002 Tiger without the upgrades? This is not one design. One design means the same.

I really don't see the Tiger as ONE-DESIGN just because all the parts come from Hobie. The boat was made for F18 and should race under F18 rules.