From the ashes of Div 16 comes ORCA: Ontario Racing Catamaran Association.

http://www.sailorca.org

Born out of the need to "just get along"

Oh, puhleezzz!

HCA Division 16 is very much alive. What ashes are you referring to?

And OCRA's been around for years.

Nothing to see here, move along . . .

FYI
We were told that the Rochester Regatta would happen this year and remain Open at the Hobie Div 11 meeting.

No point of contact was mentioned though.

Mark

Matt

I think after reading some info on there site that they are only going to have one Hobie only regatta. To follow the new HCA rules they are using ORCA to list the seasons regattas. We are doing the same thing in division 9 where we may have only one Hobie only regatta this year. The fleets or sailors that put on the regattas can do what ever they want. It appears that most will welcome all boats. So we need to come up with a new name and take the HCA info off our site.

I was objecting to the was it was presented ("From the ashes . . . ")

Mark - Rochester is still planning on having their regatta at their usual time and place.

Dave - Currently, HCA Division 16 is having 4 HCA Sanctioned One-Design Regattas (and one or two more may be added):



I wouldn't interpret OCRA as representing the interests of catamaran sailors in the upstate NY region, though, any more than CRAM or OCRA does.

Matt,

I wouldn't think HCA represents ALL Hobie sailors either. What ORCA, OCRA, CRAM and CRAW (amongst others) offer is to welcome ALL catamaran sailors, including Hobie sailors. I think this is the difference between HCA's corporate-driven marketing and the user run and supported Racing Associations for catamaran sailors. I think HCA has forced the formation of ORCA so they can have open regattas, don't you? Hobie Division 16 can still exist as some small part of ORCA and offer exclusive, HCA compliant regattas. Somehow, exclusive doesn't seem better in an age of diminishing participation, but then again, I don't sail a Hobie anymore.

Yes Matt,
The US folks are quite happy in DIV 16, and that's ok. But for us up here in Ontario, we want to have our own events with our own points series and that is what we will be concentrating on. You are very welcome to come if you wish.
And yes ORCA has been around for a while, but now we are giving it more emphasis.

I would just like to mention that when people post their schedules for 2005, wherever and however they post them, it will be very helpful if each and every event listing indicates whether it is a Hobie-only event or an Open event. And also be sure to give a contact phone number.

It will not be good if people drive a long distance and show up at a regatta with a non-Hobie boat and get turned away. People who are members of HCA may know about this new policy, but non-HCA members may not.

Mary

It seems to me that Hobie only regattas should not be listed on this site since it is for all small-cat sailors not just Hobies. The Hobie police might get you for having non Hobie and Hobie only regattas together.

David, surely, you jest.
But I was not talking about posting on this site. I was talking about wherever they post their schedules where other people will see them.

When people have been accustomed to doing things a certain way for over a decade, it is going to take a lot of publicizing, and more specific wording, to let everybody know about the new policy.

Mary

Yes, I was joking about the posting on this site and you are right about some sailors showing up for a regatta and not getting to sail.
It looks to me that the HCA is making a big mistake in the new ruling. In 2004 we had more sailors change from Hobie to other brands in our local regattas. I don't think that is what the HCA expected. The HCA is saying that open regattas are causing sailors to buy non Hobie brands. It seems to me that is Hobie Cat USA's fault for not keeping up with the other manufacturers. I sold my Tiger to buy a NACRA because I like the features better on the NACRA. In MY opinion the NACRA 20 sails circles around the Fox. In MY opinion the NACRA F17 sails better than the FX1.
How many Hobies were in the Steeplechase? I think 3.

Thanks for putting on the Steeplechase for us. I really enjoyed it.

Dave
You are a wise man. If Hobie built the boats WE wanted we would all still be sailing them. The feeling I got from our Division meeting was not a "Hobiecentric" feeling but a "Hobie16centric".

What IHCA / Hobie / whoever fails to recognize is that as groups and individuals that the majority of us have become catamaran sailors first and brand sailors second. Open market baby.