Posted By: Mark Schneider
The racing in the A-class is growing and getting . - 07/26/07 06:09 PM
Windswept wrote
The racing in the A-class is growing and getting more exciting.
This is an interesting point that merits some discussion.
I have been curious why the Hobie17 sailors haven't been attracted to the A class.
Secondly, Why has the class growth stalled in some regions (New England) or not taken off in others (Michigan).
Of course the cost and availability of the boat factors in... but the 17 sailors probably have the cash to buy the toys they want and the 17 is no longer in production. You might think that the sailors would quickly gravitate to the growing A fleet where new boats are coming online. But this is not happening.
So… here is my current take on the issue.
Seems to me that a major factor is the kind and nature of the racing opportunities in your region and the group of individuals who go racing on those weekends. The weapon of choice is really third or lower on the list of factors that matter.
So, If the A class primarily sails on a weeknight (Bristol Yacht Club) and doesn't compete on weekends... (New England region, 1 event a year) The A class would not work for you unless you lived near the club and could race on Tuesday night. This seems to be the case for any club with mast up storage and a racing program (EG the Sandy Hook fleet of every cat produced doesn’t tend to travel much.. The boats are there and they get their fill of racing locally.
So, In the Mid Atlantic region. If you want to go racing on weekends, the Hobie 17 racing program of Hobie Div 11 and one event in MD suits your life and interests … the current A class program in Maryland doesn’t replace the 17 program geographically, (distance to events) socially (all men socials versus families and couples sailing 16’s and 18’s at multi class regattas) or with an appropriate weekend schedule (regatta every couple of weeks with a fleet of sailors who reliably go racing)
If you live in the CRAM region… the single hander of choice is the F17 by nacra….and before that… the 5.5uni… No oxygen for the A class to get going in this region.
So to say
“The racing in the A-class is growing and getting more exciting.”
I agree, this is very true and just part of the story!
racers seem to factor
1) Geography (How close are the events to where you live)
2) Temporality (When are the events and can you get to them)
3-4) Social Structure (Does the fleet reliably turnout and go racing… Is their a social scene…party… etc etc that matches what you are looking for)
4-3) Competition ( How accomplished is the fleet of sailors and do you fit in with them. You might be just a weekend sailor with moderate skill and simply not fit into the competitive structure of a fleet with lots of international experience. (it sucks to finish a leg behind the majority of the fleet)
5) Boat (Do you like to sail this particular boat and how much does high end performance matter to you versus other factors like geography schedule social structure competition)
Dan Delave as F18 class pres is trying to work through similar issues in growing the F18 fleet across North America. Wouter H has wrestled with these issues for the F16 class as well.
(These comments ought to stir the pot up in the lazy hazy days of summer in the Northern hemisphere…. Or the long cold winter days for you Aussies and Brazilians)
Thought's or Comments!
Mark Schneider
Quote
The racing in the A-class is growing and getting more exciting.
This is an interesting point that merits some discussion.
I have been curious why the Hobie17 sailors haven't been attracted to the A class.
Secondly, Why has the class growth stalled in some regions (New England) or not taken off in others (Michigan).
Of course the cost and availability of the boat factors in... but the 17 sailors probably have the cash to buy the toys they want and the 17 is no longer in production. You might think that the sailors would quickly gravitate to the growing A fleet where new boats are coming online. But this is not happening.
So… here is my current take on the issue.
Seems to me that a major factor is the kind and nature of the racing opportunities in your region and the group of individuals who go racing on those weekends. The weapon of choice is really third or lower on the list of factors that matter.
So, If the A class primarily sails on a weeknight (Bristol Yacht Club) and doesn't compete on weekends... (New England region, 1 event a year) The A class would not work for you unless you lived near the club and could race on Tuesday night. This seems to be the case for any club with mast up storage and a racing program (EG the Sandy Hook fleet of every cat produced doesn’t tend to travel much.. The boats are there and they get their fill of racing locally.
So, In the Mid Atlantic region. If you want to go racing on weekends, the Hobie 17 racing program of Hobie Div 11 and one event in MD suits your life and interests … the current A class program in Maryland doesn’t replace the 17 program geographically, (distance to events) socially (all men socials versus families and couples sailing 16’s and 18’s at multi class regattas) or with an appropriate weekend schedule (regatta every couple of weeks with a fleet of sailors who reliably go racing)
If you live in the CRAM region… the single hander of choice is the F17 by nacra….and before that… the 5.5uni… No oxygen for the A class to get going in this region.
So to say
“The racing in the A-class is growing and getting more exciting.”
I agree, this is very true and just part of the story!
racers seem to factor
1) Geography (How close are the events to where you live)
2) Temporality (When are the events and can you get to them)
3-4) Social Structure (Does the fleet reliably turnout and go racing… Is their a social scene…party… etc etc that matches what you are looking for)
4-3) Competition ( How accomplished is the fleet of sailors and do you fit in with them. You might be just a weekend sailor with moderate skill and simply not fit into the competitive structure of a fleet with lots of international experience. (it sucks to finish a leg behind the majority of the fleet)
5) Boat (Do you like to sail this particular boat and how much does high end performance matter to you versus other factors like geography schedule social structure competition)
Dan Delave as F18 class pres is trying to work through similar issues in growing the F18 fleet across North America. Wouter H has wrestled with these issues for the F16 class as well.
(These comments ought to stir the pot up in the lazy hazy days of summer in the Northern hemisphere…. Or the long cold winter days for you Aussies and Brazilians)
Thought's or Comments!
Mark Schneider