I think I have the newest H20 racing on the Ches. Bay now (98?). A lot of the old race boats are going to recreational sailors (who seem to pass them along fairly quickly); a lot of the old race boats are still sitting with their owners but not being raced. About 50/50 of these ex-H20 racers have other boats they actively race; the other half have pretty much given up sailing. Hurts to go to marinas/clubs and see all the H20s sitting :-(
Chris
So - if I were somebody interested in a Hobie-20 resurrection on the Bay, I'd hunt down the owners of those boats and ask them two questions:
1) Would you be interested in getting the Hobie-20 class going again and participating?
2) If not - would you be interested in selling your boat, and if so can I list it to people interested in question #1?
I would then promote the Hell out things, and not just to the local cat clubs - most people there have made their minds up about what they want to sail. So, make flyers, put them up at all the local boating stores. Write letters to Spinsheet. Create a Bay area Hobie-20 web site, and convince the other clubs to add links and give you promotion - list the Hobie-20s for sale on that site, try to offer special deals for people who will agree to keep the boat in the area and participate. Whether or not you feel the need to be a Hobie Fleet or not is up to your mission statement - if you don't become a Hobie Fleet you might be free to create the Chesapeake 20 spec, to include a spinnaker or whatever. The club/class doesn't need to be a new one, see if you can piggyback on CRAC or WRCRA, or even WRSC with the A-Cats if you can convince them it's another one-design class.
It's work, but it can work. Even if it ends up failing you at least tried, and I guarantee you'll make a bunch of new friends that just may end up helping other existing Fleets. It may be a long time in the making, but if you only add one boat a year you've still added one boat a year.
I've always felt that the dying class boats offer a great way to entice non-catsailors into the catsailing brethren. They can often be had fairly cheaply so the cash outlay isn't daunting. Even a slow cat is fast and exciting by mono standards. And with open class racing available the new owners can get a taste of catsailing competition. Where they go from there is open, but you lay a groundwork for people to look at the next step of their involvement. I've seen people stick with the old boat and be happy, and I've seen them get hooked and launch into one of the other classes.
The mantra we all need to chant is "new blood". Say it over and over again. Don't try to get the current sailors interested in your class, especially if it is a dead boat society class. They'll get interested simply by seeing what's going on. DO promote to those outside the current scene that are interested but are scared by the thought of sailing or buying something like an Inter-20 if they know nothing of cats. Convert the mono sailors, get people out who don't even know how to sail. New Blood, new blood, new blood.
Be patient with the new blood, nurture the new blood. The old blood always have things competing for their time, and with good cause they sometimes stray from the flock. Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don't, that's life. If you constantly add new blood, your club stays young and vibrant.
Use the dying class boats to keep the sport from dying by bringing in New Blood.
Rant mode off...