Stewart and Darryl, thank you for the history lessons. I really enjoy posts looking back at the infancy of the beachcats. Would be great to see a photo of the winged tornado which broke during the trials.

To get back on topic. Building national multihull (or high-performance to include moths and perhaps skiffs if they want to) can not hurt. Starting an international assoc. can not hurt either. At least not until this effort eventually is succesful and a threat to ISAF. It is a very long way to go before we are there, if we ever get there. Until then, I can only cheer for John and the others working within the current structure. If the attemt at getting multihulls and a high-perf dinghy for females in the 2012 games doesn't work out, we (as in catsailors) really should work hard at developing and strengthening the teamwork and structures which have succeeded in influencing the RYA and YA. Perhaps the discussion should move on and begin finding ways of attracting and keeping catsailors organized/affiliated. What is the key and why have we not succeeded so far (Are NAMSA and UKCRA successes? Others)? Should we use "Remember Estoril" as a slogan. Doesn't quite have the same "schwung" as "Remember the Alamo"