This is a great thread. Many good points, and I think one theme is that unity would help us instead of arguing over the small points. It would be great to have a famous sailor and big corporate bucks promoting our sport, but not likely to happen tomarrow. When I think back to when I started sailing, my dad did get me a sunflower (snark mono, 300 bucks, 1978) but I really didn't know how to get into racing and didn't know anyone else sailing. It took 27 more years till I could do what I really wanted to do in 1978 - race cats. I live near a small lake now, and the kids around really are interested in what I'm doing with these boats, so this is my plan. I've got a force 5, hobie 14, lone star 16, and am looking for a hobie 16, and maybe to double each boat for races (any cheap, or donated old boats are welcome). I'm then puting all these boats on the lakeside and for two hours every week, all the neighbor kids are invited (for free) to enter into the "sailing program". We'll clean the boats, set em up, learn drills, race, watch videos on rainy, calm days, etc. Our goal will be to gear up for a "real" regatta every couple of months. I don't know how all this will work out, but I know that if we don't stop to pick up the interested passerbys and give them rides, many will not know how to get into sailing, much less cat sailing, on their own. I'll let you all know how its working out...