Mike,
How many times must the following be pointed out to YOU ?
Um, I'm sorry, but isn't this thread about "US" youth cat sailing?
The USA is in the backseat. Eventually your youths will race (or must race) internationally, you can train them on USA-craft-101 but at one time they will have to switch. The EU really doesn't get a warm feeling for the H16 with spi; wave is totally unknown.
Same applies to Aussies etc. The fact some of us were designing a new youth class is PARTLY because we wanted to create a uniform youth class the world over. This can not be done using the H16 as the EU is pretty much opposed to that and without the EU involved "we got nothing".
Sorry that is just how things are. Personally I favour the nacra 500 strongly but is suffers from similar problems as the H16 and SL16. The idea with a new class like the F12 was to start from the beginning where everybody lets go of their pets and get something that will work everywhere.
Again this was only PART of the reason.
We need to build with what we have, which, whether you like it or not, is Hobie 16s and Waves.
I understand that and yes that is all okay. But that doesn't create any grounds on which to diss the new projects everytime you get the chance as we do what works for us, whether YOU like it or not.
Our time is much better spent building and promoting the programs, rather than designing, building and trying to sell new boats.
I strongly disagree here. The H16 is dying as a class in the EU and many the world over HATE the H16 spi addition; the wave is failing outside of the USA. The EU is moving away from the H16 spi as the youth boat. I see no point in running down a dead-end road at full speed without a plan of getting off somewhere before the end comes.
You are working on getting us all up to speed with youths, others like myself were working on creating the "off-ramp before the road runs out of tarmac"
This is not a matter either one being right with the other being wrong. We work on to different aspect of the same problem that are equally as important.
I don't know how many times this needs to be pointed out to you, but kids are sailing BATHTUBS (Optis) in ridiculous numbers because of the PROGRAMS.
Yes and a 100.000 Hobie 16's were sold world wide, yet the class is dying anyway. Yada, yada, yada.
Besides after having the wave for over 10 years now and the H16 for 40 years, we still haven't any youth class of note lately.
This thing can be turned upside down and inside out to proof any point a poster wants to make.
The succes of the opti's comes from the support they get from very large organisations. Newsflash, there is no support of any significance for the Wave and the H16 class doesn't want to touch a spinnaker with a 10 foot pole. These are NOT great starting points.
Additionally the optis are cheap, small, light, easily transportable and not too daunting. ... H16 with spi ? Never mind, it fails on all 4 points.
The wave isn't that much better really at 115 kg (250 lbs), a 9.5 sq. mtr. mainsail, requiring a trailer and no class worth mentioning.
Now again, getting things started on whatever boats you have available is excellent, Cudo's to that, but for the future we also need to find a more sustainable program. Preferable one that uses a baot that is cheap, small, light, easily transportable and not too daunting. THAT was on what some of us (F12) we working on. Afterwards this boat the kids graduate the maybe the H16 with spi or F18's.
Now that is a pathway, rather then a run on an endgoal that has no follow-up. And both efforts are required to make it a succes.
Wouter
