Hi Mike

You wrote:
It's more than a hobby it's a lifestyle.

I understand your point of view... Lifestyles do not need any organization. Cat sailing as a sport though requires some organization... thus yacht clubs and hobie fleets.

I am interested in the sport of cat sailing...(ie maximizing the boats potential... competing against others... watching the pro's compete learning about how the best in the world do it and trying to emulate them myself) To be perfectly honest, I don't give a hoot about the Hobie lifestyle... (Hobie tried to sell me on this hooey in 1987 when I moved from monohulls to cats... ... buy a hobie 16... experience the lifestyle (wrong pitch for me)

IMO, Hobie fleets have done a tremendous job of building and hanging onto a marriage of the beach lifestyle coupled with organized racing. I have argued that as we look towards the future of the sport... not the lifestyle ... that yacht clubs are the best solution for growth of the sport.

I also love to sail recreationally and have a smaller Dart for these purposes. Like Thom... I have found that more people are excited about a ride on my Dart 18 compared to my Tornado with a chute.... So... I use the Dart for friends and family sailing. In the end... I do not need any support from other sailors for this kind of sailing... I look to a community of cat sportsman to create, build and maintain clubs and facilites that promote the sport of cat sailing.

Take Care
Mark