David,

I'm not completely in the loop as far as the current level of support - Ken Marshack mentioned $35K earlier in this thread. I don't know where that # came from. It seems kinda high.

As the former treasurer of the NAHCA (from '91-'97), I can speak authoritatively about our support from the company during that period. We got $6,000 a year in direct financial support, no strings attached. It represented anywhere from 10%-15% of our income, which basically covered our administrative expenses. Most money was spent on the production and delivery of the NAHCA News. We spent anywhere from $5K to $2.5K a year on course stickers, flag stickers, fleet brochures, racing forms, and other regatta management supplies. All of that was available free to the fleets for the asking.

Did fleets get any $ directly? - yes they did. In 1992, the NAHCA paid out $4,948 in "fleet dividends" (a rebate of $3 for every NAHCA member from that fleet) Fleet 11 got $18. (You only had 6 NAHCA members in your fleet at the time). The practice was discontinued in 1993 because it was a logistical nightmare - there were over 600 checks printed that first year. Postage alone was killing us.

Anyway, back to the present day. From my limited understanding, the Hobie Cat Co. continues to give the NAHCA direct funding that helps subsidize the costs of running the association. Oh, BTW, the only paid NAHCA position is the NAHCA News editor, and from personal experience, it isn't nearly enough (they're paid by the issue). Hobie pays the costs of the NAHCA News' color covers in return for ad space. They also provide direct $ support to Hobie Area Championships. Their only stipulation is that the event be Hobie only. Quite a reasonable request, IMHO.

I've seen a lot of Hobie merchandise raffled off and given away at regattas - and not key chains & other crap. I'm talking kayaks, trap harnesses, PFD's, wetsuits, spray pants, sunglasses - you name it. Does Performance Catamarans do the same? (I really don't know.)

When I ran the NAHCA, we would not entertain requests for direct $ support to fleets. Why? No accountability. I'm not pointing fingers at anybody, but there are people out there that would take the association's (or Hobie Cat's) money and just disappear. It's just not good business sense to throw money around like that.

For the last three years, I've been blissfully disconnected from the politics of the NAHCA. About a year ago, an unknown local guy (Jeff Rabidoux), decided it was time to start the local fleet up again. You know what? We didn't need any money from Hobie to do it. We just did it. And we're having a blast doing it. We've got the weirdest collection of boats, from my newer 16 & 17, to Mark Colby's 30 year old "Hobiesaurus" 16, to John Bauldry's "Trailer Baby" Tiger. It's just like the old days.

In less than six months, we'll be running our first Division Points Regatta in over 15 years. Yeah, the budget's tight, but we won't need Hobie's money to break even. All it takes is someone with the vision and the energy to make it happen. Jeff's given us the spark to do that.

I hope this has answered at least part of your question, in a very long-winded way :-)

Matt Bounds