This is probably a similar story that many H-class sailors can tell, but just wanted it said.
I am part of the Bald Eagle Yacht Club, near St. Paul, MN. Within our club we also have Hobie Fleet 52.
Our annual regatta has included an open class for around 10 years. Some years there were only 3 or 4 non Hobies, most from the Lake Waconia Sailing Club. Their club is mostly Nacra's and Prindles. They are (were?) our friends, and we welcomed them to the regatta. Some of us even reciprocated and participated in their club's annual open regatta. Through their club many of us have participated in a CRAW sponsored regatta at Shell Lake for the past 6 years, initially on our TheMightyHobie18's, but were very impressed with the 6.0na's and became interested in sailing more hi-tech boats. Several of us moved to H20's 4 years ago, and through the CRAW sponsored regatta have demonstrated that we are formidable competition for the 6.0na's. Why did we get H20's and not 6.0's? Because we wanted to also compete in Hobie regattas. We have 8 H20's in the club now. So yes, some of us like one design racing AND open regattas.

That being said, back to our regatta. In 2003 we lost our regatta site of 10 years. We were scrambling to find a new site and who stepped up to help us? The Lake Waconia Sailing Club, with hardly a Hobie in the club. Their club members undertook a great deal of personal hard work and $$ to upgrade their lake site so our regatta could be co-run from their home site. The regatta was a success, with 38 total boats including 13 non-hobies.
Friendships and mutual respect have developed over the years, but now what?

If we continue to cooperate with their club in hosting future regattas, we cannot call it a hobie regatta, so don't get Division publicity. If we don't have Division publicity, what happens to the Hobie Fleet? My estimate is that about 6 of the Hobies that attended our regatta in 2003 came partly because it was a Division Points regatta.

If we don't cooperate with their club, we can hardly expect their non-hobie sailors to help, or their club to be interested in supporting our regatta.

I understand what IHCA is trying to accomplish, and I can't say I disagree with their goal in the bigger picture. On the local level, we are trying to survive, and the new direction IHCA has taken the HCA is going to create a lot of turmoil. I know, I know. We have to make the choice between hosting an open regatta or a division points regatta. Sounds simple.

We want to do both.

Dave Mortenson
Past Commodore Bald Eagle Yacht Club, Minnesota
Past Commodore Hobie Fleet 295, Rochester, NY
Current H20
Current H16
Past TheMightyHobie18
New for 2004: Laser
NAHCA #606 (yup, been a member a long time...)