Currently, the plan for future Olympic Sailing appears to be the five-discipline approach with equal men's and women's events for 2016. This submission, while deferred until 2011, has wide international support with countries actually arguing about who came up with it first. If that submission continues to be popular, we would see a men's and a women's multihull event in 2016. The ISAF Multihull Commission would make recommendations regarding equipment. I have been talking for a while to sailors in the US about what that the equipment should be for 2016, and discussed it with the US SAILING Olympic Committee Chair. It remains to be seen what the Multihull Commission will decide once the topic is taken up.

So far, I feel the US should support the Hobie Tiger for both men and women, with the one-design Tiger sails for men and the F18 small sail plan for Women. The Hobie Cat Company has generously proposed providing boats for the Games. The Hobie lofts already manufacture both sail plans for Tigers that compete in the F18 fleet. Provided equipment at the Games would mean that there would not be any development budget and Olympic hopefuls could compete on stock equipment.

There are some that feel the choice of the Tiger would seriously impact the F18 fleets. I personally do not think that is the case for a number of reasons. I'm not, however, the type of person to ignore advice and suggestions. So let me have it; do you like a men's and a women's event? What are your thoughts on the Tiger as equipment? Before proposing other equipment, consider the availability to all countries, class structure, etc., and whether it would help or hurt that class to become an Olympic Class.

I like it!

Talking about equipment at this point is a mistake. It only works to divide the catamaran sailors before we even get an event.

John Williams for President!

I personally dont care much about what is the platform.. as long as it leads to multi-hulls in the games...

I am opposed to a separate "Men's" and a separate "Woman's" event, because I feel sailing is one sport that levels the field and women can compete evenly against men, or sail WITH men, ie. mixed crews just like we do it in the real world. I understand the "why" when it comes to Olympics, every sport has a Mens and a separate Womens event so I guess rather than get into a pissing contest over gender issues, just accept it and go foreward, happy to have ANY cats in the Olympics at all.

And I agree with Bob above, forget about the equipment fight until after the two events are securely (back) -in- the Olympics. Is the Tiger going to contiune to be produced in light of that new Wildcat anyway? Or is that what you meant?

Not if we all agree on it! I think it's a great way to go. Fast, affordable...a good representation of the current catamaran technology, a single boat that works for men and women alike, and a manufacturer willing to provide the boats with an already well established distribution system. Who can argue with that?

Hobie Tiger would be a good choice in my opinion as it is updated but no threath to the F18 class (we DONT want to hurt the F18 class in any way)

For women I am concerned about righting. Can two relatively lightweight women right a Tiger? In the large events it is no problem safety wise, but while practicing without safety boats?
I am not holding my breath waiting for multihulls in 2016 though. I have a bad feeling for the future of sailing in the games, even if all evaluations and reports on media coverage, participation etc. are positive. Unless we start to get some real media interest and famous profiles (famous and interesting outside the sailing world as well), I think we are doomed. Perhaps not for 2016, but..

Otherwise, go for it. John Williams for ISAF president! I would vote for you as ISAF dictator if I had a vote.

Rolf, I can right an F18 by myself at 175lbs (with some breeze)... two women should be able to do it quite easily. Even then, there are devices that can make it even easier.

Hi Bob -

The discussion is already begun internationally. If we're going to have to present the US's position, we need to keep talking about it. The question of events seems to be settled for the moment - several MNAs, including US SAILING, are supporting the five discipline approach, which would include:

Singlehanded Dinghy Men and Women
Doublehanded Dinghy Men and Women
Windsurfer Men and Women
Keelboat Men and Women
Multihull Men and Women

I appreciate that the discussion about equipment can get heated, but I'd rather begin dealing with it now.

ps - so far, I see two Nacra sailors above who like the idea. Maybe it won't be as contentious a discussion as I thought.

Go the Tiger then! Probably our best card.

I sailed the F18 at 275 pounds (125 kg) for quite a while with Tina Pastoor - we had no trouble righting the boat. Both of us hover around 62 kg.

The important thing to focus on at this point is on growing participation among women and particularly all womens teams, regardless of the particular class. This is where the skiffs will beat us out if we don't pay attention.

John, 2016 is a long way off to be picking "the boat" right now, don't ya think? Will Hobie continue to crank out Tigers only for potential Olympic teams? Why not wait and pick the "hot" F18 of the day, about a year or two prior to 2016? And why does it have to be an F18 anyway?

Or what about F18 for the Men and F16 for the women? Or Hobie 16 for both? Or something else? Have a bidding war between manufactures a year prior to the games, they provide enough brand new boats for all the teams, then sell them after the games, just like Alter Cup. I think one of the biggest drawbacks to Olympic competition is the COST of the boats, once they become "Olympic" boats, look out! Just look at what an Olympic Tornado will cost you, and where it got them.

The alternative point of view

So, What exactly are we loosing without an Olympic catamaran?

We can't argue that the Tornado Olympic Class has been a marketing triumph for catamaran racing. The marketing model which leverages Olympic sailing seems to be pretty lame.

I will argue that the sport is going to be better off with strong grass roots support in local fleets of F18's and A class's. (The Hobie 16 serves as a great entry level to world class level of competition. The pinnacle of the sport will be the F18 and A class world championships. Those events are where the sailors that we will aspire to emulate develop their reps.

Our sport will be better because we will be able to actually measure our performance against the pros in the big regattas and this will drive interest. The Tornado Olympic Circuit evolved so that the elite US sailors don't actually compete in the USA. For example, How many US catamaran sailors can say they raced against Johnny and Charlie in the last 12 years? (not counting Charlie's A class sailing).

I think the lesson to be learned is that we cannot let the gap between the rank and file catamaran racer and the elite Olympic sailor grow as large as it has.

Dont forget increased participation from Africa, Asia and the middle east. South America and the Oceania as well. Get that it becomes politically more difficult to slash us.

Next boat have to be one design. That rules out any formula class. It probably also have to qualify under the ISAF structure as an international class (representation on several continents, numbers of boats etc. etc.) even if the 49er and the Elliot did not have to jump through those hoops.
Tiger qualifies and dont threathen the F18 class. Hobie would get a new market for their boats and more out of their investment in moulds etc. It makes a lot of sense to choose the Tiger for 2016 (if we get there) and use the time from 2012 (next selection of events/equipment) to 2016 to decide which route to go.

Excellent point and very forward-thinking.

I'm in favor of the tiger becoming the Olympic multihull.

Skiffs have more girl junior sailors then the entire catamaran junior fleet.

They have a west coast regatta circuit and are trying to build an east coast circuit. They have international junior rock starts already. They have many yacht club organizations behind them supporting junior high performance sailing.

The number of women teams in the last couple of US F18's and Tiger Championships..... maybe 1.

The interest of the ISAF women's committe in mulithull racing... much much less then match racing in keelboats and skiffs.

The hole we are in is really deep!

Yes, but why? I think it's because as you said, there are so many Yacht Clubs that support junior (mono-dinghy) racing where as cat racing pretty much survives on it's own, and in fact many of the more "established" Yacht Clubs do not even allow cats on their grounds, "limited storage space" and all that, let alone support a real "Junior Program" with cats available to any kid who wants in.

So, how do we change that?

I don't know if it makes sense to compare Olympic sailors and the type of training that they do to what we do as cat sailors of the larger classes.

But, if it is, cats generally do not have women's teams. We have mostly open (mixed) teams, and some men's teams.

Certainly, there are no (or almost no) women's Tiger teams actively racing in the US. If the MNAs vote like last time, based on the classes they presume they can win a medal, it is not likely to go in our favor.

Having said that, for a lot of reasons, it probably makes way more sense for the women's event to be on H16s (maybe with a chute). Or, perhaps A class.

Tiger for men goes without saying.

Mike